“Do not play me, idiot woman.” I muttered, jerking on Julianna’s arm. She grunted then sent me a sharp glare, as we slammed ourselves through the forest bordering the barn. Our trek was beginning. It was early dawn where we were, which meant it was late night or so for my victims.
“What the hell is this, do the Taliban train psychotic teenagers now?” Julianna yelped, jerking away from my hold. I loosened my grip, letting her fall away. The grown woman lost balanced and fell onto a pile of branches. Her mascara was smeared around her mossy eyes, her red hair straying from her hair band.
“Listen to me,” My voice retched. It echoed against the trees. Or, perhaps, against nothing at all. I bent down, teeth bared, eye to eye with the pitiful female. “I am not in a very...negotiable mood. Nine has already ambushed my prey. If you care to live, dearest Julianna, you will obey. Do not run, for I will catch you. Do not fight, for I shall perish you. And do not scream, for I shall silence you. I am nothing as you deem me to be.”
“Look at what you’re doing,” She retorted, daring to stand before me. “You’re an eighteen year old girl wrestling a thirty three year old woman! Honey, your breasts are barely developed. Look at yourself, look at how young you are. You’re out of your mind!”
“Perhaps,” I growled darkly, a shower of blond hair spilling over my shoulders as I leaned down farther. “You’re the one you should be fretting over.”
With a sigh, Julianna began brushing off her clothing, raggedly. Her mouth was in a thin line, her eyes deceiving. “Alright. Alright, I’ll walk. If, you tell me what you are, exactly.”
I lifted a brow. “You should fear for your life, Julianna. Yet you speak so...carelessly.”
“Hah,” She uttered. “You lose the fear once you enter med school, darling. And when you talk to me, my name is Julia. Not Julianna. Do you understand?”
“Pardon me? You’re the one under my thumb! Do realize that I have no need for your life.”
“Apparently, you do, missy.” She answered savagely. “You haven’t killed me yet. Now, what are you? When you talk, you don’t move your lips. It’s like your voice is coming from your throat or something, humanly impossible. Your speed and strength is above the average man’s. And, there’s more of you?”
“My name is Thirteen,” I ventured, casting a glare out of the side of my eyes. She expected answers, then so be it. I was preferably tired of her slowing my pace. She could not escape my hold; speaking to her would breach no harm. “I was created scientifically under the hands of the United State's forces. We all were.”
“For what?”
I didn’t break eye contact. “To rid of you. All of you.”
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Jack
I stood there, in rabid rage, and in complete disbandment. WHY IN THE HELL DID ELIN HAVE A PICTURE OF MY FATHER IN HER BACK POCKET?
“Brady,” Elin choked, brimming with excitement. She seemed nervous, but happy. “Once again, does Jack stare? Does he go into trances? Does he spend a lot of time outdoors? Do slight earthquakes or natural, elemental things happen when he’s around you?” Her words were rushed and hard to break.
“Uh,” Brady answered, dumbly. He glanced at me from the side of his eyes, wondering if he was going to be hit. “Jack couldn’t keep a plant alive worth his life. I remember this one time, he bought roses for one of his dates, and he accidentally watered them with Round Up, so—-”
“Brady, if you don’t shut up---”
“Shutting up.”
“You have your father’s eyes,” Elin cut in, holding up a picture of my dad. “Emotionless. Gray. Your hair’s a little darker than I imagined it though...Did your father ever tell you about...The Hourglass?”
“He mentioned something like that. Then profusely refused an MRI and EKG.” I lifted my chin a bit, my brow clouded. My arms were crossed tightly against my chest, and Sarge was reeling protectively against my legs, although he wasn’t quite sure what he was defending me from.
“Well,” Elin chided carefully...too carefully. “My...mother is Erin. My dad’s Eli. And, and E-Ember’s parents are Dana and Alex.” There was a moment of silence, as we all filed in this information. Finally I broke into a grin and threw my arms out to the sides, no longer tense. Seeing my posture and expression, Elin let out a breath of air and broke into a similar smile, letting out a nervous chuckle. Ember was smiling too now, and the two girls exchanged nervous glances. Brady and Sarge remained in utter confusion.
“Well, this is great,” I said smoothly with a lighter, happier tone.
“You’re telling me,” Elin agreed.
“Now,” I continued, still with a light heart. “I can find and locate your parents and deliver you to them, then be on my way.”
