Vanquished Read Free Page B

the third floor doesn’t bother me as I pass the desk with the clunky computer. The young medic is sitting behind it. I pause.
    He smiles when he recognizes me. “You’re back!”
    I smile and nod. “I’ll probably be here a lot in the next couple of weeks.”
    “Right. I’m sorry.” He shakes his head.
    “No, that’s OK.” I don’t feel so stupid and nervous today. “I didn’t get your name yesterday. If I’m going to be here so often, I would like to know everyone’s name.” I can’t help it; it’s my natural tendency to take control.
    He grins. “I’m Fischer.” He doesn’t hold out his hand like the doctors did yesterday. Relief trickles through me, but so does a hint of disappointment.
    “Nice to meet you. Officially.” I stop and glance at the clunky machine on the desk. “What do you do with that thing?”
    His eyebrows shoot up. “The computer? You’ve never used one?”
    I shake my head.
    He smiles again, and I suddenly wish I had fixed my hair instead of pulling it into a tight ponytail with half of it hanging out.
    I immediately wince at the thought. I’m not one of those girls. I don’t obsess about my looks, even though I try to look my best. Keegan’s never made me feel anything but pretty, and I’ve always been confident in that. I take no extra pride in my hair or my body. Of course, my body isn’t much different than anyone else’s. I’m thin. Everyone is. The Greaters are supposedly always looking out for our health, and so we only get enough food allowance to keep us healthy. Back in the Early Days some people had a disease called obesity. The Greaters eliminated that disease. Too bad they can’t do the same for the mutation.
    Fischer doesn't seem to notice my discomfort. He pats the computer. “I’ll show it to you one day when I don’t have about a million other things to do.”
    “That would be great,” I say with a smile.
    “It’s a deal then.” He nods and goes back to his work.
    I go on to Mom’s room. She’s awake and sitting up in bed today, and the lights are on. Relief surges through me because she looks good. Her hair is brushed smooth, and she’s sipping a glass of dark liquid.
    “Hi Hana,” she says. “I heard I missed you yesterday.”
    I give her a light hug. I’m afraid to hug too tightly. “I stayed for a while, but I had to get home before dark.”
    She nods. “Of course. How’s home?”
    “It’s fine. I’ve been cooking while you’ve been gone. At first Dad acted scared to try my fried squash, but he doesn’t seem to mind now.”
    She laughs softly. “What about school?”
    “Fine. Everyone’s ready for the year to be out.”
    “Have you been doing the laundry?”
    I roll my eyes. “Yes, Mom.”
    We talk for a while, and I hope she’ll bring up her treatment. She doesn’t. I want to know if they’ve mentioned the chemo, and then I can’t wait anymore. “Mom, what are they going to do to help you?” My insides twist as I wait for her answer. Please say chemotherapy .
    “They’ve been feeding me lots of strawberries and blueberries. Broccoli and tomatoes, too.”
    That ball is back in my throat. I swallow hard. “Is that it?”
    “Well, besides the herbal tea of course.” She nods toward the glass she’s drinking from. “It’s disgusting.”
    I laugh at her facial expression. Mom never has liked tea. I got that from her, I guess. I glance toward the door to make sure no one is walking in, then I lean close. “They haven’t said anything about medicines? I mean real medicines?”
    My mom frowns and leans toward me. “What do you mean?”
    “You know, like chemo drugs or something.”
    She chuckles and leans back. “I wish. Someday we may get back to that success level as a society, but we aren’t there yet.”
    That’s what you think , I want to say. But then another thought hits me. Maybe she’s keeping it a secret, just like Dr. Bentford said she would have to.
    That has to be it. My mom served in our