Shatter-Me-PDF-Shatter-Me-Series-Shatter-Me-Shatter-Me-1-Tahereh-Mafi (1)

“There are rebels on the loose. They are armed and ready
to fire. Curfew is now in effect. Everyone return to their
homes immediately. There are rebels on the loose. They are
armed and ready to fi—”
The loudspeakers sound around the streets, drawing
attention to our bodies huddled together in the narrow alley.
A few people see us and scream. Boots are getting louder.
Gunshots are getting wilder.
I take a moment to analyze the surrounding buildings and
realize we’re not in a settled compound. The street James
lives on is unregulated turf: a series of abandoned office
buildings crammed together, leftovers from our old lives. I
don’t understand why he’s not living in a compound like the
rest of the population. I don’t have time to figure out why I
only see two age groups represented, why the elderly and
the orphaned are the only residents, why they’ve been
dumped on illegal land with soldiers who are not supposed
to be here. I’m afraid to consider the answers to my own
questions and in a panicked moment I fear for James’ life. I
spin around as we run, glimpsing his small body bundled in
Adam’s arms.
His eyes are squeezed shut so tight I’m sure it hurts.
Adam swears under his breath. He kicks down the first
door we can find of a deserted building and yells for us to
follow him inside.
“I need you to stay here,” he says to Kenji. “And I’m out of
my mind, but I need to leave James with you. I need you to
watch out for him. They’re looking for Juliette, and they’re
looking for me. They won’t even expect to find you two.”
“What are you going to do?” Kenji asks.
“I need to steal a car. Then I’ll come back for you.” James
doesn’t even protest as Adam puts him down. His little lips
are white. His eyes wide. His hands trembling. “I’ll come
back for you, James,” Adam says again. “I promise.”
James nods over and over and over again. Adam kisses his
head, once, hard, fast. Drops our duffel bags on the floor.