Read Take Me with You online

Chapters (102)

Things would be harder for Eliot if his life were more like Eli’s. If Eliot lived in a tiny apartment with his parents and sister and dog, he wouldn’t be able to do half of what he did. If he had to go to school every day and study garbage that didn’t matter, he wouldn’t be nearly so happy all the time. If his parents both worked long hours and seemed to reserve whatever energy they had left after that for his sister, well, how would Eliot fare then? Eliot didn’t even have a grandfather, let alone one who was old and dying. Eliot had it easy.

Some days it was hard for Eli not to rain pain on Eliot even though he’d created him.

Eli had a snore of a class first period. His seat was way in the back, though, so he was able to just keep his head down. He wanted to record everything he knew about Aizel. On paper. Because if he did it on his phone, Aizel could read it, and for some reason he didn’t want her to.

So far she was no help at figuring out what she was, exactly, and why she was here, so he was going to have to figure it out on his own.

He turned to the back page of his notebook and got to work:

THE DEVICE aka Aizel

Date of arrival: 9/27

Initial contact via app: Report to the music room immediately after dismissal. The matter is urgent.

Cube-shaped, 3x3 sides.

Identifies itself as “Aizel.”

—Russian fashion company

—Girl’s name, bringer of good fortune

Rules:

Do not tell anyone about the device.

Do not leave the device unattended.

Do not shake the device.

Do not get the device wet.

Device must change hands every fourteen hours or fewer.

Device must not be left in a closed bag for more than an hour.

“Nobody leaves”

Conversation I had with Aizel, 9/27 (as I recall it):

How did you end up in that classroom that day?

WOKE UP THERE.

Who put you there?

THEY DID.

Who ARE they?

THEY IS THEY

What does that mean?

THEY IS THEY

Where are they?

EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE.

What happens if we break the rules?

SITUATIONAL RESPONSES VARY WIDELY.