Ember and Elin’s expressions collapsed, their joy short-lived. Brady turned towards me, to speak. “Jack, we can’t.”
“Oh? Why’s that, Brady?”
“Because I believe them.”
“I guess I can deliver you to your parents too.”
“WHY ARE YOU REJECTING THIS?” Ember exploded, her fists clenched. Brady, Elin, Sarge, and I were stunned by the little girl’s sudden animosity. Her eyes sliced into mine, like knives. “A FREAK OF NATURE ALMOST KILLED YOU, I ELECTROCUTED HER OFF YOUR CAR WITH MY BARE HANDS, YOU’RE SEEING FLASHES OF THE FUTURE—-OR SOMETHING——AND BRADY...BRADY EVEN BELIEVES IT!”
“Hey now,” Brady warned, waving a finger at the angry little grunt, slightly insulted.
“Okay,” I muttered, a tad bit angry again. “Maybe I don’t believe it because IT’S NOT REAL. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS THE HOURGLASS AND YOUR PARENTS ARE BRAINWASHING YOU. THEY WERE TERRORISTS. READ THE GODDAMN ARTICLE!” I violently began digging around in my pants pockets until I came up with the old newspaper clip Annie Hawthorn had almost shoved down my throat just days before. As it fluttered to the ground at Ember’s feet, I turned to Elin, “And YOU! You’re the craziest of them all! You’re displaying obsessive behavior not only over me, but over my family, and that’s a violation to privacy—-NO MATTER WHAT AGE. AND BRADY, THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I’M SHARING A TENT WITH YOU TONIGHT. I DON’T TRUST YOU WITH MY EYES CLOSED.”
“THAT’S GOOD THEN,” Brady hollered back, finally ticked off enough to fight back, just inches from my face. “BECAUSE TONIGHT, YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO SLEEP WITH THEM OPEN IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON NOT WAKING UP FACE DOWN IN A RIVER TOMORROW MORNING!"
“ENOUGH!!!” Elin screamed, cutting all of us off. Brady and I glared at each other for another split second before our eyes reluctantly tore away from each other and back onto Elin. She was cradled gently in Ember’s arms, which looked awkward since Ember was a little shorter than she was. Tears were streaming down her face, and I wasn’t sure if it was because the kid was upset or just plain pissed off. Still, she swallowed and continued. “Fine. If you don’t want to help us...then I can’t make you.”
Elin spun around, storming away toward the girl’s tent that Brady had only built up forty minutes before. Ember shot a quick glare at me before she raced to trail Elin back to the tent as well, reaching out to touch her arm as they walked. Brady, Sarge, and I watched their retreating backs, before Brady turned to me again and muttered, “Nice going, Dr.Daniels.” He turned away then, and jogged slightly to catch up to the two girls and offer comfort.
Bitterly, I turned to Sarge. I knelt down to him slowly, squatting to reach his eye level. Sarge met my gaze, his ears twitching. “At least you’re on my side.” His tail slowly began to wag, as I brought a hand up to scratch his head. I licked my lips, realizing I had a headache. “Well. Looks like we’ll be sleeping in the car tonight.”
“Brady,” Elin choked, brimming with excitement. She seemed nervous, but happy. “Once again, does Jack stare? Does he go into trances? Does he spend a lot of time outdoors? Do slight earthquakes or natural, elemental things happen when he’s around you?” Her words were rushed and hard to break.
“Uh,” Brady answered, dumbly. He glanced at me from the side of his eyes, wondering if he was going to be hit. “Jack couldn’t keep a plant alive worth his life. I remember this one time, he bought roses for one of his dates, and he accidentally watered them with Round Up, so—-”
“Brady, if you don’t shut up---”
“Shutting up.”
“You have your father’s eyes,” Elin cut in, holding up a picture of my dad. “Emotionless. Gray. Your hair’s a little darker than I imagined it though...Did your father ever tell you about...The Hourglass?”
“He mentioned something like that. Then profusely refused an MRI and EKG.” I lifted my chin a bit, my brow clouded. My arms were crossed tightly against my chest, and Sarge was reeling protectively against my legs, although he wasn’t quite sure what he was defending me from.
