Capítulo 109: Chapter 6.6
We figured we had a few days before Raven came up with a counter to Theo's outburst. We had to start changing public opinion before then- we had to speed up our plan, but the recent events had scared them out of their wits. I didn't think that anyone would want to leave the medical ward. I was going to propose a different plan, yet the next day, I don't know what Theo said to them to convince them, but we had a small group of children who volunteered to visit the whitelisted.
"I thought our plan was done for, how did you convince them?"
Theo smiled, "I have my ways." She replied mysteriously.
Theo, Bella, and I each took a child in each hand and led them across the compound to the Whitelisted. Despite volunteering, their hands gripped ours tightly, their fingers turning white with the pressure. They nervously watched the people around us, their heads turning at each passer-by as if at any point they would lash out.
When we arrived, there was a large gap in the sea of beds, five or six people must have cleared away their belongings to make room. Ben and Marley were waiting at the centre and grinned as they saw us. Marley took the hand of the girl on Theo's left and started to show her some brightly coloured drawings she'd done. It was like that was all that the kids needed; the others sat down and started discussing the games they played at their school and which ones were the best. Ben asked to borrow some of Ian's drawing equipment, and they started playing an improvised game of pick-up sticks, which they insisted Theo and I join in.
I think Theo and I were more nervous than the children at that point; we watched uneasily as the Whitelisted glanced curiously in our direction, but the looks got continually less hostile and ambiguous. When the kids got bored of one game, a random whitelisted suggested a game of duck duck goose.
"I don't know how to play that." One of the kids admitted, eyes cast downwards. I think her name was Tyler, and her tiny bat shadow hid behind the curtain of her hair, hanging off her ear lobe.
"How can you not know? We played this all the time!" Ben chirped, bobbing enthusiastically.
"It's okay. We can teach you." The whitelisted smiled kindly.
"-What's a goose?"
"-It's a bird dummy."
"-It's like a big duck but they're a bit mean."
"-I don't want to be a goose." Tyler trembled as if it was the worst thing she'd ever encountered.
"It's just a game. Let's all sit in a circle, and we can teach Tyler how to play."
"Okay!" they chimed.
Tyler sat in the circle with her eyes tightly shut, muttering "I don't want to be a goose." Over and over under her breath.
Ben took the lead and circled the outside, "the person on the outside touches the head and says duck, but then if I say goose, you're the goose and you have to chase me."
"If you get caught before you sit down in the space in the circle then you're the next player."
Ben continued to circle them and pat them on the head with "duck" until he got to Tyler; he hesitated, then yelled "Goose!"
Tyler's eyes shot open, and her bottom lip trembled, but then Ben is off, and Tyler is chasing him. Her pout becomes a grin as she scrambles after him and catches his sleeve just before he slid into her place in the circle. "I got you!" she demanded with her arms on her hips.
"Ooookaaay." Ben stood and allowed her to resume her place in the circle.
The game continued for a while longer than I thought it would have lasted, when they got too tired to play, they sat in small groups chatting about the games they could play the next day.
"Mum!" Ben jumped up and ran over to his mother, who was carrying a tray of plastic mugs.
"Careful it's hot!" the cook complained, but I could tell she was happy that he was excited. "I hope you've all been good; I have hot cocoa for everyone!" she called, and I saw the children's expressions light up.
"Form a line everyone!" Theo called, and they quickly bustled to form a wonky sort of single-file line that curved around the space the Whitelisted had cleared for them.
They were excited but settled down once each of them got a cup.
"Here." The cook handed us each a mug. "You're both just children yourselves and children get hot chocolate. I really appreciate what you did for my children, but don't forget to look after yourselves." She gave us both a motherly smile and joined Ben and Harvey on the floor.
"Thanks." I muttered. I stared at the creamy brown liquid and felt nostalgic for the time before. When was the last time we had hot cocoa made for us? I couldn't remember.
It tasted sweet.
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