Hunted by Christine Kersey Page A

“The original reason you were in there would most likely play a part.” Jack looked at Billy. “Why were you sent to the F.A.T. center, anyway?”
    “That’s none of your business.” Billy stared at Jack, daring him to disagree.
    “Okay, okay.” Jack raised his hands in surrender. “Anyway, every answer has risk tied to it. There’s no way around it.”
    “What if,” I said, a new idea occurring to me. “No, never mind.” I shook my head, the idea sending tremors of fear through me.  
    “What is it?” Nathan asked.
    “Yeah,” Billy said. “What were you going to say?”
    I looked at him, remembering his comment in the counseling group about doing something risky for someone you love, and again thought about Amy and the terror she must be experiencing at that very moment. We’d never been close, but we were sisters, we came from the same blood. Then I looked at Jack. “What if I go back into Camp Willowmoss, but not as Morgan Campbell?”
    “What?” Billy said, clearly shocked. “Why?”
    “My sister is in there.” My voice began to shake with emotion as I vocalized my fears. “She’s only thirteen . She’s a good kid.” I paused. “They’re going to make her eat those power bars.” Tears sprang to my eyes as I pictured my sister becoming addicted to the power bars. She was small—what would the compliance drug do to her? Would it turn her into a zombie? “She’s going to have to participate in the Saturday Challenge—starting tomorrow .”
    “Do you know what they’d do to you if they realized your real identity?” Billy seemed incredulous that I was even considering going back.
    I was quiet as the truth of his question sunk in. A myriad of horrors flashed through my mind, making me seriously rethink my suggestion.
    “Morgan’s right,” Jack said. “The best way to help her sister is to expose what’s happening in those F.A.T. centers.”
    That wasn’t what I had in mind. What I wanted to do was to orchestrate a rescue. Get in, get Amy, and get out. The details were completely fuzzy, but that was the basic mission I wanted to perform. Maybe . When I thought of voluntarily walking through those doors, and pictured those drab hallways, and imagined sitting in the waiting room to talk to Mr. Madsen, an Enforcer mere feet from me, I went into a cold sweat and knew I couldn’t go through with it. I would have to be certifiably crazy to do this. Why, why, why would I risk my chance to get back home for a situation that only existed in this world? When I got back home my sister would be fine, right at home where I’d left her, threatening to tell Mom that I was sneaking out.
    Right?
    But what if my coming into this world and screwing things up like I had, had somehow affected the other world? What if something bad happened to the Amy in my world because of what had happened here? And what would happen to the other Morgan when I left here? Would she suddenly appear in this world and find herself a wanted fugitive? She wouldn’t have a chance. But I wouldn’t be here, so why should I care?
    I rubbed my temples as a headache blossomed behind my eyes. It was all too confusing and uncertain. I didn’t know how these parallel worlds worked—it was my first one after all. I pressed a hand against my mouth to smother a giggle. I was really beginning to lose it.
    “Are you okay?” Billy whispered.
    I shook my head. “No. Not really.”
    He rubbed my back, but didn’t speak, and I wondered what he was thinking.  
    “We don’t need to make any decisions tonight,” Jack said. “I want to discuss these new developments with Dani first.” He stood. “Let’s all meet in the meeting room right after breakfast, shall we?”
    Everyone agreed and Jack left the room.
    We sat there for a minute, the five of us, until Billy stood, and reached down and grabbed my hand. “I need to talk to you.”
    I let him pull me to my feet and I followed him into the meeting room.

Chapter Nine
    No one