“Well,” Elin chided carefully...too carefully. “My...mother is Erin. My dad’s Eli. And, and E-Ember’s parents are Dana and Alex.” There was a moment of silence, as we all filed in this information. Finally I broke into a grin and threw my arms out to the sides, no longer tense. Seeing my posture and expression, Elin let out a breath of air and broke into a similar smile, letting out a nervous chuckle. Ember was smiling too now, and the two girls exchanged nervous glances. Brady and Sarge remained in utter confusion.
“Well, this is great,” I said smoothly with a lighter, happier tone.
“You’re telling me,” Elin agreed.
“Now,” I continued, still with a light heart. “I can find and locate your parents and deliver you to them, then be on my way.”
Ember and Elin’s expressions collapsed, their joy short-lived. Brady turned towards me, to speak. “Jack, we can’t.”
“Oh? Why’s that, Brady?”
“Because I believe them.”
“I guess I can deliver you to your parents too.”
“WHY ARE YOU REJECTING THIS?” Ember exploded, her fists clenched. Brady, Elin, Sarge, and I were stunned by the little girl’s sudden animosity. Her eyes sliced into mine, like knives. “A FREAK OF NATURE ALMOST KILLED YOU, I ELECTROCUTED HER OFF YOUR CAR WITH MY BARE HANDS, YOU’RE SEEING FLASHES OF THE FUTURE—-OR SOMETHING——AND BRADY...BRADY EVEN BELIEVES IT!”
“Hey now,” Brady warned, waving a finger at the angry little grunt, slightly insulted.
“Okay,” I muttered, a tad bit angry again. “Maybe I don’t believe it because IT’S NOT REAL. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS THE HOURGLASS AND YOUR PARENTS ARE BRAINWASHING YOU. THEY WERE TERRORISTS. READ THE GODDAMN ARTICLE!” I violently began digging around in my pants pockets until I came up with the old newspaper clip Annie Hawthorn had almost shoved down my throat just days before. As it fluttered to the ground at Ember’s feet, I turned to Elin, “And YOU! You’re the craziest of them all! You’re displaying obsessive behavior not only over me, but over my family, and that’s a violation to privacy—-NO MATTER WHAT AGE. AND BRADY, THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I’M SHARING A TENT WITH YOU TONIGHT. I DON’T TRUST YOU WITH MY EYES CLOSED.”
“THAT’S GOOD THEN,” Brady hollered back, finally ticked off enough to fight back, just inches from my face. “BECAUSE TONIGHT, YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO SLEEP WITH THEM OPEN IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON NOT WAKING UP FACE DOWN IN A RIVER TOMORROW MORNING!"
“ENOUGH!!!” Elin screamed, cutting all of us off. Brady and I glared at each other for another split second before our eyes reluctantly tore away from each other and back onto Elin. She was cradled gently in Ember’s arms, which looked awkward since Ember was a little shorter than she was. Tears were streaming down her face, and I wasn’t sure if it was because the kid was upset or just plain pissed off. Still, she swallowed and continued. “Fine. If you don’t want to help us...then I can’t make you.”
Elin spun around, storming away toward the girl’s tent that Brady had only built up forty minutes before. Ember shot a quick glare at me before she raced to trail Elin back to the tent as well, reaching out to touch her arm as they walked. Brady, Sarge, and I watched their retreating backs, before Brady turned to me again and muttered, “Nice going, Dr.Daniels.” He turned away then, and jogged slightly to catch up to the two girls and offer comfort.
Bitterly, I turned to Sarge. I knelt down to him slowly, squatting to reach his eye level. Sarge met my gaze, his ears twitching. “At least you’re on my side.” His tail slowly began to wag, as I brought a hand up to scratch his head. I licked my lips, realizing I had a headache. “Well. Looks like we’ll be sleeping in the car tonight.”
Elin
My heart jumped. His father was Traven? The legendary Traven, who lead my mother's generation to safety? The one who guided my parents to safety? The one who my mother described as a genuine gentlemen, the one who was so knowledgeable about the Hourglass? Then it dawned on me.
I began to scrutinize Jack's face looking for the similarities. I slipped out a small wad of pictures out of my back pocket, searching through them until I came across his. “He is your dad?” I made a gesture toward the picture of a slightly chubby man in his early thirties. Neat blond hair and sad, far away eyes, the same color as Jack's, filled the frame.
“Why in the world are you carrying around a picture of my fath-”
“That makes so much sense!” I shouted, cutting him off.
“Wait… you know him?” Brady cut in.
