Death Alive Which one is more important?

Which has more impact Wavering in and out

You stare into space contemplating Contemplating if you’re alive or just barely breathing You’re skin is melting to the touch but no reaction comes up

Will you ever be the same?

Jeremiah tries not to be discouraged. He doesn’t understand what he did wrong.

Liam seemed to like him and his amigos. Even said he wanted to stay at their lunch table. But something bothered Zac.

And they appeared to be a package deal. Not that that is the part that irks Jeremiah. It’s just the fact that he doesn’t know why Zac made them leave.

Jeremiah has the rest of the school day to ponder this. It consumes him. He practically floats from one class to another like a ghost.

If not for the power dampening cuffs, all plantas in the area would have wilted. But the plantas thankfully are safe from his triste emotions.

The high school let out a bit later because of a physical altercation that had nada to do with powers (because to the these estúpido bracelets). So Jeremiah is rushing to pick Este up from the elementary school.

So much so he almost runs someone over. Again.

He’s got to work on that.

“Watch it!” Someone exclaims, clearly irritated.

“Lo siento!” Jeremiah bows his head.

“It’s fine,” the voice responds with a different kind of weariness. Picking his head up and looking at the person, he realizes that it’s Zac.

Perfecto! He can ask him what’s wrong. Or what he did wrong. He’ll be able to correct it.

“It’s like you’re a homing missile for us Keys,” Zac comments, dusting himself off. He might be doing that to be dramatic since Jeremiah didn’t tackle him or anything. Just a light bump.

“I didn’t mean to bump into you. I’m picking up mi hermana, Este,” Jeremiah explains. Maybe over explains since Zac gives the impression that he doesn’t care. But with what Zac won’t fill in conversation, Jeremiah will.

Zac eyes him with a great deal of apprehension. “I’m picking up Precious.”

Feeling un poco of encouragement from a response, Jeremiah gestures to the elementary school that is within view and tries to get him to walk with him, “We should go, they are probably waiting for us.”

Zac shrugs his shoulders which Jeremiah takes as a win. They walk side by side towards their hermanas’ school.

The grass that they walk on to cut walking distance becomes just a tad more verde after each of Jeremiah’s steps. Roman always told him how easy he was to read.

At least when he has his powers.

But he can’t worry about that right now! Ahora is about getting Zac to like him.

“So did I do something to upset you? If I did, I want to know! So I can fix it!” He tries to be aware of his volume but he can’t help it. His voice naturally gets louder when he’s excited. Or nervous. Or literally any emotion.

Letting out a long sigh, Zac shakes his head, his curls flying all over the place. “No. you didn’t do anything out of the ordinary.”

Something still bothered him though. At least he knows he didn’t do anything weird. “So what was the ordinary thing I did?”

Zac doesn’t answer. Jeremiah refrains from looking at him, not wanting to pressure him. Though he really really wants the answer.

It isn’t like when Liam doesn’t respond. Liam appears distracted or just innocently not answering. Zac is intentionally holding back.

“I won’t be offended. Prometo.”

Zac looks likes he’s thinking. Jeremiah isn’t like Roman, but he can practically see the gears moving. His eyebrows are furrowed and he’s biting his lip.

“It’s just….soulmates are a weird topic at home. My parents are soulmates but literally I have never met a completely happy couple otherwise. Liam is so curious but he doesn’t know the pain that comes with soulmates,” Zac reveals in one breath.

Pain? Jeremiah understands that not everyone has a bueno perspection of soulmates. Roman is a classic example of that. But pain? That seems extreme.

“But he has one, right?“ Jeremiah remembers Zac telling the principal about Liam and him not doing well with the dampening cuff. So he has powers. Which means a soulmate.

“Yeah, he can create pocket dimensions. I worry about him. I don’t expect you to understand,” Zac must have realized how that came off because he corrects himself, “That’s not an insult by the way. There is just a different set of concerns with a neurodivergent person.”

That makes sense. While he can’t understand on a first hand experience, his words make sense. “Are worried his soulmate won’t understand him?”

With that uno question, Zac’s entire body slumps in relief. His body language is more open towards Jeremiah. Maybe he feels like Jeremiah entiende him now. “Yeah. That they won’t love the amazing person my brother is. Just because he’s autistic.”

He does get Zac better now. He’s scared for Liam. Wants to protect Liam. But he doesn’t agree with it. “I can see what you are saying, but that sounds really lonely,” Jeremiah point out.

“He has me. And Precious,” Zac grunts, closing himself off again, crossing his arms, tension returns.

“What does he want?” Jeremiah asks. It’s rhetorical pregunta, but Zac answers anyway, “He doesn’t know.”

“Are you saying that or is that what he says? Look, all I’m saying is that tu hermano can make his own decision.” Zac opens his mouth to retort, but Jeremiah interrupts him and continues, “You can be there for him for whatever outcome comes about, or you can decide for him and he never gets to make a choice. Never gets to really live his life.”

Zac is quiet. Doesn’t try to say anything. He’s not necessarily off put by Jeremiah’s remarks. Maybe comtemplative. Really thinking about it.

Jeremiah wants to talk mas but they reach the school, and he sees his hermanita racing towards him.

“Miah! I met a new amiga while I was waiting for you! She has the prettiest name!” Este exclaims just as she crashes into his legs.

He stumbles back from the force. “Really? What’s her nombre?”

“Precious!” Zac’s eyes widen at the mention of his sister.

The aforementioned girl strolls up at a normal pace to them. “This is Precious! Precious, this is mi hermano, Miah!”

Seeing both Precious and Zac wince at her loudness, Jeremiah reminds her, “Inside voices, hermanita.”

She nods in acknowledgement and drones on about her day at a softer volume.

“Are you my hermano’s friend?” Este suddenly questions, breaking from her previous topic, staring up at his tall frame.

He decides to let Zac answer, wondering what he’ll say. Are they friends or not?

