Daniel Haley and the Immortal Ninja

by Caleb Karger

  “What?” I puffed.

  “You didn’t have to try to carry me,” she said. “I can still walk.”

  “You cracked your rib. No, you can’t,” I said. The strain was starting to fill my voice. “Besides…you weigh like…two ounces?”

  She fought back a giggle. “Just put me in the driver’s seat. I don’t want you to drive my car into any trash bins.”

  “You know about that?” I asked as I set her down in the seat. My muscles screamed at me to drop her, but I fought the pain.

  “I told you. I know everything.”

  Chapter 4

  Into the Black

  I knew it was bad manners to gawk at a girl, but what was I supposed to do when she looked like road kill? I was impressed by how well she handled the pain. Katherine merely grimaced whenever we drove over a bump in the road. If my ear got cut in two and my ribs were cracked, I’d be very vocal about how I felt.

  Some part of me was still expecting her to say “Gotcha,” but it was unlikely that she was faking everything. Her ear, for example, didn’t look like a prosthetic prop. I could smell the iron in her blood.

  I’d been prepared to accept that this wasn’t real. I had no idea what to do now. All of the questions in my head piled into a traffic jam. I didn’t know where to start.

  My phone chimed.

  MotherShip: I thought you said you would be home soon?

  “Um, where are we going now?” I asked.

  She took a shallow breath. “Somewhere safe.”

  I looked at my phone. I didn’t know what to tell my mom. No matter what I said at this point, she was going to punish me one way or another.

  We drove through the heart of downtown. The skyscrapers crowded both sides of the street, each trying to be bigger and more stylish than the one beside it. Despite the hour, quite a few people were wandering the sidewalks.

  Katherine focused on a tall building that stood apart from all of the others. It was ultra-modern in design and seemed to be made mostly of glass. There were lights all around the exterior casting it in a golden glow. At the very top was a needle that changed colors. Katherine pulled off of the street and into a covered entry way.

  A guy dressed in all black opened my door. “Welcome to the Four Mountains,” he said as I got out.

  The valet went to open Katherine’s door, but I ran around and beat him to it. I pulled her arm around my shoulders to support her weight. That had been a close call. What would’ve happened if he saw the state Katherine was in? I caught the valet’s envious stare as we went inside.

  My eyebrows rose, and I tilted my head back to take in the grandeur of the hotel. The only thing protecting the lobby from the elements was an almost seamless glass wall. The interior was extravagant with its ambient lighting, furniture that looked more for decoration than for comfort, and a steel mantle fireplace. The floors were so polished I could use them as a mirror. Two women dressed in black uniforms serviced the front desk. I tried to shelter Katherine from their view, but the squeaking of her sneakers against the marble got their attention.

  “Is everything alright, Ms. Carvosso?” one of the ladies asked.

  “Tell them I’m fine,” Katherine whispered.

  “Uh, she’s okay,” I answered.

  “Just took a tumble.”

  “She just had a bad fall,” I said.

  “Do you need any assistance? We can call someone—?” The rest of the question was cut off by the elevator doors sealing us in. Katherine pressed the button for the top floor. By the time we reached our floor, my shoulder felt like a million tiny needles were stabbing it.

  The elevator opened to a private foyer with a single door. Katherine fumbled a key into my hand. Once inside, I nearly dropped her in awe. The lights came on by themselves as they sensed our presence, revealing a penthouse big enough to fit the Titanic. Everything looked new, shiny, and clean. It was like walking into one of my mother’s catalogs where all of the furniture was over a thousand dollars.

  Katherine pointed down a hall to our right. My mind kick-started, and we shuffled along. Through an open door was a bedroom. I hefted her over to the bed and set her carefully on top of the covers. I exhaled gratefully.

  With her eyes closed and her hair spread out underneath her, she looked like sleeping beauty. Well, sleeping beauty after a dragon roughed her up. I figured I’d better let her recuperate. I started to walk away when she grabbed my arm.

  “Ice…kitchen…”

  “Right.” I nodded and went to find the kitchen.

  Without having to hold her up, I could look around the penthouse. By far the best thing had to be the view. Wrapping around the entire house were floor to ceiling windows. Since we were so high up, there were no other buildings to block the view. I could see the entire city and I’m sure during the day the mountains dominated the horizon.

  The whole place gave me mixed emotions. On the one hand, I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen, and on the other I was upset. The only houses I’d ever lived in were all outdated, funky smelling, and nothing ever worked like it was supposed to. I knew there were a few lucky people out there who never knew what it felt like to live in a dumpy place but to see how the other half lived…it made me feel embarrassed that she’d seen my house.

  I found the kitchen, and for a second I thought it didn’t have a fridge. Then I realized the fridge door matched the cabinets. I didn’t know how to work the ice machine. I ended up spilling ice cubes all over the floor. She didn’t have a single plastic bag either, no little sandwich bags or even store bags. I had to put the ice in a towel and tie it closed.

  I returned to her room and handed over the ice. “I hope it’s enough,” I said. She tried to slip it under her blouse, but it wouldn’t fit. Desperate for some relief, she started unbuttoning her shirt. “I-I will be out there. Uh, grunt, or something if you need me.” I fled the room and shut the door quietly behind me.

