Annihilation: Love Conquers All Read Online Free Page A

would place him in a job that would let them keep a close eye on him in the future. She said that those who could not follow rules were also not allowed to marry and have children. If the government had the slightest idea that he could prevent them from watching him, then they may put him in a place where he would have no freedom.
     
    “Mom, I didn’t break any rules.”
     
    “I know,” she said. “But if you have the ability to break the rules without being seen, then the government would be very nervous about someone like you. Thomas, it’s extremely important that only your father and I ever know about your gift. I know it’ll be hard not to share it or use it with your friends now that you know they can’t do what you do. But someday they will tell someone and the government will come looking for you. Promise me, promise me to the bottom of your heart, that you will never reveal or use this gift you possess. Have you told anyone else about what you’re able to do?”
     
    Tag sat back down on the footstool in front of his mother and thought for a few moments and remembered starting to tell Eric, but he remembered that they had been interrupted. “No, I’ve only really learned about it today. I promise! I promise, Mom, I’ll keep it hidden.”
     
    “Thank God the teacher doesn’t know the truth,” his mother thought. Then she thought about how to explain to the teacher what happened. “Thomas, you also need to let them catch you in tag, maybe not every time but a lot of the time, and no more sneaking to the front of the line. I am going to write a note to your teacher apologizing for your leaving the playground, but tell her that you did not hear her say you couldn’t, that you were writing the next day’s homework assignment when she explained the rules. I know this isn’t the truth, but I don’t want this incident to hurt your future. Telling her the truth about your gift would cause you a lot of serious problems. Do you understand?”
     
    “Yes, Mom.”
     
    “Also tell her when no other students are around, because they will say you didn’t leave the playground. Thomas, you must learn to fit in and not do anything that would cause anyone to think you’re different or could or would break any rules. Make everyone think that you’re normal and want to do what everyone tells you to do.”
     
    That night when his father got home, Tag’s mother sat down with him and explained what she had discovered that day. He refused to believe it at first until after playing hide-and-seek with Tag for thirty minutes. He was mystified by how his son could do it, but he was even stronger than Tag’s mother in warning him to never do anything that would reveal this gift he possessed. He even told Tag that he would be taken from them if he did, and that he might be made to disappear and never be seen again. If Tag was concerned before, his father had him totally frightened.
     
    That night Tag lay in bed thinking about all that his mother and father had said. He had never seen them show this much fear over anything he had ever done; he loved his mother and father and trusted them more than anyone. So he vowed to himself that he would not use his gift. He would hide what he could do; after all, he thought, he keeps his promises. Still, even if he didn’t use his gift, he could still see the shadows to hide in or whenever someone was looking at him. He decided that he just wouldn’t look to avoid being seen so the shadows wouldn’t appear. They only appeared today when he was looking for a place to hide. He closed his eyes and sensed his mother staring across her bedroom at the wall that separated their rooms. He could sense her fear. He also knew when a Directorate patrol car passed in front of his house and the driver looked around to see if anything needed looking into. Just before he fell asleep he discovered something else about himself. He could sense one of his classmates who lived at least two miles