Dawn of Eve by MJ Howson (best ereader for students .txt) 📕

the top floor. As she entered her bedroom, she asked Evelyn to secure the apartment for the evening. She placed Eve on her bed against a pillow and then went into the bathroom with her glass of water. The prescription pills from Dr. Cole were in their usual spot beside the sink. Dawn sighed as she popped the bottles open and swallowed the tablets. She noticed the sapphire pendant hanging from the cabinet pull. Dawn frowned, recalling Jacob’s one-word text from earlier. She spent a few minutes removing her lipstick and eyeliner she’d worn for the day and then returned to her bedroom.

The wooden box with the fertility pills and diary were hidden beneath the bed. Dawn retrieved the box, reached inside, and tossed the diary beside Eve. After taking a fertility pill, she returned the bottle to the box, leaving it on the floor.

Once in bed, Dawn pulled Eve close, opened the diary, and found where she’d left off. After she scanned the first few paragraphs, she looked at Eve and asked, “Another birthday?”

∞∞∞

November 9, 2012

Eve looked past Tina’s bare mattress at Suzie, flopped in her lumpy bed. A faded pink flannel blanket covered the young girl. Hugo was already fast asleep, buried beneath his covers. The rickety high-mounted windows howled as the cold air outside battered them with the wind. The steam radiator against the wall softly rattled as it struggled to heat the room.

“You’ve been so happy all day,” Eve said to Suzie, trying not to wake Hugo.

“Of course,” Suzie said. She sat up and turned toward Eve. Her smile revealed a perfect set of white teeth, lined with bits of pink frosting. “I’m finally going home.”

Suzie picked up the pink hand mirror on the table beside her bed. The accessory was intricately styled for a plastic mirror, with an oval shape that twisted into a curved handle. She began to fidget with her hair, now styled in a pony twist.

Eve flung her red blanket away and scurried over to Suzie’s bed. The sound of her corduroy slippers slapping against the floor echoed off the stone walls and vaulted ceiling. She sat down beside Suzie and asked, “Aren’t you worried?”

“No. And don’t ask me to contact anyone or get you a message. This camp was stupid and dumb. I’ve already told my parents they need to make this up to me.” Suzie tossed the mirror onto the blanket beside her and leaned closer to Eve. “What did we learn to prepare for becoming teenagers?”

“I . . . I don’t know.”

“Exactly. Nothing! We’ve learned nothing.” Suzie rolled her eyes. “And I’ve gotten straight A’s on every single test. My parents keep saying they’re proud of me, but all this stuff they’re teaching seems stupid.”

Eve nodded and said, “I miss my old school.”

“Father John and Mother Martha are horrible teachers.”

“I . . . I don’t think they’re real teachers.”

“I told my mom she’s taking me shopping next week. I’m planning on maxing out her credit card.” Suzie giggled and slid beneath her covers. “She owes me.”

“You saw your mom today?”

“No.” Suzie’s smile faded.

The lock on the door snapped loudly, causing Suzie and Eve to jump. As the door opened, Eve vaulted over Tina’s empty bed, flicked her slippers off, and dove beneath her blanket. Caretaker entered, carrying a tray with three glasses of water and a small glass bowl with two pills.

“Let me guess,” Caretaker said. “Hugo’s already asleep?”

“Yup,” Suzie said. “You’d think three pieces of cake would keep him awake.”

Caretaker closed the door and stopped by Eve’s bed first. She handed her a pill and a glass of water. She said, “Take your vitamin.”

Eve used her thumb to roll the pill deep into her palm. As she raised her hand, she let the pill fall into her open sleeve. She pretended to put it in her mouth before taking a few chugs of water.

“Show me,” Caretaker said.

Eve opened her mouth wide and stuck her tongue out.

“Good girl.”

Caretaker went over to Hugo’s bed and woke him. Hugo yawned and looked around, a bit confused.

Eve slid deeper beneath her bright red flannel blanket and rolled to her side. She could feel the pill wedged in the folds of her elbow. Eve smiled, proud of her deception. She ignored Caretaker as the woman finished with Hugo and sat and talked with Suzie. All Eve could think about was what she would do later when Caretaker came back.

“Sleep well,” Caretaker said.

Eve rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling as the room slowly darkened. The lock to the door closed. She sat up and stared at the light spilling from beneath the door. Her eyes adjusted so she could see Hugo and Suzie. Both were either asleep or soon to be there. Eve curled beneath her blanket and slid her hand under her pillow until she found her diary. She dragged her fingers beside the book until she felt the silver butter knife she’d stolen from the birthday party.

The minutes passed. An hour. Two hours. Eve found it difficult to stay awake so late, but she didn’t want to sleep through Caretaker’s return. She could hear Hugo snoring from the opposite side of the room. Suddenly the lock on the door snapped open. Eve felt her throat close with fear as she rolled over to face the door. She closed her eyes and draped the blanket over her face, partially obscuring her vision. She had just enough of an opening to allow her to see the cedar-lined armoire and the doorway. In the darkness and shadows, the wardrobe’s clawed feet, winged top, and serpent’s head looked ready to come to life at the slightest provocation.

Caretaker entered with Suzie’s luggage in tow. The light from the hallway flooded the room. She left the door wide open as she placed the bag near the armoire and walked to Suzie’s bed. Eve listened as Caretaker gently woke Suzie and told her it was time to leave. Suzie grabbed her mirror and followed Caretaker