Zac crouches down to her level and gives her a smile. The first one that Jeremiah has seen.

His eyes shift towards Jeremiah. An unspoken understanding in his gaze.

Then he looks at Este. “Yeah, I am.”

Maybe he did grow on Zac. Just a little bit.

Jeremiah itches his wrist, the ghost of the metal cuff from yesterday still there.

He understands why the school board made the decision to use the power dampening cuffs, but what he can’t comprehend is why everyone needs them.

Maybe los niños starting the fights but not everybody else. Por qué?

No sense to him.

This is what he thinks about as he rushes towards his escuela.

He’s late. Of course.

Normally, he leaves on time and just ends up being late, but today he is even more so. Probably because of the whole dampening powers thing.

While he isn’t very loud about it, he does like his abilities. His connection to nature is a part of him. Like how Lou is connected to animals, especially gatos.

Clinking the bracelet on his wrist, he instantly feels the difference. The sunlight doesn’t absorb in his skin, flowing through his veins. It just feels un poco warm. The ground beneath his feet becomes less apparent. Like there is so much between him and the earth.

In his rush, he nearly runs someone over who is standing still at the front doors.

“Lo siento. I mean, sorry,” Jeremiah stumbles.

There is tres someones actually.

The two niños look to be about his age. Tall like him. Must be brothers with how heavily they resemble one another. The same curly hair and marrón eyes. If not for the different clothing and blue headphones around the one’s neck, Jeremiah wouldn’t be too sure he could tell them apart easily. They had a younger girl with them. Probably a sister. All look confused.

“Why don’t the doors open for us?” The one asks. Jeremiah notices that their wrists are bare, no cuffs.

The two others don’t really look at Jeremiah, but that doesn’t bother him. His little hermanita, Este, often doesn’t give him a second glance when talking. She gets into her own world like he isn’t even there.

“You guys new? These are mandatory,” he answers, holding up his arm, moving back and forth so the metal band jiggles slightly.

“What are those?” The talking boy questions, his brown eyes narrow at it, obviously not knowing the nueva rule.

“Power dampening cuffs. To keep us from using our soulmate powers.”

That gets the other guy’s attention. He does a couple hand signing that Jeremiah realizes is ASL.

That makes mas sense.

The girl glances around nervously. As the two brothers communicate through sign language, she turns to Jeremiah but continues to look past his head. “My name’s Precious.”

Afraid that he’s intimidated the young girl, he thinks of what his soulmate, Roman, always says. That his smile is his best physical attribute so he gives her a wide grin. “Jeremiah. Good to meet you guys!”

“My brothers. Zac and Liam,” she points to them.

Jeremiah takes note that the one with headphones around his neck is Liam and Zac the one that has spoken.

“I have a little sister. A bit younger than you. Her name is Este,” he comments.

“Pretty name,” she says shyly, glancing at the ground.

Even though she can’t see his face, he grins anyway. “She would love yours,” he offers.

Maybe it’s his height that scared her? He is pretty alto. An inch or two taller than her hermanos.

“So can you help us get in?” Zac gestures towards the door that’s still locked.

By now they’re pretty late. Missed most of homeroom.

Hopefully Roman isn’t worried.

“Sure. I’ll bring you to the principal’s office and you can get your cuffs there.”

The door opens when Jeremiah tries it and he keeps his arm on the glass and ushers them in. The escuela should probably fix their tech so that this isn’t possible. But it’s all nueva to them.

As he leads them to the office, Liam keeps staring at his dampening bracelet. His face is very expressive, so even though Jeremiah doesn’t have Roman’s power of emotion aborption, he can tell the guy is nervioso. His fingers moved in a way that looked uncomfortable, but he seemed to be doing it unconsciously.

“Does everyone need them? My brother might not do well with it against his skin,” Zac asks, glancing down at Jeremiah’s cuff as well, the red light flashing.

Without a particularly helpful answer, he shrugs. “You could try to talk to them about it. But your parents would have better luck. Just the way of it here. Maybe they would accommodate you guys since it’s your first day.”

“Ok, thanks,” Zac mutters.

When they arrive at the principal’s office, the secretary eyes them warily, put off by the unfamiliar people. “Jeremiah, stay out here. You can show Liam and Zac to their first classes.”

“Sure.”

So they go into see Principal Colan. He waits.

He can hear Zac talking. Kinda angrily. His guess is that Colan isn’t budging on the bracelet. When he catches part of the conversation, Jeremiah can tell he is talking to their parents on the phone. Colan has a way of articulating when it’s a student vs a parent.

Ria clocked it the moment she met their principal for the first time. He speaks more simpatico. It never makes any sense. Why be a principal to young people? If you don’t like them?

Jeremiah can barely contain his surprise when they come out of the room, Zac and Precious with cuffs and Liam without.

The secretary hands them their schedules. Zac takes all them and gives Precious hers. “I’ll walk her over to the elementary school,” she offers. Which is funny compared to before they had the power dampeners on. She was diferente.

Zac and Liam sign something to Precious and she responds before going with the secretary.

“What’s your schedules like?” Jeremiah asks. Zac has both his and Liam’s in his hand and lets Jeremiah glance at their first periods. The brothers had diferente first periods which looked to greatly concern Zac. From his narrowed eyes and frown, he isn’t happy about that.

Liam’s first class matches Jeremiah’s though.

“Güey, we’re in the same first period! I can with walk you,” Jeremiah states, excited for a new friend. He remembers when he was a new student. Thankfully, Bell brought him into her friend group and then he found his soulmate in Roman. All worked out in the end. But he could be that person for Zac and Liam.

“You ok with that, Li?” Zac asks out loud but also signs. Probably out of habit and not for Jeremiah’s benefit. Though he appreciates the translation nonetheless.

When he doesn’t respond, Zac repeats himself. Then Liam nods, eyes on his schedule.

