The Prophecy by Melissa Luznicky Garrett Page B

against Victor’s wife Aida, but there has to be some other explanation
for why, and even how, he came to be here.”
    “There
is no other explanation,” a man yelled from the audience. I recognized his
voice. He was one of the people who had jeered me once before.  “This will
never be your tribe, so who are you to say what did or did not happen?”
    “It’s
her tribe just as much as it is anyone’s here,” David shot back.
    “Okay,
everyone. Let’s try to keep this meeting civil,” Charley said, raising her
hands in a placating gesture. “Sarah’s presence here today has obviously opened
an old wound.”
    “A
wound that we need to let heal,” a woman shouted. “She’ll only make it worse.”
    “You
all voted to banish my family from the only home they’d ever known, and all
because you thought I would be born a monster,” I said, growing angry. “But I’m
here to tell you, I’m not a monster at all. I’m just a girl. You can’t blame me
for my mother’s mistakes. And believe me when I say that I’ve already paid the
price.”
    “Because
of the fire that Victor Hunt set,” Charley said pointedly to the crowd. “As you
all know, Victor recently attacked his son Adrian, who would have died had it
not been for Sarah’s healing power. The same power you just witnessed her use
on little Starla.”
    Charley
pointed to me. “Victor also tried to kill Sarah. And yet, against all odds, she
is still here. So we must ask ourselves, what does that mean?”
    The
entire room had fallen silent. I searched the faces before me, and for a moment
no one moved. But then, toward the back of the room, Nova raised her hand.  
    “Go on,”
Charley said to her. “Speak up so we can hear you.”
    Nova
held her now-sleeping baby slumped over her shoulder. Her young face may have
showed the lines and dark smudges of sleep deprivation, but her eyes were
eager.
    “I know
I speak for many when I ask why the Spirit Leader spared Sarah’s life. There
are many among us who simply don’t understand.”
    Of
course, there was no definitive explanation for my salvation. Even within my own
family, it continued to be a much-speculated topic of discussion. Imogene and
Meg were certain I was destined to play a much bigger role in our tribe than
any of us could imagine, but I wasn’t so sure.
    “The
answer to that is not clear,” Charley said. Nova nodded and resumed her pacing.
“Only the Spirit Leader knows the true answer to that question. Only She knows Her
plan for Sarah. It’s best we not question it.”
    A shout
rang out from the audience. “So we’re supposed to have faith in Katori that
this girl is more than just a girl?”
    “She
saved Adrian’s life when he was on the brink of death,” Imogene said, her voice
raised among the growing mutterings of discontent from the crowd. “Sarah’s
demonstrated an aptitude far greater than any I’ve seen before. If that is not
proof enough of Katori’s plan for this girl, you are blind.”
    The man
who had shouted sat back in his chair, his mouth pressed into a hard, thin
line.
    Charley
clapped her hands together then, making me jump. “All right. If there are no
more comments or questions at this time, this meeting is adjourned. The sky has
cleared, so please stay for the potluck picnic. Those of you with a chair,
please fold it and put it away.”
    There
was a scuffle of chairs being pushed back as everyone started to quickly clear
the building. I leaned over to Meg, confused. “Is that all? Is it really
over?” 
    Meg shrugged,
seeming as confused as I. “Apparently so.”
    Relief
rushed through me. I had fully expected to be bombarded with questions and more
angry jeers. All things considered, I couldn’t believe it had been that easy.
With the exception of Caleb’s seizure, it’s was sort of a non-event.
    Adrian
circled his arms around me from behind and I flinched, remembering his angry
look from before. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
    “No,”