“I know of him; I have never met him.” I let my eyes draw toward Brady, then flash back to Jack. How was I going to ask him about his powers without letting Brady know? I wasn't sure if Brady was trustworthy enough. “Plants... does the natural earth react around him in a strange way? Does it respond to him? Does he ever go into a… lets call it a trance. Have you ever seen Jack fall into a trance?” I spoke, watching Jack. Jack's eyebrow made a slight movement before he turned to Brady and gave him the death stare as if to say, "don’t tell her".
“The future or the past!” I blurted out. Brady stared at me as if I was crazy. Everyone else just stood there, not knowing what to make of this situation. If Jack walked away now, whatever attacked them before, would surely get him while he had no defense. “You know your father was a Protector, twice.” I mumbled trying to grab his attention. “He helped my mother, you know, and he knew so much. What I wouldn’t give to meet him.” Jack stood there beside the cooler. I hoped that I left enough of a hook to keep him interested, at least until I could explain a little more of his importance. Through I had already said so much. Would I have to resort to drastic measures?
I began to scrutinize Jack's face looking for the similarities. I slipped out a small wad of pictures out of my back pocket, searching through them until I came across his. “He is your dad?” I made a gesture toward the picture of a slightly chubby man in his early thirties. Neat blond hair and sad, far away eyes, the same color as Jack's, filled the frame.
“Why in the world are you carrying around a picture of my fath-”
“That makes so much sense!” I shouted, cutting him off.
“Wait… you know him?” Brady cut in.
“I know of him; I have never met him.” I let my eyes draw toward Brady, then flash back to Jack. How was I going to ask him about his powers without letting Brady know? I wasn't sure if Brady was trustworthy enough. “Plants... does the natural earth react around him in a strange way? Does it respond to him? Does he ever go into a… lets call it a trance. Have you ever seen Jack fall into a trance?” I spoke, watching Jack. Jack's eyebrow made a slight movement before he turned to Brady and gave him the death stare as if to say, "don’t tell her".
“The future or the past!” I blurted out. Brady stared at me as if I was crazy. Everyone else just stood there, not knowing what to make of this situation. If Jack walked away now, whatever attacked them before, would surely get him while he had no defense. “You know your father was a Protector, twice.” I mumbled trying to grab his attention. “He helped my mother, you know, and he knew so much. What I wouldn’t give to meet him.” Jack stood there beside the cooler. I hoped that I left enough of a hook to keep him interested, at least until I could explain a little more of his importance. Through I had already said so much. Would I have to resort to drastic measures?
Ryder
“ Ryder! Would you stop tracking all this sand through the house, every day?” Rebecca grumbled angrily, walking into the kitchen as a maid was cleaning up my plate.
“ Sorry.” I answered the same reply as I always did.
Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “ What am I going to do with you?” She brushed her long, red hair out of her face. Her rusty brown eyes scanned the room.
“ I don’t get it.” I told her. “ Why do they have all these maids and house keepers running around, keeping the place sparkling… if they are never even here to see it?”
“ That’s an exaggeration.” Rebecca scolded. “ They are very busy people.”
“ Right. And where is my mother right now?” I raised my eye brows.
“ She is in Hawaii, relaxing after a very tiring and stressful business trip.” Rebecca folded her arms and stared at me with angry eyes.
“ And my father?”
“ France. Again, he’s taking some time off after-”
“ Yeah, Yeah.” I interrupted, turning away. “ A very stressful business trip.” I sighed and stared out the window.
“ They will be back home soon enough.” She told me softly. I didn’t answer. I stood up from the table, pushed in my chair, and headed for my room. Rebecca meant well, and I knew she was only trying to make me feel better. Though, she really wasn’t doing a very good job at it. I knew it was a lie. No, my parents wouldn’t be home soon, and for that, I was glad.
“ Sorry.” I answered the same reply as I always did.
Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “ What am I going to do with you?” She brushed her long, red hair out of her face. Her rusty brown eyes scanned the room.
“ I don’t get it.” I told her. “ Why do they have all these maids and house keepers running around, keeping the place sparkling… if they are never even here to see it?”
“ That’s an exaggeration.” Rebecca scolded. “ They are very busy people.”
“ Right. And where is my mother right now?” I raised my eye brows.
“ She is in Hawaii, relaxing after a very tiring and stressful business trip.” Rebecca folded her arms and stared at me with angry eyes.
