Imagine Me (Shatter Me, #6)

by Tahereh Mafi

So far, I’ve given him seven hours’ worth of space. I steal another glance at him, wondering how he holds himself so still—so stiff—for seven hours straight. How does he not pull a muscle? Why does he never have to use the bathroom? Where does it all go?

“Wait— Exactly what?” “Whatever they did to her—prematurely initiating this phase—was done hastily. It was a patch job.” A lightbulb flickers to life in my head. “Which means their work was sloppy.” “And if their work was sloppy—” “—there are definitely holes in it.” “Stop finishing my sentences,” he says, irritated. “Stop being so predictable.” “Stop acting like a child.” “You stop acting like a child.” “You are being ridicu—” Warner goes suddenly silent as Ibrahim’s shaking, angry voice booms across the laboratory.

Run, Juliette run faster, run until your bones break and your shins split and your muscles atrophy Run run run until you can’t hear their feet behind you Run until you drop dead. Make sure your heart stops before they ever reach you. Before they ever touch you. Run, I said.