Marigold by Heather Manheim (best books for 8th graders .TXT) 📕

went to grab some files. Quinn and Davis helped carry the plates and platters into the kitchen. When Davis walked through the door, she realized that everything was about to change. She didn’t know precisely what was changing, but she knew she would never be the same again.

~

Davis gulped as she sat on one side of the table, Brookshire to the right of her, lightly holding her hand. She stared at Ringo, Namaguchi, and Quinn on the other side of the table. Ringo spoke up first. “I know this will be hard to hear, but I promise we’ll go through everything and answer all your questions, and there is no need to worry. You’re safe here. No matter what happens, I promise we’re on your side.” Davis felt and looked terrified but nodded in the hopes that Ringo would take this as an indication he should continue. Luckily, he did. “Well, I think the first thing we should start with is the brain control chemical the government injects into you and others regularly. The Marigold Injection.”

He paused, and Davis piped in, “I thought that was to keep us safe from illness, the Lombardi Plague?”

“Yes, that is true, in one way. Almost all your vaccinations just have some helpful vitamins and minerals. Once a year, you get protection against the Lombardi Plague, antigens that your immune system recognizes as hostile invaders. You then produce antibodies in response that your body remembers for the future. If the virus reappears, your immune system recognizes the antigen and attacks it immediately before it can spread and cause sickness. Also, once a year, you get a flu shot; it’s different than the regular one you usually get every month, but they don’t tell you that.” Davis nodded again, although she wasn’t quite sure she completely understood what Ringo was saying. He continued, “It’s not that important. What is important is all of them also have a chemical in there; it alters how your brain works. It makes you susceptible to suggestions, influences. It’s pretty powerful brain control. They use this to regulate, curb, and discipline the population according to their needs and wants. If you think about it, you’ll now likely remember some things you’ve done in the past that you would not do now.”

Davis had a flash of a young boy, screaming. Tears streaked down his face. “How can they do that?”

“Well, they want the ultimate control, right?” He paused and then added as if further clarification was needed, “I mean, they don’t want you thinking for yourselves because that could be dangerous for them.” Ringo took a deep breath and held it, pausing for a second, his eyes looking up toward the ceiling as if in deep thought over what to say next. “Davis, for instance, do you think that President Everett eliminated all illnesses? That people no longer get, say, cancer? Or have heart attacks? Or strokes? Even on a much lesser train of thought, a common cold or flu? You’ve been sick before; I know you have because everybody has. You were likely put on a “special assignment,” so you were not at work. They convince you it’s because you did something wrong. You didn’t get your last injection on time. Or you didn’t eat or shower properly. And then, you start to believe it. Because as far as you know, they’ve never lied to you before. And they provide you with a home, job, and food. And your brain processes all those things very fast, and being under their control, you just believe it. You have no choice in it.” Here Ringo took a deep breath. “The sad part is—well, it’s all tragically sad—the terminally sick people, the people I mentioned who have something like cancer, a stroke, or severe heart attack, they’re put away. They’re either shoved into a Class Three Pod or a hospital. But, it’s a hospital in name only. Nobody takes care of them. They’re lucky if they get clean bathrooms, much less any kind of medicine or nutrition.”

Davis felt tense and hot all over. She looked down and saw she was squeezing Brookshire’s hand very tightly. “Sorry,” she said as she wrestled her hand from the firm grip he was returning.

Brookshire stood up. “I think I’ll get some water. Does anyone else want any?”

“Yes, please. Would you mind bringing some in for everyone?” said Namaguchi, answering for everyone at the table.

Ringo continued as Brookshire left. “Now, there are people who have a natural immunity to the brain control drug. Quinn is one of those, as is Ana. None of Namaguchi’s other wives have it, though. That is why Ana is here, and they are not. The other girl you met tonight, you heard Romo say Cricket was naturally immune as well.”

“Did I have natural immunity?” asked Davis.

“No, you didn’t. That’s why you had such a rough time detoxing from it, sorry to say.”

At this point, Brookshire walked back in with a tray full of water glasses. Davis almost leaped out of her seat to grab one and gulped it down as Ringo continued. “Duffy and Hernandez, like other doctors and nurses, have access to patient records. Remember, they take your blood a few times a year too. That’s not just to ferret out possible serious illness in the population, but because they want to check for your immunity. They’ll red-flag someone showing immunity. Well, Duffy and Hernandez don’t, but other medical staff does. It can mean death, or depending on your status; they’ll attempt to brainwash you at the Everett Center…”

Here, Davis cut in with a vehement reply, “No, that’s not true. I worked at the Everett Center! There is nothing like that at the Everett Center! There is nothing like that going on there!”

“Well, they don’t advertise it, dear. It’s not on the public tour. They keep it quiet.”

Davis shrunk back and closed her eyes. She was trying to think for a minute. Rack her brain to see if any of this made any