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

eat—he doesn’t need us to call him God because he knows people might rear up and kick like crazy mules if he takes their religion away. He also knows some people will believe he is the highest ordained and pass that thought to their family, friends, and children. So, Everett simply put his religion in and said, “Well, this is the government’s religion, but you’re still free to practice other religions.” Things like that make people less aware. It feels like their religion is still protected. Not to mention the mind control drug routinely administered. That in itself takes away your right to free thought because it convinces you everything the government is doing is correct, whether it is or not. You lose the power to decide for yourself.”

“I guess I see what you mean a little bit,” mused Davis. “But I just still don’t see all the evil in it that you do.”

“That’s because you see the big picture that Everett presents. Have you ever seen a completed intricate piece of artistic embroidery? It’s a lot like that. Embroidery is a beautiful picture created on canvas with strings, yarn, or threads. It can be of a lake, sunrise, an animal—the options are endless. But the point is the finished picture is art. On the front side, you see a beautiful scene; that’s the picture President Everett wants you to see. Now, if a real artisan made it; the back would look nearly as good as the front. But lots of people get lazy with the back or don’t have the skill required. So, the backside gets all tangled and confused; back there, it’s a jumbled mess. It doesn’t form a clear image, like as seen on the front. President Everett is a master at making the front—the side everyone looks at—very beautiful. But, if you saw the back, it is a disaster. He simply became very adept at knowing which strings to pull to create the best picture on the front side.”

“Well,” Davis asked. “Then how did so many people get fooled? You remarked that the brain control element wasn’t in the Marigold Injection at the very beginning. So, how did everyone all go along with it so easily?”

“People thought Everett was protecting them. They’d seen, if not all, almost all of their families and friends die a horrible death. Things were an absolute mess. They needed and wanted to hear they’d be protected.”

“Well, I get that, of course. I’ve felt the need for protection since I got here—no insult to you guys. But I guess I just don’t understand how it became such a big mess seemingly overnight.”

“Oh, my dear,” he said, “That’s my point. A society never crumbles all at once. It is one piece at a time we march toward destruction.”

September 16, 2056 –

Preparing to Depart

Davis had gone back to her room after her conversation with Namaguchi and stayed awake a long time, thinking things over and trying to make sense of something, anything. She thought about when she got out of there; she would be expected to marry President Everett. The publicity of it was too good to pass up. She didn’t want to inflate herself up with self-importance, but it made sense. She worked at the Everett Center and was always at every significant presidential event. Yes, President Everett kept her at a distance, but that made sense, knowing he wanted to keep Ruby a secret. It also explained to Davis why she had never had any Inquiries of Interest; she has always wondered. Davis was of a somewhat high position, not unattractive yet, well past her prime age to get married. And then there was Brookshire. Davis had always believed they would get married. That was not in her imagination. They had been fast friends, but they developed a love and affection for each other after some time passed. They had conversations about their love, so Davis knew it wasn’t one-sided. Brookshire never told her that he was leaving. Just one day—the day after he held her hand at the Courting Dance—he was gone. No notice. No notes. No explanations. She had always felt like maybe she had said or done something wrong. Now she just knew she was a claimed property.

A little after 3 a.m., the nightmare Davis had become accustomed to awoke her. She was startled out of deep sleep and sat straight up in bed, swatting at the ghastly hands that still seemed to reach out to her, even though her eyes were now open. The phantom hands quickly dispersed, but she was now wide awake, her heart thumping in her chest. Davis got up to turn on the light and collect her thoughts. When she lay back down, she picked up The Great Gatsby to continue reading. Reading had always provided such a source of calm and peace for her. But now, she couldn’t focus on the words. Her mind kept going to her inevitable marriage to President Everett, in reality, also her stepdad. She had to cope with the fact her mom was alive and married to the man Ringo and Namaguchi now expected her to marry. The whole thing made her sick, both physically and mentally. Eventually, complete exhaustion overtook her, and she fell back asleep; the book slipped to the floor, and the bright lights of the room shone down her.

When Davis awoke, she realized it was a little past lunchtime. After cleaning up, she went to the kitchen to find some food. Quinn and Ana were in there, cleaning up after the lunch they had served. Right away, Quinn went up to Davis and hugged her and saw that she had startled and surprised her with the affection. “I’m sorry, Davis. I’ve just been worried about you. I know you’ve been through a lot lately.”

Davis didn’t respond. She felt she might cry if she did, so Davis just gave Quinn a small smile and nod, hoping that would convey that all was good