“ And my father?”
“ France. Again, he’s taking some time off after-”
“ Yeah, Yeah.” I interrupted, turning away. “ A very stressful business trip.” I sighed and stared out the window.
“ They will be back home soon enough.” She told me softly. I didn’t answer. I stood up from the table, pushed in my chair, and headed for my room. Rebecca meant well, and I knew she was only trying to make me feel better. Though, she really wasn’t doing a very good job at it. I knew it was a lie. No, my parents wouldn’t be home soon, and for that, I was glad.
Jack
“IT’S JACK-IN-THE-BOX!”
“Very original, Brady.” I muttered, crouching in the large ice chest. I honestly wished all the crap they put in ice chests nowadays never existed. Who really needs cup holders and all the goddamn built-in containers when you could just stack it how you wanted?
“I realized what we forgot when we stopped at the store.” I could hear Elin call over from somewhere. I tried my best to make myself smaller in the ice chest so they wouldn’t talk to me. “Dog chow for Sarge.” Immediately I was on my feet, then let out a spew of curses as my skull connected with the ice chest’s lid. I gave the two girls a sharp glare when they went into a chorus of laughter.
“Dog chow?” I repeated, ignoring their show of mockery. Elin had her dark hair up and was stroking Sarge’s large head. Ember was at her side, one hand on her hip, the other hanging loosely.
“Yeah,” Elin looked puzzled. “what else would he eat?”
“Jack cooks for him,” Brady threw in, jogging past the pair to establish a fire of some sort. His flaxen strands of hair bobbed as he advanced.
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Ember roared, hunching over to brew another string of giggles. She cupped her hands to catch her baseball cap as it slid off her head, displaying a wild fray of hat hair. I gave her a dark, daring look and hunched my shoulders. Elin’s eyes widened as she spotted my seething, then took a few half steps towards me. Her jaw slackened, ready to spew another smart ass speculation at me.
“Damn it, Brady,” I grunted, violently kicking the dirt with my right foot. I could feel my face heat up with rage. At the sound of his name, Brady appeared in the distance where my car was, chocolate at the corner of his mouth and a yellow wrapper peeking out of his fist. “I AM NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE!!! I’VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH!!! I’VE GONE ALONG WITH THIS LITTLE GAME LONG ENOUGH!!!”
Ember and Elin inched away, silently wondering if I was a threat to them. Ember still displayed a shadow of a smile, ENJOYING my irritance. Looking past them, I noticed Brady slowly raising his hands in surrender, a wild look on his face, stopped in mid-chew. Sarge yawned.
“Okay,” Brady finally joked, stepping forward with his hands still up in surrender. “which one of you let Jack out of his box?”
“BRADY, I SWEAR TO YOU, ONE MORE STEP AND THIS BOX WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU SEE OF ME!”
“Is he really going to leave?” Elin yelped, sounding five years younger than she was. I clenched my jaw, storming past them to get to my car. Sarge began to follow on instinct, but Brady stepped in our way, smiling politely. I fumed.
“Now Jack, Traven and Madge couldn’t have raised you like this. Must be all of that—-” Elin cut in before Brady could finish his little pun.
“TRAVEN?!”
“Very original, Brady.” I muttered, crouching in the large ice chest. I honestly wished all the crap they put in ice chests nowadays never existed. Who really needs cup holders and all the goddamn built-in containers when you could just stack it how you wanted?
“I realized what we forgot when we stopped at the store.” I could hear Elin call over from somewhere. I tried my best to make myself smaller in the ice chest so they wouldn’t talk to me. “Dog chow for Sarge.” Immediately I was on my feet, then let out a spew of curses as my skull connected with the ice chest’s lid. I gave the two girls a sharp glare when they went into a chorus of laughter.
“Dog chow?” I repeated, ignoring their show of mockery. Elin had her dark hair up and was stroking Sarge’s large head. Ember was at her side, one hand on her hip, the other hanging loosely.
“Yeah,” Elin looked puzzled. “what else would he eat?”
“Jack cooks for him,” Brady threw in, jogging past the pair to establish a fire of some sort. His flaxen strands of hair bobbed as he advanced.
