CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

All these theories are cooking in my head as I sneak out after curfew while Beth sulks.

“I want to go to the hot springs, too,” she complains, watching me fold the towel and hide it under my jacket. “How come you get to do all the fun stuff?”

“Get a boyfriend,” I advise.

“Quill says that all the boys here will take advantage of me because I’m naive.”

I stare at her. “Why would you listen to Quill?”

“I don’t know,” she flops back on the bed. “I want to sneak out, too!”

“Since when did you become so daring?” I question, making sure I have everything with me.

“You’re a good influence on me,” she laughs, before pulling up the sheets. “I’m going to dream about hot springs tonight.”

Turning off the lights, I slip out after a few minutes. The patrols haven’t started yet so I make it to the bridge leading to the Level Two island.

I’ve only been on the Level Two island a handful of times and never for long. The topography is vastly different from what I’m used to, the air dryer for som