  I sunk onto the couch and was thankful it felt like a giant pillow. I would probably be sleeping on it. I found a remote on the coffee table. There were so many buttons that it took a good minute to figure out how it worked. I pressed one of the ON buttons and the evening news filled the TV screen.

  I waited to see what they said about the destruction on the highway, but they didn’t mention anything out of the ordinary. When they showed footage of traffic, there were no signs of any accidents. Where were the upside-down cars? Where were the bodies?

  I flipped to several different news stations. It was the same situation on every channel. It was like the chase didn’t happen.

  “What…?” I whispered.

  My phone chimed again. It sat like a brick in my pocket and grew heavier the longer I ignored it. Finally, I turned it off. Sorry, mom.

  I tugged my shoes off and perched my head on the armrest. No matter which way I lay by morning my neck would be sore. I scrolled through the channels before finding something quiet to fall asleep to. It turned out my thoughts kept me awake instead.

  What happened to the wreckage on the highway? Out of all the people who were affected no one wanted to talk about it? The news gave whole segments on worried moms who’d bought a mislabeled can of soup or recalled baby furniture. Surely, what happened on the highway was important?

  It wasn’t the lack of coverage that bothered me. It was the lack of proof that I’d been under attack. All I had was my eye-witness account and a battered girl to show for it. It was not enough to make me confident of my mental state.

  My eyes flickered to the bedroom door. I wondered how she was doing. She was quiet, too quiet. She might’ve had a concussion…and I’d let her fall asleep?! I bolted to the door. I should’ve taken her to the hospital. I knocked loudly.

  “Come in.”

  I cracked the door open and wedged my head inside. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I said.

  Katherine had buried herself in the blankets, and her eyes were barely open. She gave me a half-smile. “I’ll
be okay,” she said. “I’ve been through much worse.” She pointed to the chair by the bed. I pushed it closer and sat down.

  “What could be worse than this?”

  “If only you’d seen what I looked like after a shark got my leg,” she said. “Took a whole year to regrow it.”

  She glanced down, and I noticed her ear. Dried blood smeared it, but the tear had mended. Only a pink line showed where it was still healing. All of her scrapes and bruises had disappeared, too.

  “But…how?” I asked.

  She tried to meet my eyes, but I looked away. I didn’t like eye contact; it made me feel like a germ under a microscope. “You’re still having trouble believing this, aren’t you?”

  “I see it, but I don’t think I’ll ever believe it.”

  “I suppose that will make it easier then,” she said and adjusted her pillows. “As soon as I find a way to keep them away from you, I’m going to take you home.”

  “Why would that make taking me home easier?” She twiddled her thumbs. Something clicked in my mind. “Wait, when you say taking me home…?”

  “…I mean that everything will go back to normal for you,” she said.

  My forehead scrunched up. “But I thought you wanted me to join you?”

  “I did...want you to join,” she said. Her hands became animated as she talked. “I watched you for eight months; I gathered all of the information I could about you. You had all of the qualities I was looking for, but then I actually met you…”

  I winced. Her words felt like a sledgehammer to my chest. “But what?”

  She shook her head. “I can’t do this to you.”

  “What is it? Am I not fast enough, or strong?” I asked.

  “No, that has nothing to do with it.” She squeezed my hand. “Daniel, you’re a great guy. You have a chance at a wonderful, normal life. I can’t ask you to give that up.”

  “But I don’t want normal,” I said. “I want to be like you. I want powers; I want to be important—this is the kind of thing I’ve been wishing for. You know that.”

  She shrugged. “This life isn’t awesome, it’s sacrifice after sacrifice—”

  “I don’t care.”

  “You should.”

  “Just give me a chance.”

  “You have no idea what you’re asking for. You should be grateful—”

  “Grateful?!” I pointed at her. “You want me to be grateful about the fact you wave everything I’ve ever wanted in my face only to take it away?! Without even giving me a shot—why are you doing this?!”

  She waited for some of my anger to subside before answering. “Because I care about you.”

  “If you cared, you wouldn’t send me back to my miserable life.” My voice threatened to crack.

  She tilted her head. “It won’t always be that way. When you get older, you’ll have more chances to be around people who will understand you. You could make comic books professionally,” she said.

  “I want to be a hero, not draw them.” My throat constricted. It felt like a tiny winch was pulling my vocal cords tighter and tighter. It was hard to speak. My heart fumbled around my chest, distraught. “And what happens to you? Will you just leave and I’ll never see you again?”

  Now, it was her turn to avoid my eyes. I could see the turmoil on her face. “I would see you if I could, but it wouldn’t be safe.”

  I was about to beg. I didn’t want to go back to being invisible. I didn’t want Katherine to leave. I had to do something, anything, to convince her. I shook my head.

  “It’s my life—my choice—and I will pay any price for just one moment to be more than what I am now. Please, don’t do this. Give me a chance,” I said, but I may as well have been talking to a rock. Her turmoil morphed into indifference.

  “My decision is final.”

