Awake in Olaiya

Book excerpt: Nat doesn’t know who she is or why she’s in Olaiya. This community in Territorial California seems pleasant enough, but the terrifying dreams she has every night tell a different story. Nat can’t remember anything about her life before a few days ago, although that’s more than other unit brothers seem to recall. She’s also figuring out that she has to be careful what she says—careless words can end with people going missing. Nat longs to leave this orderly but dangerous place. Is escape even possible? She’s becoming more aware, yet most of her time is wasted pretending to be clueless and trying to avoid the guards’ attention. The more alive she feels, the harder it is to blend in. Hoping to find answers about the community and her own lost memories, Nat joins a secret group called the Rebs. Still, Nat has difficulty knowing who in Building 8 is safe, and even the Rebs she trusts the most seem unwilling to tell her anything about her past. The cruel Olaiya Masters are trying to figure out who’s making noise at night and causing disruptions during the day, searching for the answer to one question. It’s the same question Nat is asking. Who is awake in Oliaya?