They did a lot of more nonverbal communication that Jeremiah can’t follow. But eventually, they stop. Jeremiah points Zac in the right direction and he and Liam go the other way.

When alone, Jeremiah gets to speak to Liam one on one for the first time. “Bio with Mr. Row isn’t bad. He doesn’t care as long as you listen to him.”

Liam keeps his gaze on his phone, so Jeremiah figures he didn’t want to respond, but then a voice answers.

“I have autism.”

It takes him a second to realize it’s coming from the curly haired boy’s phone. The voice didn’t sound robotic like he would have assumed coming from a phone. More humanish with different tones and volumes.

“Ok,” Jeremiah simply replies.

For the first time, Liam looks directly at Jeremiah. Only for a moment.

Going back on his phone, his fingers furiously type.

“Most people feel awkward around me.”

Even though the statement was spoken through the phone, Jeremiah can’t help but hear it in a matter of fact tone. Not sad but just like it is normal for him.

“Nope. We all have differences.”

Liam doesn’t answer to that, but Jeremiah sees a small lift of the corners of his lips. He’ll take that as a success.

Fidgeting with his backpack strap and readjusting the books in his hands, Jeremiah could get a small glance at one of Liam’s notebook.

“Wicked! Did you draw that? That’s asombrosa!” Jeremiah exclaims, his voice echoing in the empty halls. Liam winces at the volume.

Typing, he says, “I don’t know what that means.”

“It means amazing,” Jeremiah adjusts his tone so it is much quieter this time. Sometimes his excitement goes so high, he forgets. Indoor voice. He can practically hear his Mamá giving him that warning.

“Thanks.”

“Those are orchids, right?” Having recognized the type of flower, Jeremiah is truly amazed by the fine details. It almost looks like a picture rather than a drawing. Lou likes to doodle cats and he knows Bell’s sister paints, but this is on a whole other level.

“Yes,” Liam answers, pushing the notebook back into place under a folder. Jeremiah hopes he didn’t make him feel self conscious about his ability. He is just amazed.

The drawing reminds him of his connection to nature that he currently doesn’t have. If he had his abilities, he could grow an orchid right here. “I love those! My power without this estúpida cuff is nature based.”

“Ok.”

Jeremiah isn’t bothered by the lack of response. He remembers learning ingles when he was younger. He didn’t speak much at his old elementary school because he was nervous about his pronunciation of words. People might’ve thought he was strange. Being the quiet niño. His mother held him after a difícil day of kids so effortlessly talking in a language he didn’t know well and said how it’s ok because everyone communicates differently. That he would find his voice.

“Have any plans for lunch? You and Zac are welcome to sit with me and my friends. Don’t worry, they are all totally nice! You can meet my soulmate, Roman.”

Liam eyes widen. “You found your soulmate.” It isn’t a question, but Jeremiah treats it as one. His soulmate appears to have peaked his interest.

“Yeah, we met this year actually. He’s super cool.”

While Liam doesn’t reply verbally, Jeremiah can tell he has his attention. “You can meet him at lunch if you want.”

In one swift motion, Liam’s eyes meets his and then goes back down to his device.

“Fine with me.”

Jeremiah can’t wait for lunch.

——— (A big shoutout to Hollow Oaks! 👏🏼 She created Liam, Zac, and Precious! This is just the intro to them. I’ll have stories in their perspectives soon!

In case you’re new to my stories, Jeremiah is Latino, so I try to integrate some Spanish into his vocabulary. Güey means dude, primarily Mexican slang according to Google.)

"Max?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to be so honest with me right now."

His face has worry written all over it.

"Yeah?"

"Please tell me you brought pizza again."

He chuckles by the unserious question I asked.

"Okay, I did."

I could finally breath again. I forgot my lunch. Again. It must be the third time this week.

"Thank you so so much!"

"No problem."

We sit and have lunch together in one of our teachers classrooms. He never has asked why I forget a lunch, or if I have any other friends. I don't, of course, but he never seems to mind. The bell rings and we say our goodbyes.

THE NEXT DAY

Ugh. I forgot my lunch. Worst part, Max isn't here today. He's at a dentist appointment or something. So now I have to face the lunch line. And try and plead that I don't have any money but still give me the food.

"I don't have any money, but can I still get hot lunch?" I ask when I reach the front.

"No."

"Please?"

"No. You need money to get hot lunch."

"Just this one time?"

"No. Now get out of line."

I start walking away when I hear someone say "I'll pay for her."

The lady glares at me when I get my food.

"Thank you so much!" I say to the person who payed.

I turn around to see a tall, built guy who must be on the football team.

"Of course," he says with a grin.

I blush as I turn around. He is fineeee. I quickly walk to a corner in the hall since Max isn't here. I sit in shock that a guy like him payed for a girl like me, for school lunch. My heart is beating a million times per minute it seems.

I see him standing in the cafeteria looking around for something. I turn and eat my food, and try to stop thinking about what just happened. I hear footsteps coming closer to me and I gulp.

"Hey," he says.

"Hi," I say and slowly turn around.

"Are you eating lunch by yourself?"

"Maybe."

"Can I join you?"

I am totally in shock. How could this guy have nowhere to sit? He must see the expression on my face.

"If that's okay with you."

"Sure."

I scoot over so there is room for him. I cannot believe what is happening.

"So, you normally get hot lunch?"

"No. A friend usually has some extra food for me."

He nods and continues to eat. You would have thought he hadn't had food for days. It makes me laugh.

"What?" he says with his mouth full and a grin on his face.

"How long has it been since your last meal?"

"Uhh, I had breakfast at 7:30?"

That makes me laugh even harder. The last meal I had was dinner last night, which was a lucky occurrence. And even still I don't eat like that. He joins in on my laughter. He has a great laugh too. Gosh I need to stop thinking about this.

"Where do you normally eat lunch?"

