They ended up near the back of the Homestead—that was what Clint called the leaning structure of wood and windows—in a dark shadow between the building and the stone wall behind it.
"Where are we going?" Harlow asked, still feeling the weight of seeing the opening close, thinking about the maze, the confusion, the fear.
She told herself to stop or dhe'd drive herself crazy. Trying to grasp a sense of normalcy, dhe made a weak attempt at a joke.
"If you're looking for a goodnight kiss, forget it."
Clint didn't miss a beat. "Just shut up and stay close."
Harlow let out a big breath and shrugged before following the young boy along the back of the building. They tiptoed until they came upon a small, dusty window, a soft beam of light shining through onto the ivy.
Harlow heard someone moving around inside.
"The bathroom," Clint whispered.
"So?" A thread of unease stitched along her skin.
"I love doing this to people. Gives me great pleasure before bedtime."
"Doing what?" Something told Harlow Clint was up to no good.
"Maybe I should—"
"Just shut your mouth and watch." Clint quietly stepped up onto a big wooden box that sat right under the window. He crouched so that his head was positioned just below where the person on the inside would be able to see him. Then he reached up with his hand and lightly tapped on the glass.
"This is stupid," Harlow whispered.
There couldn't possibly be a worse time to play a joke— Raiden or Wren could be in there.
"I don't wanna get in trouble—I just got here!"
Clint suppressed a laugh by putting his hand over his mouth. Ignoring Harlow, he reached up and tapped the window again.
A shadow crossed the light; then the window slid open. Harlow jumped to hide, pressing herself against the back of the building as hard as dhe could. She just couldn't believe dhe'd been suckered into playing a practical joke on somebody.
The angle of vision from the window protected her for the moment, but dhe knew she and Clint would be seen if whoever was in there pushed his head outside to get a better look.
"Who's that!" yelled the girl from the bathroom, his voice scratchy and laced with anger.
Harlow had to hold in a gasp when she realized it was Pru—she knew that voice already.
Without warning, Clint suddenly popped his head up toward the window and screamed at the top of his lungs.
A loud crash from inside revealed that the trick had worked—and the litany of swearwords following it let them know Pru was none too happy about it. Harlow was struck with an odd mix of horror and embarrassment.
"I'm gonna kill you, asshole!" Pru yelled, but Clint was already off the box and running toward the open field. Harlow froze as dhe heard Pru open the door inside and run out of the bathroom.
Harlow finally snapped out of her daze and took off after her new—and only—friend. She'd just rounded the corner when Pru came screaming out of the Homestead, looking like a ferocious beast on the loose.
She immediately pointed at Harlow. "Come here!" she yelled.
Harlow's heart sank in surrender. Everything seemed to indicate that she'd be getting a fist in the face.
"It wasn't me, I swear," dhe said, though as dhe stood there, dhe sized the girl up and realized dhe shouldn't be so terrified after all. Pru wasn't that big—Harlow could actually take her if she had to.
"Wasn't you?" Pru snarled. She ambled up to Harlow slowly and stopped right in front of her.
"Then how do you know there was something you didn't do?"
Harlow didn't say anything. She was definitely uncomfortable but not nearly as scared as a few moments earlier.
"I'm not an idiot, Skank," Pru spat. "I saw Clint's fat face in the window." She pointed again, this time right at Harlow's chest.
"But you better decide right quick who you want as your friends and enemies, hear me? One more trick like that—I don't care if it's your sissy idea or not—there'll be blood spilled. You got that, Skank?" But before she could answer Pru had already turned to walk away.
Harlow just wanted this episode over. "Sorry," she muttered, wincing at how stupid it sounded.
"I know you," Pru added without looking back. "I saw you in the Transformation, and I'm gonna figure out who you are."
Harlow watched as she disappeared back into the Homestead. She couldn't remember much, but something told her she'd never disliked someone so strongly. She was surprised by how much she truly hated the girl. She really, really hated her.
She turned to see Clint standing there, staring at the ground, clearly embarassed. "Thanks a lot, buddy."
"Sorry—if I'd known it was Pru, I never would've done it, I swear."
