Chapter 16: The Dog Prince
Past
The dormitories were being rearranged, Lab orders.
Miles and the others in Group One were assigned to beds with the older children, where there was talk of empty beds and adoption rumours. Group Three was sent to the nursery. Jeremy and the rest of Group Two stayed where they were.
Jeremy sat on his bed and watched Miles and Ricky pack. He tried to remember a time when he’d been without them. He couldn’t.
‘I hope we still get to see each other.’ Jeremy knew this wasn’t likely, even though he wanted it.
Field trips to the Lab took up more and more of their time. And after the trips, he always felt a weird mix of woozy and jumpy. He usually just wanted to sleep, but instead he had classes and cleaning chores, which he did with drooping eyes and a mind wiped of thoughts.
‘Maybe.’ Miles sounded like he wasn’t interested. He shut his suitcase with a thwack and picked it up. ‘I can’t wait to stay with the older kids. Maybe I’ll be assigned the same duties as them. Maybe I’ll earn a badge to sew on my jacket!’
Jeremy nodded. Ricky didn’t reply at all. He was busy balling creased clothes into his suitcase.
Miles saluted the two boys. ‘Well, so long, mates. See you around the barracks … maybe.’ He clicked his shoes…
