Rise: Populations Crumble, Book 2 by Gandy, A. (read book .txt) 📕

slowly focuses back on the present moment. I pry one hand free from my death grip on the countertop and lower it to Patrick’s where it rests softly on my waist.

“I can’t do this. I can’t live like this, Patrick. I’m not some zoo animal that can live under a microscope!” My breaths are coming in fast gulps now, and for the first time, I feel truly panicked. My rage is still there, burning in my gut. But without an outlet, the panic has surged to the forefront.

“Hey, hey—it’s going to be okay. It’s not okay. Not really, but it will be.” He strokes my hair gently with his free hand, and I close my eyes and lean into his touch. Eventually I turn in his arms and sink into his hard chest. My sobs break free and it’s like a dam bursting after all this time, anger and frustration pouring out in the only way available to me.

“We can’t let them get away with this, Patrick. They don’t deserve this kind of power over people’s lives,” I say it quietly, but I know he hears me when his chin bobs against the top of my head.

“I know, Sadie. I know.”

✽✽✽

The next morning, our blinking pink television has returned to normal, thank God. We meander out and down to the guest house to have breakfast and see what everyone else is up to today.

Once we arrive in the dining room, we spot Teddy and Faith sitting at a large table with Emmett and Carolina, so we walk over to join them.

“Hey, newlyweds! Nice of you to join us.” Emmett is the first to greet us, grinning widely. He seems to always be welcoming, which I appreciate.

“Good morning,” Patrick greets him in return as we grab two empty seats.

A pink-shirted waiter hurries over with a basket of their signature pastries, and takes our breakfast order. Once that’s taken care of, we turn our attention to the other couples at the table.

“What are you guys all doing today?” I ask.

“We’ve got appointments at the medical facility all morning for early screenings,” Faith says, her voice betraying her nerves.

“I think we’re going to stay in and watch a movie. We hiked out to the lighthouse yesterday, so we’re pretty beat,” Carolina says. “You guys are welcome to join us, if you’d like! We haven’t had a lot of company since we’ve been here,” she says with sadness.

“Odette and Dominic not much for group activities?” Teddy asks.

She shakes her head. “No, Dominic seems like a nice guy, but Odette barely talks. We’ve been trying to let them have their space, but it doesn’t seem to have improved any.”

I see an opportunity, and I take it. “Have there been any other couples here, or just you two so far?”

“There was another couple when we first got here, Katie and Liam, but they got pregnant and had some issues, so had to transfer over to York for a procedure.” She realizes what she said, and darts her eyes over to Faith’s anxious face. “I’m pretty sure it was something minor, nothing life threatening,” she adds with a forced smile.

Faith gazes down at her barely-touched plate with a troubled expression. “It’s okay, Carolina, this is my third match. I’ve seen couples get sent to the Reproductive Issues Department plenty of times.”

Carolina looks relieved. “I’m sure you have. I’ve always thought they should have named it something better. I mean, ‘RID’ is kind of ominous, don’t you think?” she muses as she takes a bite of her omelet.

Faith looks up with a small smile. “Yeah, I thought the same thing. Not that any of the names are great. I mean, this place is beautiful, but Mairmont Honeymoon Resort is a pretty bland name.”

I snort. “Any chance to remind us why we’re here—I expected something more along the lines of ‘Baby Factory.’ The NLC wasn’t any better. Remember the dorms? Instead of calling it a dorm, they had to call it the ‘Future Mothers’ Wing” on the plaque by the front door.”

Our pleasant chat is interrupted by one of the staff rushing in and turning on one of the televisions behind the waiters’ service area. The screen pops on, and he urgently selects a news channel. The volume is low from this distance, but the message is clear enough.

A blonde reporter in her late forties is giving the report at a desk, with live footage of men holding signs outside of the capitol building in Wrightsville. “Just this morning, I’ve heard news that a vote has been called once again about changing the political structure of our nation. Unlike last time, the bill is said to have near-unanimous support, and comes on the tail of the major leak earlier this week that the prime minister’s son has in fact been married as part of the Compulsory Marriage Program. We have no official news that the two events are related, but it seems likely at this time.”

I can feel the color drain from my face, and I look over to see Patrick—also pulled from his conversation by the sudden intrusion—looking grim.

Emmett is the first to comment. “Poor bastard. You know he tries hard to stay out of the limelight since nobody knows what he looks like, but vultures are everywhere. Do you think they’ll really turn the North American Alliance into a monarchy, though? Marriage is great and all, but that’s no guarantee he’s going to be able to continue the line, not yet.”

Teddy speaks up, giving Patrick another moment to compose himself. “It does seem premature, but I’m sure there’s more to the story than we know. They’ve been bandying the idea around for years, even before the son was married off. This is heaping fuel onto the fire that was already burning. I’m sure if it passes, he’ll keep getting assigned a new wife until one produces an heir.”

My stomach flips, turning against the cheese Danish I’d already scarfed down. The thought of Patrick re-married to someone