Surprising herself, Harlow laughed. An hour ago, dhe'd thought she'd never hear such a sound come out of her mouth again.
Clint looked closely at Harlow and slowly broke into an uneasy grin. "What?"
Harlow shook her head. "Don't be sorry. The … bitch deserved it, and I don't even know what a skank is. That was awesome." She felt much better.
A couple of hours later, Harlow was lying in a soft sleeping bag in a small cabin like structure, to large for just her herself, near the gardens. It was on a wide lawn that she hadn't noticed before, and quite a few of the group chose it as their bedtime spot.
Harlow thought that was strange, but apparently there wasn't enough room inside the Homestead. At least it was warm. Which made her wonder for the millionth time where they were. Her mind had a hard time grasping names of places, or remembering countries or rulers, how the world was organized. And none of the others in the Dome had a clue, either—at least, they weren't sharing if they did.
She lay in silence for the longest time, looking at the stars and listening to the soft murmurs of various conversations drifting across the field. Sleep felt miles away, and she couldn't shake the despair and hopelessness that coursed through her body and mind—the temporary joy of Clint's trick on Pru had long since faded away.
It'd been one endless—and strange—day.
It was just so … weird.
She remembered lots of little things about life—eating, clothes, studying, playing, general images of the makeup of the world. But any detail that would fill in the picture to create a true and complete memory had been erased somehow. It was like looking at an image through a foot of muddy water. More than anything else, perhaps, she felt … sad.
Her thoughts were then interrupted when the tent door was zipped open and a figure stepped inside.
. "Well, you survived your First Day." Raiden spoke as he undressed down to his boxer briefs. Harlow immediately averted her gaze.
"Barely." she whispered back wondering what he was up to. Wasn't he supposed to be in a shack next to hers, not in the same one?
Her questions were answered as Raiden laid down beside her and covered up with the blanket they now shared though they were in separate sleeping bags.
As much as she was uncomfortable sleeping with a stranger Raiden brought her a sense of safety and peace. It was as if she was drawn to him, and it wasn't long before sleep claimed her.
A few minutes passed, and Harlow felt the long day finally catch up to her, the leaded edge of sleep crossing over her mind. But—like a fist had shoved it in her brain and let go—a thought popped into her head. One that she didn't expect, and she wasn't sure from where it came.
Suddenly, the Dome, the walls, the opening that led to the maze—it all seemed … familiar.
Comfortable. A warmth of calmness spread through her chest, and for the first time since she'd found herself there, she didn't feel like the Dome was the worst place in the universe.
She stilled, felt her eyes widen, her breathing stop for a long moment. What just happened? she thought. What changed? Ironically, the feeling that things would be okay made her slightly uneasy.
Not quite understanding how, she knew what she needed to do. She didn't get it. The feeling—the epiphany—was a strange one, foreign and familiar at the same time. But it felt … right.
"I want to be one of those people that goes out there," she said aloud, not knowing if Raiden was still awake. "Inside the Maze."
"Ugh?" was the response from Raiden.
Harlow could hear a tinge of annoyance in his voice.
"Searchers," Harlow said, wishing she knew where this was coming from. "Whatever they're doing out there, I want in."
"You don't even know what you're talking about," Raiden grumbled, and rolled over. "Go to sleep."
Harlow felt a new surge of confidence, even though she truly didn't know what she was talking about. "I want to be a Runner."
Raiden turned back and got up on his elbow. "You can forget that. It's not safe. There are things out there that would make you have night terrors and I won't risk you." he growled at her.
Why did he care so much? Harlow thought to herself as she searched his handsome features.
" Forget it."
Harlow couldn't quit thinking . "Something out there—it feels familiar."
"Go … to … sleep." Raiden murmured
Then it hit Harlow—she felt like several pieces of a puzzle had been put together. She didn't know what the ultimate picture would be, but her next words almost felt like they were coming from someone else.
" I … I think I've been here before."
She heard Raiden sit up, heard the intake of breath. But Harlow rolled over ignoring him.
Without another word, worried she'd mess up this new sense of being encouraged, eradicate the reassuring calm that filled her heart.
Sleep came much more easily than she'd expected.