Sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I run all the way back to the dorm.

I can't stop thinking about the three rogue prisoners.

I hope I have bought them time. I can only pray they are in their cells now scheming a way to get out.

I open the dorm door and head inside.

Tomasina and Alia are inside. They look up as I approach.

"What's wrong with you?" Tomasina asks.

"You look like you saw a ghost."

"I'm fine," I say, hurriedly.

"What happened?" Tomasina asks.

"Is it Hunter?" Alia asks.

I sit down on my bed and rub at my temples.

"No."

"You're obviously upset about something," Tomasina says.

I look at her. I want to tell her everything. I want to spill my guts. But having it all out there in the open will be too risky. Val knows and that's already one person too many.

"I think I might have just made a bad situation worse," I say.

"I don't understand," Tomasina says. "Explain."

"It's kind of long," I say.

"We're not going anywhere," Alia offers.

I sigh.

"We have prisoners," I breathe.