Shatter Me

Warner takes Juliette outside, and she is thrilled to be able to inhale fresh cold air. Warner looks at her in amazement, surprised that being outside makes Juliette so happy. When she looks around, she notices that they are standing between two buildings. Warner takes a gun out of his pocket and inspects it, keeping his finger on the trigger. Seeing the terrified expression on Juliette’s face, he assures her that the gun is not for her. He then walks to the opposite end of the ledge and signals Juliette to follow him. Below they see soldiers in formation, “almost 50 lines, each perfectly straight, perfectly spaced” (102).

Warner addresses the soldiers with the words “Sector 45”, and all soldiers are listening attentively. He announces that they have two topics to discuss this morning. He asks Juliette to come closer to him and then asks Jenkins to step forward as well. Juliette is relieved that Jenkins is alive. Warner says that Jenkins “had the pleasure of meeting Juliette just last night” (104) and it seems that even those who haven’t seen what happened with their own eye have heard the story. Warner announces that Juliette will be staying with them and that she will be “a very valuable asset” (104). The soldiers react by raising their left arms, curling their fingers into a fist, and then falling on one knee. They remain perfectly still in this position, and Warner waits for a while before continuing his speech. He then says that they have received information about one of the soldiers, Seamus Fletcher, “fraternizing with civilians believed to be rebel party members” (107). Warner tells Fletcher to step forward and asks him whether he denies these accusations. As soon as Fletcher says no, Warner shoots him in the head.

Juliette, terrified, cannot believe what just happened. She is even more shocked when she sees that no one around “betrays a single look of fear” (108). Warner dismisses the soldiers and takes Juliette back to the facility. She tells him that he disgusts her, but he only responds that “life is a bleak place and sometimes you have to learn how to shoot first” (109).

Warner escorts Juliette to her room and tells her that she has the rest of the day to herself because their “real work will begin tomorrow” (110). Noticing that Adam is not around, Juliette asks Warner where he is. Seeing the worried look in her eyes, Warner replies that he only kills people if he needs to. He then tells Juliette that in the morning Adam will bring her to him and that in the meantime, she should “try not to kill anyone” (110). Juliette doesn’t share his joke and assures him that they are not the same, because he cannot compare her disease with his own erratic behavior. Warner assures her that what she has is not a disease, but a gift. Before Warner leaves, Juliette calls him a murderer and tells him to go to hell. 

Juliette cannot sleep because when she closes her eyes, she sees “nothing but devastation” (112). The soft bed reminds her of the bed she slept on in Warner’s room, and she is disgusted by it. Juliette wonders if Adam is okay and starts to doubt his intentions, thinking that perhaps his message in her notebook is just something Warner devised to throw her off-balance. She decides to move to the floor to check the piece of paper from her notebook, doubting if it’s real. On the floor, she stumbles into Adam, who apparently has been sleeping there. Adam asks Juliette what she’s doing there and when she replies that she couldn’t sleep on that bed, he silently takes the pillow and the blanket off her bed and arranges them on the floor for her. She lies down next to him and falls into the soundest sleep of her life.

When she awakes, Adam is not in the room. Juliette decides to wash her face, and in the bathroom, she sees Adam. He tries to pull his shirt down, but she notices bruises on his skin. He apologizes and tries to explain that everything is not what it seems, but Juliette interrupts him, knowingly showing the page from her notebook. He looks so relieved that Juliette believes he didn’t betray her. She wants to tell him something, but he hushes her and carries Juliette into the shower. He turns on the water and whispers that he finally understands why Warner wants her here. He also reveals that he can touch her safely and proves it by pressing his body against hers. When he takes off his shirt, Juliette notices a tattoo on his chest: “a white bird with streaks of gold like a crown atop its head” (119). Before leaving, he promises Juliette to get her out of Warner’s hands.

Preparing to meet Warner, Juliette wears a dress “the color of dead forests and old tin cans” (121). She feels uncomfortable in the tight, revealing clothing. After her conversation with Adam, she feels hopeful but does not yet know what to expect.

When she meets Warner, he compliments her on her looks, but she ignores his comments and questions. Warner admits that she is “far more stubborn than [he] thought [she] would be” (112). When breakfast is served, Juliette refuses to eat, but Warner tells her that he won’t allow her to starve herself to death because she is “too valuable” (124). Trying to infuriate her, Warner reminds her that “everyone [she’s] ever known has hated [her]” and claims to want to help her (124). Juliette assures Warner that they are “not as similar as [he] might hope” (126). Warner finally reveals his age; he is 19. Juliette announces that she has no respect for him, but he assures her that she will change her mind.