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Ember roared, hunching over to brew another string of giggles. She cupped her hands to catch her baseball cap as it slid off her head, displaying a wild fray of hat hair. I gave her a dark, daring look and hunched my shoulders. Elin’s eyes widened as she spotted my seething, then took a few half steps towards me. Her jaw slackened, ready to spew another smart ass speculation at me.
“Damn it, Brady,” I grunted, violently kicking the dirt with my right foot. I could feel my face heat up with rage. At the sound of his name, Brady appeared in the distance where my car was, chocolate at the corner of his mouth and a yellow wrapper peeking out of his fist. “I AM NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE!!! I’VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH!!! I’VE GONE ALONG WITH THIS LITTLE GAME LONG ENOUGH!!!”
Ember and Elin inched away, silently wondering if I was a threat to them. Ember still displayed a shadow of a smile, ENJOYING my irritance. Looking past them, I noticed Brady slowly raising his hands in surrender, a wild look on his face, stopped in mid-chew. Sarge yawned.
“Okay,” Brady finally joked, stepping forward with his hands still up in surrender. “which one of you let Jack out of his box?”
“BRADY, I SWEAR TO YOU, ONE MORE STEP AND THIS BOX WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU SEE OF ME!”
“Is he really going to leave?” Elin yelped, sounding five years younger than she was. I clenched my jaw, storming past them to get to my car. Sarge began to follow on instinct, but Brady stepped in our way, smiling politely. I fumed.
“Now Jack, Traven and Madge couldn’t have raised you like this. Must be all of that—-” Elin cut in before Brady could finish his little pun.
“TRAVEN?!”
Bia
After swimming, Calyx asked Fable what she wanted to do most. When you have money, I suppose, everything is an option. I wish I was that lucky.
“Ice cream! I’ve always wanted to eat ice cream. It seems amazing,” Fable gushed, her wet curls dripping down her back.
I took a towel and rubbed some of the water off her arms. She looked up at me gratefully and I wondered where this maternal instinct was coming from. It’s not like she was really my cousin, so why did I care so much?
“Ice cream it is,” Calyx grinned, and that’s how I found myself in a red padded booth with a slowly melting ice cream cone in my hand.
My eyes followed one of the mint chocolate chip drips to the table, where it plopped into a small puddle by other drips. Fable looked at me, chocolate ice cream surrounding her mouth.
“Why are you wasting it? Why aren’t you eating it? Why?” she demanded.
I laughed. “Have you actually tasted any of the ice cream, or is it all on your face?”
“What?” Fable glanced at her reflection in the window. “Oh. I- oh.”
Calyx’s eyes brushed over the both of us and with the hand that wasn’t holding her maple pecan cone she retrieved her iPod from her pocket.
“Here, Fable, put one of these in your ear. It’s music,” she explained. “I think you’ll like it.”
As the spunky girl tried to figure out how to play with the iPod, Calyx gave me a startling look. I licked my cone and pretended not to have noticed.
“Bia,” she hissed.
I bit down on a chocolate chip. “What?”
“We have a problem. We have a child with us who doesn’t belong to either of our families. What if anyone goes looking for her? What if we get caught? The laws...” Calyx trailed off.
I watched Fable bounce in her seat to some form of upbeat music. A part of me wanted to ignore this conversation as well, but I’d never been able to afford an iPod. And the cheap MP3 player I’d bought for myself died a couple months ago.
“What song is that?” I asked.
Calyx looked bewildered. “Ah, what?”
“The song she’s listening to. Which one is it?” I repeated.
“No Doubt. Probably, anyway. That’s what I have most of. Ska. I like that type of music,” she mused. “It’s comforting.”
I was familiar with the music genre, but I’d never really preferred it over any other genre. I liked indie bands, musical groups with the balls to be something different.
“No one’s going to know. She’s a gypsy. We’ll be fine. Everything will be okay,” I told her in a soothing voice.
A burst of laughter, evil laughter, from another booth alerted me to the other patrons in the ice cream parlor. A skinny blond twig about my age was sitting with a nearly identical chubby boy who, like Fable, was covered in ice cream.
She was not laughing at a joke. She was laughing at him.
Bitch.
“Ice cream! I’ve always wanted to eat ice cream. It seems amazing,” Fable gushed, her wet curls dripping down her back.
I took a towel and rubbed some of the water off her arms. She looked up at me gratefully and I wondered where this maternal instinct was coming from. It’s not like she was really my cousin, so why did I care so much?