"Oh, I just moved here."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Kind of a weird time to move. But it's been chill here so far."

I think to myself that it will soon be more chaotic for him. All the girls will want to eat lunch with him, heck even I did.

"What do you have next period?"

"I have history with Ms. Berkeley? Is that how you say it?"

"Oh my gosh no way. I have that too. And yes, it's pronounced that way."

"Haha what are the chances? Glad I have someone to walk with."

His smile is so bright that I feel like it's fake. Why is he hanging out with me out of everyone? Does he feel bad for me? Does he pity me?

"Yeah."

We walk to class together and I grit my teeth with a sharp smile. This isn't real, he must be faking it or something. Luckily when we get to class I go to my regular seat, which is far from his. I feel like his eyes are on me but I ignore it, because I'm probably just dreaming that he is.

NEXT DAY

"Heyyyyy Max, do you have some extra food?"

"Yes of course," he chuckles.

I'm so glad because I am starving. Which makes me think of the guy at lunch yesterday. Wow I didn't even get his name. Oh well. Probably for the best.

We past the cafeteria and I catch myself looking for him. I need to seriously stop thinking about this.

"So, how did it go without me yesterday?"

"Umm fine."

"Did you bring a lunch?"

"No."

He looks disappointed that I probably haven't eaten in a while.

"But I did get hot lunch."

He raises his eyebrow and asks, "Oh?"

"Someone else payed for it, luckily."

"Good," he says with a smile. I compare both guys smiles. Gosh, stop thinking that brain. I eat the food in silence and hope he doesn't ask anything else.

NEXT DAY

I find Max in the halls and we walk to the classroom together. We pass by that corner I ate at two days ago, and I see the guy sitting there by himself.

"Hey, wait up!" he calls out. I'm in horror that he remembers me, he's eating alone, and Max is right next to me. Max continues walking, because nobody would be calling for me, right?

"Hi" I turn and say.

"Where were you yesterday?"

"Umm eating lunch in a teachers room like I normally do."

"Oh" he says and looks sad.

Max now realizes that someone is talking to me, and sends me looks that I can't quite figure out. It feels awkward for a few moments, before I break the silence.

"Do you.. want to eat with us?"

I regret my words as soon as they come out of my mouth. I don't even know this guys name, he's new, and it's always just been Max and me. He grins.

"Sure."

How did this come to happen. I'm in the middle of two guys walking to lunch and I don't know what to do.

heyyyy guyyyyys, i'm still alive... 😅 sorry it's been a while life is busier than ever... school until 4:10 every other day and marching band tuesdays and thursdays, monday night acting, friday football games, out of town weekends, and guess what. i booked another commercial! it's for a car (i can't tell you what car, it's confidential information aka illegal) and i had two callbacks and other crazy stuff soooo yeah. 😅 i've been working on this one for some time, chunking piece by piece (slowly but shirley) and now im leaving you with a cliff hanger. a part two will be out someday (busy life) so around a week, if sooner it will be short, if later it will probably be better quality, but yeah. hiiiiiii and byeeeee 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

_Oswald (Age 6) _ “OSWALD ALEXANDER BURTROM! If you don’t get your behind in here you won’t be getting any apple pie!”

Mum is angry at the moment, not that I did anything wrong, OKAY! I just didn’t clean up my best.

“Muuuuumm,” I moan, walking back to the kitchen glumly, “I’m tired, though!”

My mum is there, standing above my discarded and forgotten pile of wood shavings. Her dark brown face is pulled in a frown, her usually calm muted orange eyes angered and irritated. She puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head. “I wish Harold would have never taught you carving, dear Lord, help me.”

I waddle, trying my best to look innocent and helpless as I pick up the biggest shards one by one. “Mummy—“

“Don’t ‘Mummy’ me, little boy. You know what you did,” she snaps.

Man, I didn’t know she was that mad. It’s only wood shavings. Best to tread carefully. “But Mum, how am I going to pick up the smaller stuff? The broom’s to big for me.”

Mum sighs, “Yes, I’ll—I’ll do that, dear.”

I chirp my thanks, wood chips in my hand, and make my way outside to deposit them. I’ve exited from the beast—I look up and spot Rayburn from over the fence—now time to reap my reward.

I toss the wood chips out of my hand and start to climb the fence. I need to be as theatric as possible to gain and hold Rayburn’s attention, or else he’ll just walk away and lock himself in his room. Just as I want, his looks up at me when I shout his name. Rayburn screeches, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

I plop on my bottom after missing a footing. Rayburn starts towards me, hands outstretched as though he wants to help, but then reconsiders it, putting them in his pocket. I get up quickly and dust my butt off. “I came to see you, Ray.”

“Don’t call me that.” Oops, he’s back in his bad mood again. Or maybe that’s just his normal mood. It must be exhausting to be grumpy all the time.

“Sorry, Ray-Rayburn,” I correct myself when he starts to turn away, “Wait! Wait. You wanna go and do something fun?”

He stops at the word fun. Rayburn turns to me, eyes curious. “What do you mean?”

There we go!

I grab his arm and pull him to me. “I know a secret place outside the forest—“

“Ah,” he interrupts, “No.”

His arm is gone from my hand and he’s already up the stairs and into his aunt’s farmhouse. That quick? “Hey! Raaay!” I dash after him before he closes the door.

“DON’T CALL ME RAY! MY NAME IS RAYBURN!”

Rayburn (Age 6)

“Just because you gave me apple pie, doesn’t mean we’re friends,” I mutter, stuffing another slice of buttery crust and chunking apple filling into my mouth, “We are not friends.”

Oswald is beside me, already finish with his slice and feeding his little sister, Penelope, the rest of hers. “Yes, we are,” he says this like it’s obvious, “If we weren’t, you wouldn’t be here eating my Mum’s apple pie.”

I blink. He makes a good point. “Uhm…well….”

