by Bob Dattolo
Silent tears started down Marisela’s cheeks, but she didn’t respond.
“What will your mother say when she finds out you’ve invited an orc over to your house?” Her eyes hardened, making me think she’s used to being treated like crap.
I laughed, letting the bell sound come out, “Since it was my mother’s idea? I’m pretty sure she’ll be fine with it. She doesn’t care that you’re orcs. She’s over 7,000 years old, so she’s been around the block since before there was a block.”
She staggered, nearly dropping the yoke. I darted in and grabbed it, slipping around behind her and pulling it from her back. It’s a lot of water. From my time with our cows back at home, I’m pretty sure these are 40 or maybe even 50-gallon containers on either side. That means this thing is coming in at over 700 pounds at a minimum.
She spun to see me settling it on my shoulders. The containers are far lower than they were for her, but they’re not touching the ground. I had a fear about that. “Come on, show me where these go?”
Neither of them moved for the longest time, so I continued on around the front of the house, getting them to follow me by force of will. Her mom stared at me the entire time and then walked into the place. Marisela followed, turning sideways to get through the door. I did the same and put the containers down over towards the tub.
If anything, the inside of the place is smaller than I thought from the outside. Then again, it could be because we just added more than 200 gallons of water plus 800+ pounds of orcs to the space.
Sure enough, there’s a wash board like from the history books in the tub.
Marisela held still as I pulled her into a hug, “Come on. Grab what you need to wash and come over for dinner and to sleep over.”
She spoke for the first time, her soft voice cracking more than a few times, “I can’t…I can’t go over there. Not after you saw this…”
They both recoiled when I burst into laughter. I had to say something before it turned to anger, “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. Or this. I’m laughing because you’re ashamed of it. I was raised on a pretty nice piece of property in a decent house. There were a lot of us, but we were locked in. We never left. Our parents killed us one by one when we turned 17 and drained our magic. So, yeah, I had a washing machine, but I was also called by a number my entire life and never knew it. I was called ninth because I was the ninth child they had. It’s my middle name. Or was, before I changed it. Nawfed. Ninth. There was no love there. Not from my parents to us and not between the kids. We were prisoners in the same prison. We were intentionally set at odds with each other and being told on for the slightest rule break was the norm.”
I waved around the space, “I get it. Small place. No running water. No electricity. No money. Yet you have each other. You have love for each other. You have no idea how quickly I would have moved out of that hellhole and into this house with you…even if it meant starving to death the following week. I would have done it in a heartbeat. You don’t need to be embarrassed that I saw this. It’s far less embarrassing than telling you about how I grew up. How we never guessed that our older brothers and sisters were being slaughtered. Or…how they were then being raised as zombies and kept locked in an underground bunker where they were used as sex toys for my parents.”
My anger blossomed at thinking about it, and my insides seared as magic poured out, illumining the room around me. “I came from psychotic, incestuous murderers…you come from a loving mother. Now, given that, would you rather grow up here with your mom? Or have had my childhood? I’m only alive because I ran away to kill myself. My six younger brother and sisters were killed by cascading spells when the FBI raided the compound. Their souls were destroyed, torn to pieces by our own parents. Just to stop them from being rescued by the FBI.”
She leaned back against the tub, sitting on the edge, “Oh my God…that’s all true?”
Her mom sniffed, “It’s true. Every bit of it.”
I nodded at her mom, “What your mom said. Now…I get it if you don’t want to come. But please don’t do it because you think I’ll judge you for how you live. That’s not even remotely close to the truth. And, along those lines? Like I said? Bring anything and everything that you want to wash. We’ll have plenty of time to do it.”
They didn’t answer at first. Instead, they studied me as if looking for a crack in my exterior or something. Some indication that I’m judging them unfit for being poor. As if I had any money to my name a month and a half ago. Not even close. Finally, they looked at each other, with her mom shrugging, “If you go, I can get another shift in at work?”
Marisela perked up, “They called you in?”
“Yeah. It’ll take me a bit to get there, but I can put in another shift. Get a few more hours and all of that.”
“Umm…where do you work?”
She took a deep breath before nodding, “I have special training…but I can’t use any of it. I work at the solid waste treatment facility.”
“Huh…where’s that? I haven’t seen any around here?”
“It’s just over five miles away.” She waved towards the woods.
“In that case, it sounds like we have a plan? Marisela, you grab what you want to get washed? Phila? You grab what you need for work? We can drop you off so that you don’t have to walk.”
She got tears in her eyes at that and slowly sat down next to her daughter. “You can’t…”
“I can. I am. Assuming you’re okay with it. I don’t own you, I’m just trying to help.”
She finally nudged her daughter, “You heard her. Can you grab…everything?”
My new friend nodded, “I…can.” She moved around collecting everything. She even wrapped it all in the sheet from the “bed”. It’s not nearly as many clothes as you’d expect for modern America.
“Can you put that in the truck?” She nodded at my question and headed out. Her mother, for her part, had slipped into a work outfit, putting all of her clothes into the pile. As you’d expect for a supernatural, she stripped without even blinking an eye even though I was there.
