Page 6 of Midnight Sanctuary
A tear slips down her cheek, not that we can afford to waste the hydration. “Polly, listen to me: the only ones to blame are the motherfuckers who put us down here. But trust me, we’re gonna get out.”
“How can you know that?”
“Because I know your brother. Have you ever known him to give up? Especially when it comes to you and Lev?”
Polly looks too tired to sum up the slightest bit of positivity. Her eyes are blank and dead. I can’t let her sink any lower or I might lose her completely.
“I need you to stay positive. I know it’s hard while we’re trapped down here, chained to these beds with no food and water. But I need you to try anyway.”
“I don’t think I can.”
There’s a whimper in her voice and I’m reminded again that she’s only fourteen years old. All I want to do is draw her into my arms and hold her until she starts feeling better. But since I can’t comfort her the way I want to, I decide to give her the one thing in my possession that I think might make a difference.
“Youhaveto. You have to believe we can survive this. You have to believe we’re going to be okay. My baby’s going to need their cool aunt around, after all.”
Her eyes snap to mine. “W-what did you say?”
I give her a small smile. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”
“You’re pregnant,” she whispers. She glances at my belly. “You’repregnant.”
I glance at the cameras, mostly to remind her to be quiet. “Yes, I am,” I whisper back. “I have been for a while now.”
“How long is a while?”
“Ten weeks, give or take.”
There it is—the little flicker of life I was hoping for. The brightness comes back, the dullness recedes, and Polly straightens just a little bit taller. “I… I can’t believe it.”
“Trust me—I couldn’t either at first.”
She’s looking more like herself now. The arch of her eyebrows has that old streak of mischievousness. “Does he know?”
“No. I was serious: you’re the first person I’ve told.”
“That was your trump card, huh?”
“Depends. Did it work?”
She nods slowly. “I’m going to be an aunt.”
“Being an aunt requires both of us to get out of here in one piece,” I remind her. “We’re made of stronger stuff than they think we are, Polly. We can fight them. We can get out of here. I will have this baby and you’re going to be the best aunt.”
She’s looking a little teary-eyed again, but I’m pretty sure these are the good kind of tears. “Thanks for sharing with me.”
“Of course.”
“Can I ask you something?” When I nod, she asks, “Why haven’t you told Uri yet?”
I hesitate. If there was ever a time for honesty, though, it’s right now. “For the first few days after I suspected that I might be pregnant, I was in denial. Then, when it became obvious, I was scared to tell him. Things with Uri and me are… complicated. I wasn’t even sure he’d be happy. And to be honest, deep down, I knew I wanted this baby.”
“Uri will be happy, too, you know. He just might not know it right away.”
I snort with laughter. “That’s comforting.”
“But seriously,” Polly says, adjusting her position on the mattress, “he’s going to be a great father.”
I nod. “I already know that.”