Oswald smiles and pokes my in my cheek. “So we are friends, Ray!”

I shove him. “RAYBURN! My name is RAYBURN!”

Penelope claps and cheers, her face covered in apple jam. “Ray-Bun! Ray-Bun!”

Rayburn (Age 7)

“You don’t know how to swim?” Oliver gawks at me like I’m a strange creature. “Is that something that all city folk don’t know how to do?”

An older boy behind me, Harvey I think, laughs and claps the back of his chaps. “Of course he doesn’t know how to swim,” he points at me, “look at those skinny little limbs he has.”

My face turns a bright red at his statement. I wring my hands together and step away from the lake, where other boys and girls, older and young, are staring at me.

A warm hand lands on my back, patting me in a comforting way. I find myself leaning into the touch. “I’ll teach you, Ray.”

I don’t correct Oswald this time. It’s been a year of this nonsense; it’s better to just let it happen.

I step away from him, noticing his brown eyes on me. Everyone else is back to chatting with each other, except Oliver who is still gaping at me, brown hair strewn across his forehead, and have forgotten about us. Harvey is throwing me some chilling glances though.

“I don’t think I want to do that, Oswald.”

He steps towards me. “Come on, Ray, it’s easy once you get it.”

I glance over at the other children. “Isn’t this illegal; shouldn’t we have an adult with us?”

Oliver snaps out of his gaze and swipes his hair back. “Nope,” he says proudly, smiling, exposing his missing top teeth, “out here in the country, everybody knows everybody. So we’ll be fine.”

Oswald nods. “Yeah, Ray, we’ll be okay.” Then he takes off his shirt. Oliver does the same.

“Uhm…? What is—“

Oliver runs to the lake and leaps. “WEEEE!” Splash! The boys cheer and the girls shriek as the water splashes almost everyone.

Oswald is still beside me, tugging the hem of my shirt. “Come on, Ray.”

Eyes wide, I shake my head. “No.”

“You don’t have to do—“

“No.”

“But—“

“NO!”

“I’ll convince my mum to make apple pie.”

I blink, distracted momentarily, but enough, that Oswald pulls my shirt up to my head. I have no choice but to lift my arms so he can take it all the way off. He tosses our shirts to a nearby tree, giving me a bright smile.

“Really?” I lick my lips, just thinking of the taste. “You mean it.”

“Of course, when have I lied to you?”

“Well then,” I straighten my back to try and give myself more confidence, “teach me how to swim then.”

Oswald (Age 14)

Rayburn is on his bed, sketching something that looks kind of like a potato. I ask him it my assumption is right.

He frowns at me. “No, it’s a face.”

I look at it again and shake my head. “That, my dear Ray, is a potato.”

“Well then, you’re a potato.”

“Hmm?” I cock my head to the side. “Why.”

Rayburn turns a startling shade of red. “Because it’s you.”

It’s a long time before I can stop myself from laughing.

(Bleh! Procrastination makes progress; on the wrong thing! Thanks for reading and have a good day!)

“Mom, I told you I really did not want to do this.” Liz stood in the kitchen doorway, her arms folded across her chest and a 16-year-old pout on her face.

“Well, sorry, but I signed us up and it’s only for one afternoon. It won’t kill you to do something nice for this group of elderly and forego yet another Saturday afternoon at the mall. Get your coat and help me with the food.”

Annie’s women’s club had agreed to go to the local nursing home and bring treats for the residents once a month, and she had decided when she signed up to add Liz’s name as a helper. The teenager was becoming much too self absorbed and Annie was not entirely comfortable with the group of girls she was hanging out with. It seemed like all they were interested in were selfies, make-up and “likes” on social media. Like it or not, Liz was going with her and it might do her good to talk to a group of elderly people and do something nice for someone else for a change.

The nursing home was only a couple of miles outside of the town, and Liz hadn’t said a word to Annie on the drive over. She still had her arms crossed over her chest and made it very clear she was angry. Annie pulled into the parking lot and turned off the motor and then turned to Liz.

“Listen to me, Liz, and listen good. These men and women are old, they are stuck in this place mostly because of age related issues, and snap out of it. I don’t care if you are upset with me. Fine. But do not take it out on the people inside this place. We are going to spend a couple of hours of our lives bringing them homemade brownies and talking with them and if I catch you sulking in a corner and acting like a spoiled brat, there will be consequences. Do you understand me?”

Liz signed, and muttered “Fine”, unbuckling her seat belt and getting out. Annie did her own internal sigh and they unloaded the plastic bins of brownies and headed in. They found the common area where there was an assortment of men and women already seated in comfortable seats and some in wheel chairs. When they walked in, all heads turned to them, and smiled.

“You must be Annie and Liz. I’m Corinne Downing, the social director, and we’re so glad you made time for us today. Just set your things over there on the table. Edna and Cora, my committee members, have offered to serve the refreshments so you can visit with our residents. Just pick a group to sit with. They’re all very good at getting conversations going.” She chuckled and went over to help put the brownies on platters and started filing cups with coffee and tea.

I put my hand on Liz’s arm and led her over to a group of ladies who were seated around a small table chatting amiably. When we walked up, they all smiled and I leaned over and whispered to Liz, “Just be nice,” and went off to another group of men and women across the room from her. I said a silent prayer that Liz wouldn’t go into her stone statue mode, but refused to worry about it.

Once I sat down, the group invited me into their conversation which centered around current events and then moved off into a funny, insightful discussion of a current best seller that half the group loved and the other half hated. I had actually read the book and was pretty neutral about it and soon we were all chatting like we had known each other for ages. I glanced over at Liz a couple of times and while she wasn’t saying much, she wasn’t sitting with arms crossed and a bored expression, so I let it be.