“Ice cream it is,” Calyx grinned, and that’s how I found myself in a red padded booth with a slowly melting ice cream cone in my hand.
My eyes followed one of the mint chocolate chip drips to the table, where it plopped into a small puddle by other drips. Fable looked at me, chocolate ice cream surrounding her mouth.
“Why are you wasting it? Why aren’t you eating it? Why?” she demanded.
I laughed. “Have you actually tasted any of the ice cream, or is it all on your face?”
“What?” Fable glanced at her reflection in the window. “Oh. I- oh.”
Calyx’s eyes brushed over the both of us and with the hand that wasn’t holding her maple pecan cone she retrieved her iPod from her pocket.
“Here, Fable, put one of these in your ear. It’s music,” she explained. “I think you’ll like it.”
As the spunky girl tried to figure out how to play with the iPod, Calyx gave me a startling look. I licked my cone and pretended not to have noticed.
“Bia,” she hissed.
I bit down on a chocolate chip. “What?”
“We have a problem. We have a child with us who doesn’t belong to either of our families. What if anyone goes looking for her? What if we get caught? The laws...” Calyx trailed off.
I watched Fable bounce in her seat to some form of upbeat music. A part of me wanted to ignore this conversation as well, but I’d never been able to afford an iPod. And the cheap MP3 player I’d bought for myself died a couple months ago.
“What song is that?” I asked.
Calyx looked bewildered. “Ah, what?”
“The song she’s listening to. Which one is it?” I repeated.
“No Doubt. Probably, anyway. That’s what I have most of. Ska. I like that type of music,” she mused. “It’s comforting.”
I was familiar with the music genre, but I’d never really preferred it over any other genre. I liked indie bands, musical groups with the balls to be something different.
“No one’s going to know. She’s a gypsy. We’ll be fine. Everything will be okay,” I told her in a soothing voice.
A burst of laughter, evil laughter, from another booth alerted me to the other patrons in the ice cream parlor. A skinny blond twig about my age was sitting with a nearly identical chubby boy who, like Fable, was covered in ice cream.
She was not laughing at a joke. She was laughing at him.
Bitch.
Elin
Ember wanted to know more about the Hourglass. I couldn’t help but smile when she started to take interest in the subject. There was so much that I needed to tell all of them, and so much I had to hold back. My mother had gained the knowledge of both good and evil when she was in a battle where she lost her sister. Well, technically she would have been her cousin after she married my dad. I noticed Sarge licking my fingers, pulling me out of my thoughts. “We should go back soon.” I stated, “I don’t want Jack to make a run for it.” Ember laughed.
“I never would have believed in this.. ability stuff either if you hadn’t showed me.” The corners of her lips pulled up.
“And we will have to do the same thing with him. He has a power, I can tell. It makes me wonder what it is,” my voice ended in a quizzical high note.
“How did you know what mine was?” Ember questioned.
“It was easy to tell, especially knowing who your parents were. Like your mother and her father, you have a temper. You have the capacity to hold the intensity of the power. Usually it is built up in rage by the fire element keepers.”
“Does that mean I can control fire too?” She asked excitedly.
I paused before answering. “No.” Her eyebrows crunched a little in confusion.
“Then why are you telling me about the fire ability?” She tightened her grip on Sarge’s leash.
“The ‘Fire element’ can come in two different ways. It can be through flames or electricity, or both. You just happened to get electricity,” I told her as we approached the camp. We both new if we wanted to get Jack on our side we would have to drop the conversation at that.
“I never would have believed in this.. ability stuff either if you hadn’t showed me.” The corners of her lips pulled up.
“And we will have to do the same thing with him. He has a power, I can tell. It makes me wonder what it is,” my voice ended in a quizzical high note.
“How did you know what mine was?” Ember questioned.
“It was easy to tell, especially knowing who your parents were. Like your mother and her father, you have a temper. You have the capacity to hold the intensity of the power. Usually it is built up in rage by the fire element keepers.”
“Does that mean I can control fire too?” She asked excitedly.
I paused before answering. “No.” Her eyebrows crunched a little in confusion.
“Then why are you telling me about the fire ability?” She tightened her grip on Sarge’s leash.
“The ‘Fire element’ can come in two different ways. It can be through flames or electricity, or both. You just happened to get electricity,” I told her as we approached the camp. We both new if we wanted to get Jack on our side we would have to drop the conversation at that.
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