  I felt like a crushed pack of crackers. I wanted to yell, but I couldn’t bring myself to hurt her feelings. She was only trying to look after me. I stuffed down all of the things I wanted to say and walked towards the door.

  “Night,” I said and slammed the door shut.

  I collapsed back onto the couch. It had been comfortable a while ago, but now it felt all wrong. The magical feeling of being in a new place after an adventure had gotten stripped away. Even though I could still peer into the fantasy world, I was no longer a part of it. In the morning, I’d be shipped back to reality for good.

  I crossed my arms, stared at the ceiling, and contemplated if life was still worth living.

  There was a place for me in this world; a life unburdened by bills, crappy jobs, social status, and school. A life free from rules and restrictions, a life of amazing possibilities. I wouldn’t get a taste of what it could be like, but I’d gotten a glimpse. Just because my mind couldn’t process that it was real, didn’t mean that I didn’t want it.

  Despite the danger and my lack of bravery, I knew I belonged in her world. This was my destiny whether she liked it or not. I was so certain of this that I believed morning would never come. Something would happen, and she wouldn’t be able to take me home. Something would happen…

  My eyes flew open then daylight stabbed them. “Ack!” I covered my eyes. As I adjusted and wiped the sleep from them, I heard Katherine talking in the bedroom.

  “What do you mean they sent more?” she said. “No…we’ll just have to deal with it…I’ll talk to you soon.” I heard her throw something and it busted against the wall. As she came out into the living area, she straightened her shirt and tucked her hair behind her ear. She stopped halfway to the kitchen. “Oh, you’re up.”

  “Yeah.”

  She managed to squeeze her hands into her pockets. “So…I have good news and bad news.”

  “What’s the bad news?” I asked.

  “Our attackers have reinforcements coming. I’m going to take care of it, so you don’t have to worry,” she said.

  I shrugged. “And the good news?”

  She twisted her foot side to side like she was squashing a bug in slow motion. “I don’t know how long I’ll have to fend them off before they lose interest in you. Even though I’m taking you home, I’ll still be around,” she said.

  My wilted spine perked up, and I clung to that sliver of hope. She smiled. Maybe she was glad we’d have more time together, too.

  She gave me a muffin for breakfast, and we went down to the lobby. Her car was waiting for us by the front doors. I moved sluggishly and searched the lobby for anything I could use to stall.

  “Sometime today, Daniel,” Katherine said.

  Grumbling, I got into the car. As we drove away, I couldn’t believe that my number one concern last night was going home. Now all I wanted was to stay here with her.

  Tension enveloped my body. The miles between me and my house were disappearing too fast. Each familiar landmark we passed injected me with dread. The sight of my house hit me the worst. I searched the area, still waiting for my miracle, but nothing came. She parked by the curb. I made no effort to get out. She’d have to push me.

  She waited a good five minutes before saying something. “It’s better this way.”

  A bucketful of responses came to mind. None of them were very nice, so I kept quiet. I took in a deep breath and opened the door. I set my foot on the sidewalk. A hot breeze went past. I slowly got out. I inched the door towards its closed position.

  “Daniel?”

  I yanked the door open. “Yeah?”

  “I…um…good luck,” she said. I frowned and nodded. Finally, I shut the door, and she drove away. My heart ached. Don’t go.

  The front door opened. “Mom’s gonna kill you!” Hannah said.

  “Nice to see you too,” I said.

  “Where were you?” Hannah asked as I plodded past her. The house was dark and the thermostat set to freezing.

  “I was out. Why are you home?”

  “Duh, summer break!” Hannah skipped to the dining room table covered with dirty machine parts.

  “Is mom at w
ork?”

  “Mmmhmm.” She picked up our mother’s miniature blow torch (mom used it for elegant desserts). Her eyes filled with awe as she turned it on.

  “Whoa, I don’t think so!” I said and snatched it. Hannah put her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at me.

  I went upstairs, undressed, and took a shower. Every movement was lethargic. I was running on auto-pilot. Molasses poured into my mind. Thoughts came very, very slowly. I guess it was better that way. I really didn’t want to mull over what was happening.

  I spent the rest of the day staring at the TV. I didn’t hear any of the conversations, and I didn’t see any of the images. I only processed blobs of color. At one point, Hannah waved her hand in front of me and poked me in odd places, but I didn’t move.

  “Well, look who showed up,” my mom said.

  I jumped and turned around. What was she doing home already? I saw the time and realized eight hours had gone by.

  My mom dropped her purse on the kitchen counter and scowled at me. “Ditching school and then being out all night—doing who knows what. This behavior isn’t you.” She started taking things out of the fridge. “Daniel, you know what’s acceptable and what’s not. So I don’t know where this is coming from.”

  I rubbed the back of my head. “There was this new girl at school. We got along really well so we thought we should hang out. You know how hard it is for me to make friends. I didn’t want to ruin things by saying I had to go home.” My shoulders fell. “I don’t know what I was thinking. We just went over to her house.” My mother’s eyes bulged. “Her parents were there the whole time!”

  “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? You don’t know those people. They could’ve been crazy for all you knew!” my mom said.