《Finding Emma》Chapter 8
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"Emma!" I say, covering my eyes. "Emma, careful!"
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She puts her hands on my face again, looking at me. I open my eyes and look at her. "Good morning," I say.
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"Hi," she replies. It is silent. I check above my bunk, and notice that Tris has already left to meet with David.
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I've been watching her for about a week now. Tris got over her jealousy of Emma, I think, because we spent a little time by ourselves while Emma was being tested some more. She's gotten used to Emma now, for the most part. But I sense she's still a little wary of her.
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Once I get Emma dressed, I bring her to the nursery. She is finally becoming able to leave me without having a panic attack, which is good. She's starting to understand the daily grind: we wake up, I drop her off at the nursery, and some time later I pick her up. As long as I'm there by the end of the day, she's fine.
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They won't take her for another couple weeks most likely, but she's adjusting fast. Her stomach is barely swollen at all now; it's the size of a normal toddler's. She eats a healthy amount of food each day. She's not entirely as sad as she used to be, although she still remains quiet and thoughtful. When she met Caleb, it was hard for me to get her face out of my shoulder, even though Caleb was being kind to her.
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A couple of hours later, right before lunch time, Nita and I take a break. She goes back to her room while I decide to take a stroll.
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As I walk out of the weaponry, I overhear a couple of guards talking. I don't really listen in until I hear the word "memory serum".
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I pause in the hallway. I hear that they're coming across the corner, so I quickly find a door and open it quickly, pressing my ear against it. I can still hear them talking from the other side.
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"Yes, we're going to take her from the nursery later today. He doesn't know yet, but the leaders decided that it would be easiest."
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"When?"
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"Probably a little after lunchtime."
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My heart drops. Take.. her? Emma?
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"They're going to take her into the hospital and give her a dose of memory serum. She didn't get the full dosage when they arrived to the Bureau last week, so her memories are jumbled. We also thought it would be easiest, because she has become attached to Four. This way, he can continue training and she can stay in the nursery."
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Now I know they're talking about me. Anger boils inside of me, and I feel like I could break this door in half.
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But.. I thought that it would be a couple of weeks before I had to give her up. I didn't think it would be now. No, she's not ready yet! She's still a little emotional. They can't take away her memory. Her memory makes her personality. Her fears and hopes and dreams. They can't take that from her, she's too little. She's not ready to go live in the nursery full-time.
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The guards walk past the door and continue down the hallway. When I know it's clear, I race past the weaponry and straight towards my dorm. I gather up my things: my water bottle, my clothes, some more bread that Emma wanted me to keep in the room. I stuff Emma's things into the bag: her diapers, her sippy cup, her nightclothes, some more outfits. I sling the bag over my shoulder and sprint to David's office.
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Luckily one of David's cronies is standing around the door, so I get her to open the door. Only people who work around the office possess the key needed to open the 'special door'.
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David and Tris stand close to each other, talking. They turn as soon as the door opens, and Tris stares at me, frowning. "Four? Why are you here?"
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"We need to talk. Now."
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She looks at David and then looks at me. "Can't it wait?" She asks.
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Anger boils in my stomach and I feel like screaming at her. Does she take David's thoughts into account more than mine? Does she trust him more than she trusts me?
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"No," I say. "Now."
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She looks at David again and walks over to me. "What?" She whispers to me impatiently.
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"They're taking Emma," I huff. "Now. They're wiping her memories of us and keeping her in the Bureau. She's not ready. We need to leave. Tris, they're doing other things to kids too. It's not right."
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"Four," she sighs. "I knew this would happen. You've become emotionally attached to her. If she needs to go, let her go. They're doing things for the best benefits of the children."
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"No, they're not, Tris! They're wiping these children's memories! They're wiping their personalities, making them forget their loved ones. It's wrong. We need to leave."
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"Four, I can't leave," she sighs, crossing her arms.
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I put my hand gently onto her shoulder. "I'm going to Chicago. Are you coming with me or not?" I ask, my eyes pleading with hers.
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Tris looks back at David, and then turns to me. "Four," she says, her eyes welling up. "I have to stay," she says.
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I take my hand off of her shoulder and push her away from me. I get it. She trusts David more than me. I've gone through everything with her, and she trusts the man she just met a week and a half ago more than me.
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I look at the way her eyes well up, and anger simmers inside of my stomach. "Fine," I say. "You can go with David. But you know what? There will always be somebody else who will stand by my side. Even though she's only twenty months old, she trusts me more than you ever would. I don't need you anymore. Go."
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I see the tears spill from her eyes as she walks away from me, hurt. I notice David talking to one of his cronies. I know they're going after Emma, now. I Ieave the room without another word.
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I sprint to the nursery and push the door open. I hear screaming in there.
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"It's okay," the guards say to Emma, as she kicks. They try to gain control of her. Tears fly out of her eyes and she screams, "Four! Four!"
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They're taking my Emma away from me.
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