The social committee came around with drinks and brownies at some point, and I got so involved in conversation, I found the time slipping away. These elderly residents were very different than what I had envisioned, and I shot another look over at Liz. This time she was leaning forward with her elbows on the table and seemed to be talking to the ladies who were nodding and smiling. Thank god, I thought to myself, and then went back to enjoying my own group.

Time went quickly and I was startled when I looked at my watch and realized we had spent even longer than our slotted two hours. Liz was still talking to the ladies at her table, and I excused myself and walked over. We needed to pack up and get on home. I walked up to Liz and put my hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, sweetie. We need to get on home and leave these ladies in peace.” I smiled and Liz pushed back her chair and stood up. All of the women at the table smiled at her and one of them laid her hand on Liz’s and squeezed it. That was a good sign, I thought. She must have been okay.

We loaded up the car and as we pulled onto the highway Liz said, “Thanks, Mom.”

“Thanks? Really?”

She chuckled. “That was way different than I thought. Mrs. Lawrence, the lady with the blue sweater? She used to be a makeup artist for television. And Mrs. Dawson worked at Rich’s Department Store as a fashion coordinator for years before they went out of business. They were really interesting, talking about how fashion had changed over the ages. They were really funny when they got into the weird stuff of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. And then they got off on telling stories. That other lady, Mrs. Thomas? She was an actual hippie and a groupie for The Grateful Dead!”

I laughed. “You have got to be kidding me!”

“Nope.” She paused. “They asked me to come back. They said they miss having young people around and hearing about all the things young girls are into nowadays. They asked me about selfies and stuff and….well…could we do this again? I mean, if you don’t want to, maybe I could come back on Saturdays or Sundays and help them understand about social media and all that. They really want to learn.”

“I think that’s an amazing idea, Liz.” I turned and glanced at her. “Thanks for coming. I know you didn’t want to but you did it anyway.”

“It was way different than I thought.”

We were silent for the rest of the way home, but Liz followed through on her idea to go back and over the next year she went almost every other weekend. She even talked it up to her girlfriends and before I knew it, she had several of them making cookies in my kitchen to take to the home and going with Liz to talk to the group.

Life has a way of creating the most unlikely friendships.

I took off my goggles as the coil began to glow. Rubbing my nose bridge I looked up at the ceiling. A mass of wires haphazardly attached greeted me. Once again I wondered how Igor had survived in a ship like this. “You did it, Zee.” Igor said rushing in. I glanced at my would be abductor. He was a big mass of muscle with an uncontrollable man of brown hair. A self proclaimed Viking that carried his axe like a child would carry their favorite toy. It was the same axe that took my leg. And yet he gave me the same dopey grin he had when he’d rescued me from the rubble. He’d introduced himself as if we’d never been employed by two employers that had succeeded in killing each other. No he’d tended to my stump of a leg. And I’d been convinced to work on his clunker of a ship. Anything to get off this desolate planet. His smile suddenly dropped. “Are you still mad at me?” I raised an eyebrow as I put my stump of a leg on the work bench. He winced. “Sorry. It was the only thing I could think of rather than killing you.” His eyes brightened. “But I could get you a new leg. Back on the Cyclops they can grow one brand new.” “What were you doing on Cyclops?” It was a renown facility in that it was never in the same place twice. Criminals were abound but not as much as the crazy scientists. It was rare for someone like Igor to know about it. Let alone be able to track the location of that infamous ship. “Well, I was born there.” I studied him. Most children of the Cyclops were born deformed. But Igor was built well. Perfectly tanned skin. Almost too bright grey eyes. And that streak of blood red in his brown locks. Wait a minute. “You’re a clone aren’t you?” He looked down. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone.” “Well I hope you wouldn’t or else the feds would be on you quicker than light speed.” Clones were illegal in most sectors. If they were caught they’d either be killed, sent to prison, or used as slaves for the rest of their lives. “A few of them know already. But they said as long as I keep bringing them criminals they’ll leave me alone.” He’d gotten lucky then. But it made me think back to why he was working for that idiot. Then it dawned on me. “So, you we’re trying to use the chaos to bring your boss in.” He nodded. “I might have if he didn’t blow up. But if he hadn’t I wouldn’t have a new friend like you.” I blinked. “You think we’re friends?” “Aren’t we?” He started fiddling with his axe. “You’re helping fix my ship. And friends help each other right?” He had to be a young clone. No one in their right mind would try to befriend someone they almost killed. “Why would you even want to be my friend?” “Well, you’re smart. You explain the things I don’t understand. And you’re not afraid of me.” “Why would I be afraid of you?” Sure, he was big. But he was like a sheepdog. Completely harmless as long as you gave him work to do. “Then you’ll be my friend?” There were those big eyes again. I cleared my throat as I focused back on my stump. “Get me a new leg and we’ll see if we can strike up a partnership.” Suddenly, I was lifted up into the warmest hug I’d ever received. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had hugged me. “You won’t regret this, Zee.” He set me down again. “I’ll go get the ship ready to launch.” I could practically see his tail wagging as he left. I cleared my throat again, trying to wipe the stupid grin off my face. It was just those eyes that were effecting me. Those puppy dog eyes. Nothing else. Best to focus on repairs before I got sucked in.

It started as these things normally do, with a conversation about the weather.

“Dang, this summer is hot.” Aiden flapped his arms up and down to make his point, nearly knocking over the dwindling pile of picnic food that was balanced somewhat hopefully on the table next to him.

“Climate change, man,” Jade replied drily, delicately twisting a lethal pair of scissors around her fingers, “when the sea boils, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Aiden decided he’d rather busy his mouth with the last of the sausage rolls than get into that debate with his sister.

“Ahem,” someone coughed politely, “I would thank you to not chew with your mouth open, please, it really is most unbecoming.”

Aiden cracked open an eyes, flinching at the sudden sun exposure. “Whatcha say?”

“Good Lord,” the primly-dressed girl clutched her hand to her chest, “I think I just saw your oesophagus.”

“Bless you,” Aiden said. Because really, what else what there to say.

