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‘Among the Betrayed’

[NOV. 13, 2002]  "Among the Betrayed." Margaret Peterson Haddix. Simon & Schuster, 2002. 156 pages. Grades 6-10.

Haddix continues her science fiction story of illegal third children in this action-filled sequel to "Among the Hidden" and "Among the Impostors." The action and suspense start on page one with Nina in prison and continue to build to the end.

 

She’s been arrested by the Population Police after she was betrayed by someone she thought was a friend. In prison Nina is in a cell alone, with her wrists and ankles chained to the wall.

A man she names the "hating man" comes in to ask questions and try to get her to reveal the names and addresses of other illegal third children. He tells her he wants her to work for the Population Police and he is going to put her in a cell with three other children who have been arrested so she can get information from them. The police want to know who made their fake IDs and the names and addresses of their parents.

Threatened with death if she doesn’t cooperate, she must make a very tough decision. "Can I live with myself if I get these kids to trust me and then I betray them?" she wonders.

When the "hating man" takes her from the kids’ cell, feeds her the best meal she has ever had and tries to get information from her, she fears for her life. On the other hand, she knows how hungry and terrified the other children are, and she just can’t reveal any information they might have shared with her.

 

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During one of the meetings when the guard takes her to another room to try to get her to reveal information, she is able to steal a set of keys to the prison doors. Once more Nina has to decide whether to play it safe and escape by herself or take the three children with her.

Once she’s made the decision to escape with the kids, she is amazed at the survival skills the three have. They know how to find food and obtain fake IDs. They know how to talk themselves out of trouble when confronted by two guards on a bridge overlooking the river where they had been wading.

After a few days of living in the woods, they realize that getting food is going to be harder than they thought. Nina is chosen from the group to go to the boys’ school and find out from her previous friend, Lee, how to grow a garden. After she manages to sneak into the school dressed as a boy, every nerve in her body seems to be screaming, "Alert! Alert! Danger! Danger!"

As the pace picks up and the suspense grows, Nina is arrested once more and must decide whether to protect the three children or save herself. The surprise ending is both unexpected and satisfying as Haddix brings this trilogy to a close.

Even reluctant readers will stick with this well-written fantasy to the end.

[Pat Schlough, Lincoln Public Library District]




Lincoln Community Theatre elects officers

[OCT. 22, 2002]  The 2002 annual meeting of the board of directors of Lincoln Community Theatre resulted in the re-election of three board members and the addition of two new directors, Tom McLaughlin and Margo Schwab, both of Lincoln. Returning to serve another three-year term are Teri Fink, Louella Moreland and Roger Boss, all of Lincoln.

Officers elected for next year are Teri Fink, president; Jean Gossett, vice president; Roger Boss, secretary; and Rich Reinwald, treasurer.

[Judy Rader, LCT publicity chairman]


Lincoln Community Theatre information

Lincoln Community Theatre’s box office, phone 735-2614,  is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday for the summer season. The office is located in the lobby of the Johnston Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Lincoln College.

Performances of "Dearly Departed" are scheduled for July 12-20, and "The King and I" will be presented Aug. 2-10. Show times are 2 p.m. on Sundays and 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656; e-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.

Visit the LDC website at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html. Pictures from past productions are included.

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