They killed her. They killed Eva. We were all together, marching down the hall. Every once in a while we explore Manticore, the halls, the doors, the rooms. We were doing that today when Colonel Lydecker found us. He shot Eva. She was right next to me and he shot her dead. She crumpled to the ground, looked up at me once, and then she stopped breathing. I hate Manticore. I hate Colonel Lydecker. I hate everything about this life. They took Jack away and then they took Eva away. The entire unit is devastated. Especially Maxie, Jondy, and Ben. They were the closest to baby Eva. Colonel Lydecker yelled at us for an hour about leaving the barrack after hours. I didn't say anything. The others didn't even seem to be listening. He finally released us to go back to the barrack. We all filed in our lines and went back.
I think everyone was in shock. No one had expected Colonel Lydecker to murder one of us. Everyone fell into their beds and didn't say a word. This is all my fault. I should not have taken them on my expeditions. I should have slipped out on my own without them. Now Eva is dead because of me. I fought the urge to cry. It was a sign of weakness and I would not succumb to it. It did not matter how much I hurt. Emotion is weakness. But I heard some of the others crying, including little Maxie. I couldn't take hearing her sob into her pillow, or listen to Jondy and Ben try to make her feel better. I finally got up and walked over there. Ben and Jondy looked guilty and their faces were streaked with tears as well. "Maxie. Look at me."
Max looked up like a good little soldier. Her brown eyes were filled with water and they were spilling over her cheeks in droplets. I sat on the edge of her bed.
"I know it's awful losing Eva. We all cared about Eva. She was our sister. But she's gone now. She wouldn't want you to cry over her. You know that."
"I hate Colonel Lydecker."
"I know. I do, too."
"He could have just punished us. He didn't have to shoot her."
"I know."
"Eva didn't do anything wrong. He's just mean."
"I agree."
I wiped the moisture off of her face and tucked her in tightly. "No more crying, okay, Maxie?"
She nodded dutifully. I was her commanding officer. She would do what I ordered. I leaned down and pressed my lips on her forehead. Ben piped up from the side. "Why did you do that, Zack?"
"Do what?"
"Put your mouth on her forehead."
"I don't know." I stopped to think. "I've seen a few people do that before. When one person is sad or hurt."
"Where?"
"The Infirmary. A doctor. She did it to one of the people in the infirmary."
"Why?"
"I think it's supposed to make them feel better."
Ben looked at Jondy for a second. Then he leaned forward and copied my motions with Jondy. Jondy made a face and wiped her forehead.
"Did that make you feel better, Jondy?"
"I guess." She put her mouth on his cheek.
"Did that make you feel better, Ben?"
"Yeah. It must be the sign of the Blue Lady."
"You're probably right!" Jondy replied excitedly. Ben looked at me like I'd just given him a good idea to add to his story. Well, seeing them smile was better than seeing them cry.
"Go to bed. That's an order."
Ben and Jondy scrambled into their beds and snuggled down in them. I walked down to the end of the room, not before staring at Eva's empty bunk. The sheets were perfectly smooth, not a single sign that anybody had ever slept there before. Jack's bed wasn't too far from hers. Slowly, my unit was dying away. I need to do something about it. I need to protect them.