“Are you okay to work tonight?”
She nodded, “I need the hours.”
“What about sleep?”
“They cut my hours last night, so I slept a chunk of the day away.” She didn’t bother filling in that it was due to depression.
“What about food? Have you eaten?”
She shrugged, “I’ve eaten.”
She froze as I touched her arm, “Please don’t do that. Have you eaten today?”
She finally shook her head.
“When did they ask you to come in?”
“8.”
That had me smiling, “Okay, in light of that, are there any places to eat around your work?”
She shrugged, “There are. I thought you were going to eat at home?”
Grabbing a bunch of money from my bag, I handed it to her, “Not for me to eat. For you. Take this. I’ll drop you off, you get food without Marisela seeing it.”
She wouldn’t take the money, but didn’t fight me putting it into her pockets, “Why are you doing this?”
“I seem to be getting asked that a lot. The reality is that I’m doing it because I can…and you need it. You can look at it as pity if you want. It’s not that, but you can look at it that way. I’m not doing it because I’m saying I’m better than you. I’m doing it because I can, and you need it. Marisela was nice to me today in school and you need it…and that’s enough for me.”
I backed up as I heard Marisela coming back. “Now, shall we head out?”
She wiped her eyes and nodded, “All right.”
Marisela met us at the door, and I let them close up as much as they’re able. I was happy to see that they have a padlock for the door. That probably cuts down on the errant hunters showing up and trying to steal what little they have.
Then again, from what I understand, I bet any hunters that desecrate their house had better hope they get in a ca
r quickly. Otherwise, they’ll follow the scent back to them and tear them wide open and walk through the resulting hole.
Orcs do not let people get away with things like that.
They were silent as I drove back out to the road, so I stopped before pulling out, “All right, which direction?”
Luck had us heading back towards Tara’s house, but then we turned off and continued driving. Phila underestimated the distance. By at least two miles.
I dragged them into small talk about the area as we drove, and I stayed away from anything like money. She indicated a parking lot for me to drop her off in, “That will work. I have a bit before I’m due in, so I’ll kill some time.” She patted my shoulder from the back seat, “Tha…thank…” She squeezed my shoulder as I did the same to her hand.
“It’s my pleasure. So…have fun at work tonight?”
She nodded and slid out without saying anything else. We left her there less than a minute later, and I headed back towards Tara’s. Here’s to hoping Phila gets something good in her. I swear they’ve been living on outdated cans of vegetables and food kitchen leavings, with the only meat being something they caught in the woods.
“Umm…feel free not to answer this, but how were you able to get food at school? I didn’t smell much food in your place.”
Her cheeks darkened and I was afraid that I made her angry. Instead, more tears fell, “Voucher program. It’s free for me.”
Huh, okay, that’s good then! “Cool. Thank you.”
She didn’t respond as I continued to drive, eventually turning into Tara’s place. Just like before, no one was outside. Not that I expected anyone to be. Marisela followed me up to the house. I debated whether or not knocking would cause a wall to collapse, then just went for it and tapped. In my defense, I did try the bell first, but it didn’t seem to work.
A goblin that must be closer to four feet tall answers the door. She stares at me with wide eyes, not quite seeming to get who’s at the door. “Hi. I’m Ceri. Is Tara available?”
The woman nods and smiles, but it’s empty of real understanding. “Who you?”
“Hi, I’m Ceri?”
“Who you?”
A slightly taller male goblin shows up behind her, “Who dis?”
She shrugs, “Strange.”
“Hi, I’m Ceri?”
Unexpectedly, he reaches around and begins fondling her bare breasts. Like a switch being thrown, she leans back into him, eyes hooded as she moans. When she moves her legs out wider, I’m not at all shocked that he slides into her from behind as he continues manhandling her boobs.
Marisela calls out, “Tara? We’re here!” She’s louder than I would have expected needing to be, especially given the size of the place.
Tara comes out of a back hallway, stepping over piles of garbage and other things that may or may not have value. She has a collection of things in a small box and stops short at seeing what her parents are doing. She blushes furiously when he pulls out and rams himself right up his wife’s behind, making her howl.
Not in pain, either.
“Dammit, Dad! Mom!” Tara is almost to tears, so I step past the rutting couple and take her arm, leading her outside.
“Come on, don’t worry about it.”
She stops and stares back as Marisela closes the door, “Are you fucking kidding me?! Don’t worry about it?! How am I going to live that down? Once the other kids find out what you saw…I can’t believe…”
My laugh was soft, but real, “What other kids? I don’t plan on telling anyone. There’s nothing to tell them about. You probably forgot that I’m not human? In my entire month in school, except the last two days, there wasn’t a day that went by where we didn’t have a group thing going on. If you think what’s going on back there bothers me in the slightest, you’re wrong.” That made me smile, “Okay, I take that back, I’m bothered by it, but mainly because I’m kinda horny. It’s been light for me this past week. I may set something up with Ty soon, but I need stuff at home to feel more settled. It still doesn’t quite feel real that I’m here, you know?”