The girl frowned.

Aiden felt bad for offending her, so offered her a sausage roll.

The girl smiled slightly. “Are they vegetarian?”

“Not in the slightest.” Aiden grinned.

The girl’s smile grew. “Perfect.”

“I’m not sure that’s going to work,” he said, scrupulously looking her over.

“What?” She asked the male stranger sitting in one of the white chairs next to her.

“Sitting in a meditative pose like that, with your legs crossed and your palm up.” He stated, in a very matter of fact tone, still assessing every last detail about her.

“Why not?” She asked, now shifting her gaze from the white wall in front of her to meet his eyes. You noticed me calmly sitting this way,” she said, impressed with herself that her plan had worked. She was, after all, aware that she was being observed.

“For starters,” he replied, “You had your hands folded in the praying position fifteen minutes ago. The doctors are going to think you’re one confused little girl, sitting in here praying, then being a yogi in your meditative pose.”

“You noticed that too?” She asked him, slightly smiling, happy she had someone to communicate with.

“You mean in between that woman over there, hitting her head against the glass window, and the old woman pissing her pants in the corner?” He asked. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“She has dementia,” she told him.

“How do you know?” He asked skeptically.

“I tried talking to her,” she said, still sitting in a meditative position. “My first tactic upon entering this room was to appear to be friendly, but my conversation with the elderly woman didn’t get very far, seeing as she told me her name three times in the span of three minutes. So, I did what any sensible girl in this unfortunate position would do and resorted to a prayerful position, but that didn’t seem to work either. So now, as you can see, I’m meditating.”

“Girl,” he said, smiling at her. “I ain’t just seen you over there praying and then turning into a damn yogi. I saw you walking around this damn room, cleaning up after everybody about an hour ago. Was that your cleaning lady stunt?”

“It’s rather messy in here,” she said, turning her attention away from him and looking forward again, toward the white wall in front of her, trying to resume her contemplative meditation. “And also, the police officer thanked me for it. He said he didn’t think I belonged in here, which will likely be the nicest thing anyone says to me in this room.”

“I’d stop cleaning if I were you,” he shared. “It doesn’t matter what you do in this room,” he told her. “They’re going to tell you that you have to go to the hospital, even if you are picking up after people.”

“How do you know?” She asked him, looking around the room, noticing the complete chaos around them. Of course, she wasn’t just referring to the empty cracker packages scattered on the floor but some of the people, as well.

“This is my second time here,” he said, looking around and taking inventory of the people around them. “Trust me. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“Why?” She asked, her tact thrown out the window as she looked the young man over, noticing that he was impeccably dressed and well-groomed, not to mention the most sane person in the room, aside from her.

“This is my second DUI,” he said. “The first time they brought me here for an evaluation, and they sent me to the hospital. This time, they did the same thing.”

She looked down at her palms, still facing upward, her thumbs and middle fingers touching. At first, she had been calm and still because she was certain the horror she was enduring in that room, with one woman repeatedly hitting her head against a glass window, one elderly woman publicly pissing her pants in the corner, and one woman bursting into random rants every twenty minutes, would soon end. Now, however, her stillness was the result of her paralyzing fear.

“Elizabeth,” she heard her name called and looked up to see a handsome doctor standing before her. “I’d like to speak with you. Can you follow me?” He asked.

“Of course,” she politely replied, and she stood to follow him out of chaotic room.

“See you on the inside,” the man said. “Oh,” he added, “if you don’t have drugs in your system, ask them to take a blood sample. You might want that documentation later.”

She looked at him, noticing his bloodshot eyes for the first time.

“Thanks,” she said, slowly walking behind the doctor, completely perplexed, her mind now reeling. All she could think about, walking down the hospital hall donning stark white walls, with floors covered in white tile, was how moments ago, she had felt in control, as zen like as possible, given the situation. Now, however, she felt like Alice, roaming around Wonderland, uncertain as to what was around the corner but grateful, knowing she had one person that would be waiting for her “on the inside.”

[S.C, Bloodlines. CH 9]

Everything in the room spun for a second, Cleo was right at her side. Amelya could feel a shift as Jayden looked over toward them.

“I’m gonna excuse myself. Y’all have fun” He spoke up before shooting out the door.

Pain, unrest in his thoughts. Cleo was the opposite, passion and desire filled hers.

“Can I tell you something…” Amelya started as Cleo closed the gap between them. “Of course babe” She giggled. “You can tell me all things” “I think something happened when I drank the blood…” “Of course it did” Cleo laughed not grasping the full extent of her word. “You turned into a vampire, duh” Cleo’s thoughts exploded across her mind. “I can hear thoughts….” Amelya watched as Cleo soaked in her words. “Your messing with me right” Cleo replied. “No, think something and I’ll tell you it” “Amelya has a cute butt” Cleo giggled to herself as she thought about it. “Really, first thing you think about is my butt” Cleo’s jaw dropped to the floor in disbelief. “Also almost everyone on the council dislikes our little union.” She added in. “Wait you can read everyone’s mind?” “Pretty much. Except for Lexi’s mothers….” “That’s even more weird.” Cleo was as surprised as ever. “So anything I think you can hear?” “I think so” “That seems problematic “ Cleo shook her head. “Guess we’ll never have secrets so that’s good”

Of course they sat there for a bit, playing guess Cleo’s thoughts. Long into the we hours of the morning. When Jayden finally walked in, he was clutching two human girls. One on each arm.

“Are you stupid!” Cleo shouted, grabbing Amelya by her arm. Pulling her forcefully into the first bedroom. “Why would you bring human girls here?”

It took a few minutes before she could smell the cheap bath and body works perfume the girls reeked of. But the second she did, she could hear their heart beats, feel the blood running through their veins.

