“You broke rule number thirteen. Which means if you want to stay, you’ll be punished.”
Excerpted from Mercury Boys:
Paige continued, “What we’ve discovered, it’s pretty earth-shattering. If word got out, there would be a lot of questions. A lot of interest. But the mercury boys never asked to be found. We got them into this. So what I propose is that we form a club, and then we make rules.”
“What kind of rules?” asked Lila.
“Rules that make us accountable. Like how we can’t talk about the mercury boys to other people. Ever. And how we can’t date anyone else—that would be cheating.”
Paige grabbed her laptop and started writing. Judging by how quickly and decisively her fingers tapped, Saskia could tell that she’d already given the matter a lot of thought. Adrienne perched on a couch and drew her knees to her chest close to fetal position. The others sat beside Paige on the rug and peeked at the screen.
The Mercury Boys Club
OFFICIAL RULES OF MEMBERSHIP
1. Mercury Boys Club members must attend all meetings of the MBC.
2. Becoming a member of the MBC is a lifetime commitment.
3. MBC members must pledge their love and devotion to their forever boyfriends.
4. MBC members must visit their forever boyfriends at least once a week (preferably every night!!!).
5. MBC members must get the official MBC tattoo.
6. MBC members must obtain and share all necessities (mercury, sleep medicines, etc.)
7. Membership in the MBC is top secret and must be kept strictly confidential. Revealing information about the MBC to outsiders is a PUNISHABLE OFFENSE.
8. Damaging or losing a forever boyfriend’s daguerreotype is a PUNISHABLE OFFENSE.
9. If a member wants to leave, the group must vote on the issue. Majority wins. It is a PUNISHABLE OFFENSE for a MBC member to leave the club without permission!!!
10. MBC members get to decide all forms of punishment!!!
11. If a MBC member wants to break up with her forever boyfriend, she must seek permission from the club.
12. MBC members must support their club sisters and help them remain HONEST.
13. MBC members must abstain from all sexual activity (including kissing!!!) with boys other than their forever boyfriends.
14. When visiting their forever boyfriends, MBC members must wear APPROPRIATE CLOTHING.
15. MBC members will meet body and soul with their Forever Boyfriends in death!!!
The Mercury Boys Club
OFFICIAL PLEDGE
Today, DATE HERE, I solemnly swear to take NAME HERE as my Forever Boyfriend, my faithful companion and eternal love. In the presence of my fellow members, I make a commitment to be NAME HERE’s partner in good times and in bad, in joy and in sorrow, in life and in death. I promise to love him unconditionally, to honor and respect him, and to sacrifice myself for him, if need be. I swear to be a better girlfriend to my forever boyfriend than any other girl, living or dead.
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SIGNATURE HERE