She stared at me as I practically dragged her over to the truck. “Now, come on. Seriously, don’t worry about it. Are you upset that Marisela saw that?”
“Uhh…no? But she’s an orc…”
“Riiiight, and I’m not human. Mom’s a fey, loosely. Think of me more like a fey even though I don’t look like one. I’m serious about that.”
Marisela hugged her, “She’s totally serious. She took a loaded yoke from my mom earlier. Like it was nothing.”
Tara blinked a few times, “Jesus, even I have problems with that!’
“She didn’t even begin to strain.”
Neither of them said anything as we got into the truck. Once we were in, Tara looked in the back, “What’s up with…”
Marisela answered her before I could, “I’m going to wash everything at Ceri’s place.”
“Oh…uhh…” She didn’t say anything else as I pulled out and headed back towards home.
“Now…food? I don’t know what either of you like? I know how to cook, but it’s basic and not very good. We can order in? Have it delivered? Bring something in with us? Eat out?”
Marisela didn’t look at me as she shrugged, “We’re not…”
“Don’t tell me that you’re not hungry. Seriously. I’m not stupid. Just tell me what you guys like? I’ll eat pretty much anything, so I’m not sure what you guys like? We can get a bunch of pizzas? Some Chinese food? Umm…a mountain of McDonald’s?”
Tara’s stomach grumbled, “I’d kill for a good pizza.” Her lips clammed shut like she just spilled state secrets.
“Ahh, pizza? Is there a good place around?”
“There’s a place a few miles up. It’s amazing. I’ve only eaten there once, but it’s…wow.”
“All right, we’re in business! Now, let’s talk toppings!”
Chapter 8
Marisela wouldn’t come in. “Come on, already! The pizza’s getting cold!”
Tara nudged the huge stack of pies. We have 12 of them for the three of us, which might be enough. It’s hard to say for sure, although we did get a ton and a half of toppings for them, so I am hoping it helps. We can always get more, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
As I expected, my new friend was still leaning against the side of my truck in the garage. “Please, Marisela!”
She stomped he foot, “I can’t go in there! I can’t even be in this garage!”
“Ugh, Marisela! It’s time to eat, already! Just come in! It’s not that big a deal.”
She glared at me, “Not that big a deal? Are you serious? Do you know how big this house is? How much it had to cost?”
“Yes. Mom told me. I’m just not sure why that would stop you from coming in and eating.”
“You’re not sure? My entire house could fit in this single garage bay. Probably three times.” She’s not wrong, the garage is colossal. “I can’t be in a house like this! I don’t have any money! You have to be a millionaire!”
I shrugged, “Honestly, Mom’s a billionaire. Given what I’ve seen, if she combined everything with her fortune in the between lands, she might be a trillionaire. I’m a billionaire myself from challenges and then some gifts from the king of the fey. And yet, do you want to know what difference that makes here and now?”
She shook her head, then shrugged.
“It means that I’m still hungry. You’re still hungry. Having money just changes what you can buy to eat, not the actual eating. So your house can fit into the garage. Aaaaand? You’re hungry, right?” Her stomach growled loud enough for me to hear it, and I’m not all that close. “Come on, I heard that. It’s time to eat. We even have some cool sodas.” With that, I left her behind and headed in, opening the first pizza.
Tara called out, “Ooh, Marisela, this pizza is one that you wanted! Loaded Italian with extra meat!”
Movement in the garage let us know that she’s at least getting clo
ser.
I checked the huge pantry, “We have Coke, root beer, orange soda, ginger ale, iced tea, crème soda, Dr. Pepper, and…like a dozen different types of flavored sparkling waters. What would you like?”
“Dr. Pepper?” Tara looked hopeful as I grabbed some cans for her.
A soft, “Crème soda?” came from the door to the garage, so I grabbed some of those as well before carrying everything to the table. As I thought, Marisela is in the door, staring around in shock.
It’s just that big of a place.
“All right, I think this one is for you.” Taking the pizza off the top of the pile, I slid it to an open spot. “Let’s see what else we have here.”
The girls were quiet most of the way through the pizzas.
Tara was the first to speak, “I can’t believe you live in a place like this.”
Shrugging, I opened another pizza, “I feel the same. I haven’t lived here for much more than a week. Prior to that I lived at school for a month. Then with my family before that.”
She looked around more, “I still can’t believe it. This place…”
“Mom apparently has houses all over the place. All around the world in various states and countries and stuff like that. She has just thousands and thousands of acres in the between lands on top of that. Plus houses. An estate that’s just…wow. No words for it. Even with that, she spends a lot of time in her chambers in the castle, which are just a basic stone room. Not even as large as this kitchen. Granted, she has just a ridiculous amount of stuff in storage, but that’s neither here nor there.”
“Is…is she really that rich? You’re really…” Marisela couldn’t quite look up at me.
“She is. Just ungodly amounts of money. As for me? Yeah. I won a bunch of challenges and Mom stripped their assets for me. Then I got a reward from the king of the fey.”
One of her eyes twitched, and I had to stifle a laugh before it started. “You…what? The king of the fey gave you a reward? For what?”