The Dark Water by Seth Fishman Page B

when those who drank the source could see far more. But then,” she continues, moving forward a number of panels in the scroll with an eager hand, “I found an image of myself.”
    Alone on the scroll is a Keeper, small and female with spiky blue hair. The rendering is generalized, it could probably fit a number of Keepers, except for that hair. That definitely narrows it down.
    â€œSo,” Rob says, speaking slowly, frowning his way through the logic, “if this old scroll has an image of you, then it can tell the future?”
    She bounces on her feet, frustrated. “You do not understand! It speaks in riddles. I have studied all the scrolls and could find nothing more about me.” She rolls the scroll back to the image of a bloody Keeper. “But I just remembered this, and that Straoc went to the Lock to gather your father . . .” She indicates the page and a new image, runs a finger on the parchment, tracing the edge of a doorway behind the fallen Keeper. “There are bars here, closed doors, dark. That is the Lock. And this Keeper is Straoc.”
    â€œWe have to get there,” I say, a cold creeping into my stomach. “If Straoc’s hurt, then something bad has happened. Then Dad isn’t coming back here.”
    â€œI have to tell my father.”
    I shake my head. “There’s no time.”
    Lisa hesitates.
    Jo pushes her. “If you want to help Straoc, we need to get out of here
now.
”
    Lisa frowns, but grabs one more scroll, and as soon as she opens it I see that it’s a cross section of Capian, complete with the tunnels and gastrain tracks. There’s a key in the corner, and corresponding symbols over various buildings. Blueprints to the city.
    I catch my friends’ eyes, surprised and pleased. I’m feeling an energy thrum through me, and I’m suddenly impatient. We’re not stuck here anymore and now I’m eager to leave.
    There’s a shout downstairs, still far away, but we all jump.
    â€œThe guards discovered my deceit,” Lisa says. “They will check your room and then everywhere.” She tugs a small bag free from where it was attached to her belt. She dips her fingers in and licks the water from them.
    â€œYou take water everywhere?” I ask.
    â€œWe are never far from the water,” Lisa says. “That is why you are so different from us. You are separated from the water. Your life is quick and scary and is like climbing too high. If you fall, you cannot be healed.”
    â€œLet’s just hope we don’t have to climb any balconies to get out of here, then,” Rob replies.
    â€œLisa,” I say. A part of me is feeling guilty all of a sudden. “This isn’t some prank, you know, sneaking us out?”
    â€œMia, friend. I will be fine. Straoc and your father need us, and I say my father would want me to help you.” She takes my hand, her skin warm and clammy. “Now follow me and trust. I have not been from this tower before but I am the daughter of Randt and I will see you safe.”
    Lisa brushes past me and down the stairs, her shock of blue disappearing from view last, leading the way. Jo and Rob run after her, and so do I, but it’s hard not to take one more look at the image of Straoc, his body broken and exactly where we’re running to.

10
    JIMMY
    JIMMY STARES AT THE DOOR MARKED WITH THE NUMBER
4
. Inside, he knows, are all sorts of nasty things. Viruses, poisons, death in a jar. Each gathered so the Westbrook alums could experiment with the water. It’s this place where Sutton must have thought up the virus that’s ravaging Westbrook.
    Odessa’s holding the pistol in her hand like she was born to. Though he doubts she knows how to use it. He doesn’t know anything about guns either, not really. He was never into the whole hunting thing. And even though he can tell the difference between a 12-gauge and a deer rifle, it’s