Daisy

Months passed. Tensions in the clans rose, as rumors of the Falcon's revolting spread. Pippa couldn't sleep at night, sick out of her mind with anxiety. This situation was much worse than at home.

Somehow, Naomi and Judah found time together. They seemed to really love each other, and while Pippa felt this was wonderful, she wished that Naomi could be with her more. When her friend was with her, she felt less afraid.

With Naomi gone most of the time, though, Pippa turned instead to her other form of security: drawing. She was getting better and better, and while she was drawing, she felt calmer.

One day, the clan was coming back from bathing in the sea. Frances was chasing Pippa with a raggedy towel, the two of them laughing more than they had in weeks. They slid into camp, surprised to find three teenaged boys waiting for them. Pippa recognized them as Kyle, Aaron, and Martin, all part of the Master's clan.

"Hello," Judah said, walking into camp. "Is there something you need?"

"Hey," Aaron said. "The Master sent us for your youngest girl."

"What?" Judah stared at him. "You mean...Morgan wants Daisy?"

"Yeah," Aaron replied. In the crowd, Naomi put her arms around Daisy, her face fierce.

"Don't you dare come near her," she hissed. Daisy stared at the boys with wide, dark eyes.

"Unless you want to disobey the Master," Kyle said, "You'll step aside right now."

"I said don't come near her!" Naomi shouted as the three boys came at her and Daisy. The other children scattered as they drew nearer.

"Back off!" She pushed Daisy behind her and kicked Kyle in the gut. Then, Aaron struck Naomi across the face, knocking her to the ground. Martin grabbed Daisy, dragging her away.

"Naomi? Let go of me, I want Naomi!" Daisy struggled, tears running down her face.

Naomi struggled up from the dust, blood running from her lip. "Judah, don't let them take her," she begged. "She's going to kill her, please, please!"

Judah stood like a statue, and mumbled, "She'll kill us all if we don't."

"I don't care!" Naomi screamed. The boys had left with Daisy by now, and the whole clan was watching Naomi fall apart.

"It's the law."

"I don't give a rat's ass what the law is!" She was in his face now, her face twisted in anger and grief. "You let that psycho kill a sweet little girl who never hurt anybody! Well, you can forget you ever knew me, boy, because I'll never forgive you."

Pippa and Frances ran up quickly before something happened like Naomi killing Judah on the spot. "Come on," Frances whispered in her ear, as she and Pippa each grabbed one of her arms. "Why don't you lie down for a while?"

They led Naomi into the shelter, where she dissolved into tears on the mattress, clutching one of Daisy's dolls. Pippa realized she was crying too. Daisy wasn't supposed to die. She was only six.

"I'm going to lose her, just like my sisters," Naomi wept after a while. "Do you know I had sisters? They died, and she's dying, and why? Why?"

She cried some more. For once, Frances was silent as she stroked Naomi's forehead.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Pippa asked.

"We can't defy Morgan," Frances said. "Her word is law."

Pippa looked at Naomi, her eyes bleak as she gazed into nothing. She had spent so much time being afraid of Morgan, but somehow, she began to find a little courage in herself. Naomi needed her.

"So that's it? We just lie down and let Morgan take her?"

"I can't defy the Master," Naomi said, sighing.

"Why not?"

The words hung in the air like electricity. Pippa went on, emboldened. "The only power Morgan has is the power that we give her. Why don't we just march over to her trashy tower and take her back?"

"She's right," Frances said. "She's nothing but a tyrant. Let's get Daisy back, Naomi. We can do it. We'll show her that she can't push us around."

Naomi stared at them, her face tearstained. But the grief in her eyes was giving way to hope. "I agree," she said, her voice hoarse. "That girl in the Junk Tower needs to be taken down a peg or two."

"Yes!" Frances cheered. "Let's stick it to her."

Pippa smiled, glad that Naomi hadn't despaired after all. "Should we go get Judah?"

"Not on your life," Naomi said fiercely. "We'll do this on our own."