“Now I don’t have to be alone. Y’all have your half of the house I have mine. I’ll be in the basement “ Jayden called out with the slam of a door in the distance. “I can feel their blood pumping” Amelya’s mouth hung open, her fangs growing out of her canines without an ounce of pain. “I want a taste” “No please babe. Calm down. You’d be breaking the rules on your first night. “ “Please…. Love… just a sip” She started towards the door before the girl’s thoughts came into her head. Each thought a play by play, she wanted to be sick.

“Good, that stupid boy fell for it.” A voice thought, not one hundred yards away in the woods. “Stupid blood suckers” Another added in. “He’s …. “ Amelya started. “Been followed, two men it seems.” “Great, probably the girl’s dad’s “ Cleo huffed. “I’m not breaking up their session downstairs. He can fend for himself.” “No, they called him a bloodsucker. So this might be bad” “Fuck. Hunter’s probably “ Cleo shook her head. “That boys gonna be the death of us. On your first night as a vampire “ “What’s a hunter? Like Sam and Dean type hunter?” Amelya didn’t like the sound of it one bit. “God, did you really have to bring that up” Her hand rubbed her temple. “Yes kinda, I guess. They hunt all of the shadow species. Most of them regular old humans that were born into hunter families “ “If we don’t tell him, we are gonna have to fight them alone.”

Of course Amelya had a point, one day zero vampire and a non-fighter didn’t amount to much.

“I only heard two of them” Amelya was ducked behind the left front window. Trying to get a lock on any more thoughts they had. “Let’s get in there now!” The first one cried out.

Of course they where going to run directly at the front door, no weapons. This was country wish Sam and Dean. Cleo had snuck out the back, Amelya could hear her speaking through her mind.

“Going around back, let the fat one in. Then jump him, but please don’t bit him.”

Definitely not fat shaming but the man was huge, like a line backer off the football teams. Tall and full of jello. Amelya had one chance once her knocked the door through, with a hearty kick.

“Now” Cleo thought.

Amelya lunged at him with all her strength, hitting his side and tossing him to the ground. It was like running into an air mattress filled with greasy fry oil. She was partly suppressed he ever went down.

It would have been a valiant effort from her, yet as the fat one barreled through two others followed. Both younger, one holding a blade and the other with some sort of bow.

“Jesus. No please!” The man cried out, falling into a small end table. Which couldn’t hold his weight for a second and snapped.

Stepping up to him, trying to scurry back into the couch. Her eyes had turned black, the hunger was starting to rise.

The two boys where ready for a fight. Slashing out with the blade, Amelya dodged to the side. Rolling just past one of the couches, as a bolt stuck in the cushions.

“Please I beg of you. That boys got my sister. I just” He cried out, and from the smell of the room actually soiled himself. “Shut it fatty” Crossbow boy shouted. Signaling the other boy to flank around her. “Amelya they aren’t “ Cleo called out coming in the front door, holding the skinny guy by the back of his neck. “No stop!” She tossed the skinny guy at the crossbow kid. Knocking him to the floor. “Crap” Blade kid turned around, dropping his long knife. “She’s gonna eat me! The crossbow kid bellowed, before passing out. “Ewwww. Please don’t eat him” Cleo made a fake gagging noise and Amelya’s eyes turned back to normal. “They aren’t real hunters, yet they did call it.” “Our parents are hunters, I’m sure they will be along any second “ The knife boy, sat on the edge of the couch. “Ohhh really?” Cleo was confident the boys were lying. “He is lying” Amelya could hear him, praying for a way out. “So why? Did you come out here. Without a plan B” “Fat boy came into my fathers shop trying to buy weapons. We thought it would be easy…. The boy who took his sister and her friend seemed tweaked out” He shook his head. “Yet I don’t see a boy or the girls. So maybe wrong place.” “We could easily kill you…” Amelya giggled a bit, trying to sound evil. “How about we make you a deal?” Cleo had assembled the knocked out dudes outside the front door. “Like what?” He questioned while Amelya started playing with his blade. “Don’t touch the blade, it’s treated and will harm you” “We let you go… you just forget we’re here” Cleo just walked towards Amelya. “Why? We could bring hunters here to kill you?” “What’s your name kid?” Cleo asked, holding on to Amelya as her eyes flashed black for a second. “Newton….. I go by Newt…” “We can help you take them as far as the roads… not farther” “Ok, our secret “

A half an hour later and the girls where rushing home. Annoyed with Jayden for sure, all of it due to his stupidity.

“Another life altering situation, come to pass” Cleo laughed, skidding to a halt next to the bedroom door. “Yeah. I see that” Amelya giggled a bit as Jayden came out the basement wrapped in a towel.

“What the heck happened here?” He looked from the broken front door, to the blade, then the crossbow laid out on the coffee table. “A party thanks to you. Why would you even think it was a good idea to bring humans around?” Cleo scolded. “I wasn’t wrong. Even on day one it seems she’s already got a hold on the hunger” Jayden laughed a little. “Like I had a hold on both those girls” He thought to himself and Amelya glared at him. “Your nasty. Hope it was fun” Amelya shot him an annoyed glance and took off toward her room for the remainder of their stay. “Yeah your on clean up” Cleo had held the door open as Amelya slipped past.

Once inside the room, Amelya was laying on the bed. Looking at the door as Cleo walked in. The room was fairly average sized;a few dressers, a flat screen tv on the wall, a large mirrored vanity in the corner. Definitely built for a female.

“You think they will tell?” Amelya asked putting on her pajamas. “Nope, I think we just made a hunter friend” Cleo stripped, grabbing boy shorts from the drawer closest to her. “How?” “We weren’t like the stories that were told to him” “I guess your right”

Topless Cleo jumped onto Amelya on the bed. Holding her close for a kiss, before being pushed off.

“Gotta buy me dinner first. I’m not that type of girl” Amelya giggled, flicking after Cleo’s exposed nips. “Leave ‘‘em alone” She cried out hiding under the blanket.