The Dark Days - Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"Nothing," says Sage hastily, straightening up. Without noticing, we'd been leaning closer to talk in muffled voices. But Chime must have superhuman ears or something, because she definitely heard about rebellion.
"I heard something," she says, crossing her arms, and, putting all her weight onto one leg, begins tapping her other foot. "What did you say?" She lowers her voice. "A... rebellion?"
"No," I say desperately. She can't know about this. I'm not ready to include someone who's not a fighter. "You heard... um... ringing bells!" The only thing I could think of that's even a tiny bit close to rebellion. "We were talking about the bells that ring everyday at midnight..." My voice trails off as the glare from Chime's chocolate eyes grow stronger.
I'm good at lying, but only if I can think of a lie beforehand. I was just winging it. Obviously, it's not good enough to convince Chime.
Heck, it's not good enough to convince anyone.
"I'll tell you, under one condition," says Sage, breaking the uncomfortable silence that seems to crush and suffocate me. But now, all that pressure lifts off me as I turn to him, unnerved. He pretends that he doesn't see me.
"What?" Chime asks, coming over to sit next to him. She doesn't care that he's sopping wet. Besides, the warmness in the house has dried us... somewhat.
"Please don't turn Amy and Aryn in," says Sage quietly. At the sound of Amy's name, I jerk my head to the right, where Amy is sitting. She hasn't uttered a word. I had forgotten that she was there.
She's there, eyes closed, an even breathing coming from her. Fast asleep. No wonder, especially after all that's happened.
All that's happened. Through the space of little over an hour, I've had a shouting match between my sister and best friend, met someone who's just the right choice for a rebellion, saw a gaping hole in Holly's arm, and came to Dr. Perils's place soaking wet. I turn back around, talking somewhat quieter. "She's asleep."
Chime nods, and turns her focus back onto Sage. "Why not turn them in? What have they done?”
"Talked about... you know." Sage doesn't want to say a lot. Our earlier conversation was dangerous, too, but right here, talking out loud; if soemone eavesdropped at my house, they can easily do it now. I wonder why the Peacekeepers aren't here yet. Not that I'm complaining.
"Alright," says Chime after a moment's hesitation, jerking me back to the real world. But she must know that her house might be bugged. She might not be the smartest, but she's smart enough to know that if someone shot Holly about talks of rebellion, they can shoot her, too. A finger pulled, a click heard, a dead girl.
"Chime!" calls Dr. Perils from inside the house. "What are you doing? I told you to get the bark!"
Chime sighs. "Sorry," she says. "One second."
Her mother mutters something about how she's putting a patient's life in danger, and my heart stops cold. Chime's about to climb the stairs to the upper floor when I stop her.
"What?" she asks, irritated.
"Can I go see Holly?" I ask.
"Better not. My mother will just shoo you out," she says, and leaps up the flight three steps at at time. "You'd better go home. Peacekeepers will be crawling the streets by tomorrow."
I don't, however, and wait for her to come down. There's something I need to tell her, but it's not safe to do it in the house.
"You're still here," she says, thirty seconds later, coming down the stairs.
I walk over to her and pretend to be examining the bark in her hands, while in reality murmuring under my breath.
"Amy and I will still be at our house tonight, but tomorrow we run. Early. Please get Maybelle Waters to help us, the mayor's niece. There's a door to the Underground in the mayor's house. She's smart; she should be able to find it."
Chime's eyes flicker with emotions as I tell her, but she understands. I back off, lifts my twin into my arms, and leaves out the door. Sage follows me. I call over my shoulder, "Thanks, Dr. Perils!"
She never charges until her work is finished. Hopefully by then, the rebellion's started, because there's no way we can pay a bill like that.

It's hard sleeping after that. It's easy for Amy, though, who's already asleep. I just tear off her wet clothes and tuck her in to bed. However, after I change into dry clothes and towel off, I toss and turn in sleep.
If Maybelle can be persuaded – which she should, because I know that she and Chime are friends – then we might have a shot at this. The rebellion.
Dawn brings a knock on the door. I bolt out of bed, only to find Amy already at the door. Peacekeepers, can be my only thought.
"No," I whisper, but Amy opens the door anyways.
"It's fine," she says. "It's Chime. And she's got Maybelle."
She must’ve been half-awake during our conversation with Chime yesterday. How else can she know?
Chime enters through the door, panting. A nervous and twitchy Maybelle follows her.
"They're after us," she says. "I think I lost them halfway but we've got to go. May's agreed to help us."
"How early were you up at?" I ask in amazement. Chime doesn't answer, but states something else instead.
"Maybelle reckons that she knows who’s been eavesdropping on you," she says. I lean forwards, intrigued.
"Who?" I ask.
In answer, Maybelle points a shaky finger at the windowsill, where a small, grey bird pirches, mute. It hops around and flutters out of sight.
"Jabberjays."