Kinter by Adalina Cruz (bill gates books recommendations TXT) 📕

aliens that worked the same shift as I did. There were only 60 of us guarding the gates at the hour that Four had escaped. I had been late, so I had an alibi. Hopefully though, they hadn't caught Four. There was a girl slumped in a chair with chains. Her black hair and her shape were alarmingly like Four's. I sucked in my breath and Silus glanced at me nervously, "Relax dude. You weren't even there. I'm the one that has to worry." I nodded and took my place in the rows and rows of pews. The Testimoner (what we call him) Looked at us all and then said in his deep threatening voice. "Let us begin. We shall start with," He glanced at a sheet of paper, "Hugh Lake." A huge boy stood up and walked to the chair and began to talk...


"I arrived at around 3:30ish for my shift." He paused and looked at us as if asking if he was correct, "I stood in my usual position but heard nothing unusual. I went on my lunch break at around 5:00 O'clock. I was supposed to trade off with Kinter but since he didn't arrive I just left and asked Koster to take my spot while I got back. When I did get back nothing did happen that I knew of. Tigh called Kinter and he showed up thirty minutes late. We shipped fifty humans to New York and I went home. Just a while ago I got called to come here." The Testimoner nodded and called the rest of us. And one by one they gave their story. It was the same story actually, just from a different point of view. But all of them were missing me. And I guess everyone pretty much came up with their own conclusion. It was easy. Kinter didn't show up to work on time. He was missing for twenty minutes. A girl escapes. What do you think that they think?


When it was my turn everyone had pretty much accused me already. The Testimoner grinned like a hungry cat. I looked at the girl and stifled a scream. It was Four. A small part of me hadn't wanted to believe it. She stared at me then looked at the floor. "Kinter if you don't have a pretty damn good explanation for why you were late on the day a girl escapes then prepare for your punishment." My throat closed up and I struggled not to gasp for air. "I-I." the Testimoner chuckled, "She even told us she had run away at 4:30. You opened the gates at 6:00 so it was impossible for her to escape that way," He pulled out something from the drawer. My Hertur. "If you could also explain why she had this, Then, feel free to do so." I swallowed harder and looked down. This looked very bad. Yes I had saved her, yes I had given her my Hertur. But I hadn't helped her escape Camp. "Sir, I swear on the Mothership that I did not help this girl escape." The Testimoner just smiled, "Your punishment Kinter Paladoris, is to get your head removed." I choked and started coughing. He clapped his hands together and everyone filed out of the room except the policemen, Four and I.

The policemen handcuffed me and chained my feet together. Still I remained silent. Whoever had let Four escape had let me stand guilty for his sinister acts. I knew it was a him because I knew why they had let Four out. And even now it disturbed me to the core.
One night to live.

The policemen locked me in a cell with Four. "Until tomorrow. You have one night to do whatever you want. After that you're both dead." he traced a finger across his throat and then laughed evilly. Then, He left, Locking me and Four together in the cell. "I'm so sorry." She cried out. I laughed, "Really? For what? For not telling them who had let you free? That's alright. No big deal. It's not as if I'm going to die tomorrow." She lowered her head, "When I gave my testimony before everyone gave theirs I was asked to describe the person who had set me free. I remembered someone. He looked just like you, Kinter. But taller, meaner and with different features. I said he had blond hair and green eyes. I was so scared, Kinter. So scared that I forgot that he had a clawed hand. I didn't remember until I looked at you in the room. That's when I knew I had screwed up and put an innocent man in prison. I also lied about the time and I was stupid to have done so." I took a step backwards. It all made sense now. How could I have been so stupid?


Flashback: "KINTER! My man!" I heard Colton before he appeared, "Oh boy, what do we have here?" Colton whistled, "A run away?" I swallowed hard, "Leave!" I hissed at the girl. She backed up, startled, she was looking at his clawed hand. Then at me. Probably wondering why he wasn't doing anything to me because I looked human. "Leave!" I said louder with more force. She stumbled and then turned towards the opposite direction and ran. Colton pushed me hard with a force that would've killed a normal human being. "YOU idiot! Why'd you tell her to leave?!" I grinned pretending to look evil, "'cause then I can hunt her down. Cats play with their food, Colton. Relax, I got this." He patted my back, "sounds like fun. But you better go after her now." I nodded and sprinted into the woods. Never looking back.


Four nodded. "Now you know." "Tell me everything." I told her. She took a deep breath. Here goes...


It was during the night. Last night. I was resting my head on the door of the Corral. When suddenly i heard the door open. I stumbled back looking into the eyes of an alien who smiled wickedly at me. He reached down and pulled me with him shutting the gate shut behind him again. He blindfolded me and took me to what I'm sure was his house. Then, he left me in a garage. He didn't tie my hands tight enough so I escaped and when I looked on the table I saw a needle a scalpel and a clawed alien hand and I knew what he wanted to do with me. So I ran and ran and ran. I ran all the way to the woods that's when I found you Kinter. He eventually caught up to me. He acted all friendly with you as if he didn't know he was chasing me he wanted to look innocent in front of you that's why I was stunned. Her words made my stomach drop. "So Colton was trying t-to make you alien?" I asked disgusted. She nodded and sat down on the small bed, "Yes. And I'm sorry Kinter. I put the wrong person in prison." I was about to correct her by saying Galactor but she interrupted me, "Yes Kinter, You are more human than you think. You may not be human as you say, but the way you act and treat others makes you a person." I smiled and then we fell into silence.


I turned suddenly to Four and stared at her for a long time. Noticing the faint freckles on her nose. So faint you wouldn't notice. I noticed how her eyes were larger than most. Or how she played with the necklace around her neck when she was nervous. "What?" She asked, noticing my stare. "You need a name. Not just Four. If you're going to die you're dying with a name." She smiled faintly and stopped touching her silver necklace, "What so God won't be like 'sorry but we have seven million thousand four's are you four-thousand or four-million?'" I raised my eyebrows, "Who's 'God?'" She rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Nevermind, Kinter." I glanced down at my filthy cloths. I only had on a thin white T-shirt and some black shorts from when I was in bed. They probably had been in the wash-me pile. When I turned back to Four I felt this weird churning in my belly and my throat closed up. My cheeks burned for no reason and I turned around fast. She returned back to fiddling with her necklace, "Well what about names?" She asked. I shrugged, "Bailey? Sounds human?" She scrunched up her nose, "Yuu? I've heard that before." She laughed, "I'm not Asian." I shrugged and continued, "Junie?" She didn't say anything. "OK yea sure. Junie B. Jones. It sounds familiar to me but I don't know why. Maybe my mom was named that?" She said. I shrugged, "OK then. Hi Junie!" She cracked a smile and then turned to face me. I swallowed hard and looked down at my feet. She scooted closer to me closing the gap that separated us. "Well, if I'm going to die. I want to have one last thing." I looked up and faced her, looking into her dark brown eyes. "What's that?" I whispered. "I want to know what it feels to fall in love." Her words were a hushed whisper. I traced the shape of her mouth, "I can't help you with that. I don't deserve to know and it shouldn't be me. You're trusting the wrong person, Fo--Junie." I dropped my hand and stared at my feet once again. She sighed and scooted back to her end of the bed, "OK." Was all she said.

Imprint

Text: Adalina cruz
Images: Adalina cruz, and google of course.
Editing: Adalina Cruz
Publication Date: 07-01-2012

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