Haeven by S. M. Bowles Page A

"I'm sure if you knew
the alternative you'd be thankful to call it that."
    I was already imagining the worst for Penny
and there was something in his expression and the way he said it
that made me reel with fear, shame and anger. He didn't bother to
stop me when I ran off. No one did. I made it to the elevator and
punched the button for my floor over and over again until the doors
finally closed and it lurched upwards.
    When I got to my floor and hopped off the
elevator I was surprised to find that the door to my apartment was
wide-open. I slowly walked in and uneasily called out once or
twice, "Who's there? Is that you Penny?"
    I waited for a response but none came. I
cautiously walked in and crept along the hallway until I reached
the kitchen. Nothing at all seemed amiss but I was still leery and
continued walking, carefully picking my way towards my bedroom. As
I drew near I noticed that the light was on and there were
shuffling noises coming from within.
    When I was close enough I peeked through the
doorway and much to my surprise saw Artur and Avery walking out of
my closet. They each had a bundle of clothes slung over their arms
and they were bringing them to my bed where a good deal of them
were already laid out.
    "What are you doing?" I demanded when I
realized who they were.
    Avery answered with, "What does it look
like?"
    I knew very well what it looked like, it was
the  why  that I didn't understand.
    "Hmm, you're not very intuitive are you? No
sense of deduction in you whatsoever." He turned back to his
task.
    "No, I guess I'm not," I eyed him expectantly
but he just ignored me while he worked.
    I looked at Artur imploringly but he refused
to acknowledge me and simply began folding and packing the things
from the bed into the boxes they had originally come in. I tried to
figure out what they both seemed to think I should have already
known. I guessed that I was being moved but other than that I was
at a loss.
    "Am I being sent to the dorms?" I asked
remembering Carah had mentioned them once before. I tried picturing
what they would be like in my mind and under the circumstances
imagined them to be more like a prison than anything else. It
seemed as likely a place as any for Herrik to want to send me after
what I had said and done.
    Avery dumped the last of the closet's
contents on the bed and began helping Artur tuck them away. "You
could help," his voice was full of disapproval.
    "I could and you could answer my questions."
I turned intending to walk away.
    Artur cocked his head at me and before I
could get out of the room pulled me back. I thought it was Avery
and was about to turn my wrath on him but the next thing I knew I
was standing directly in front of Artur and he was the one glaring
down at me, "You are a selfish little beast of a girl aren't you?
Do you have any idea what you have done? What you have forced
Herrik to do?"
    "I...I..."
    My mind flooded with images and I was
ruthlessly made to understand.
    "Oh," I cried when I realized what was
happening. "He lied...he lied to...to everyone..." I whispered.
"He...he changed Penny's memories and...oh...no...no...they...they
would kill him if they knew wouldn't they?"
    "Not before they killed you and Penny and
anyone else he has had the misfortune of protecting."
    I looked from Artur to Avery who seemed to
confirm everything Artur had said.
    "I'm sorry." I said knowing full well that my
apology was as worthless as it was meaningless to either of
them.
    Artur released me and went back to packing my
things. Avery did the same. I went to the bed and without a word
began helping them. Minutes later the handful of boxes were stacked
up and Avery carried them all to the elevator. Artur and I followed
in silence. They brought me back down to the lowest level and
surprisingly turned into the garden rather than passing it by.
    As we made our way along the path it split
several times and I wondered over and over again just where they
were taking me. The garden was