Uprising

by Shelly Crane

  “Yep. I got two.”

  “Oh, good then.”

  “Come on, sweetie,” I say, setting Merrick’s plate down in front of him and reaching for Lily’s hand. “Let Merrick eat, ok.”

  “Why can’t I call Mewwick daddy?”

  The stunned silence that followed could have lasted for hours for all I knew. That was the absolute last thing I expected to pop out of her mouth. Cain and Merrick were just as stunned and stilled, except they both looked at me like I had the answer.

  Merrick looked on the verge of extreme happiness and throwing up at the same time.

  “Do you want to call Merrick daddy?” I asked softly, sitting in the seat beside them.

  “Frankwin has a daddy. He said daddy is someone who takes cawe of you. I wike Mewwick. He’s not mean wike that other daddy.”

  Merrick locked eyes with me over her golden halo of hair. I could see how much he wanted it. To hear those words for himself. I nodded to him in encouragement. If anyone is going to tell her she can call him that, it will be him.

  “You can call me whatever you want to, sweetheart,” he said softly.

  “Ok!” she yelled happily, kissed his cheek then jumped down from his lap and ran off to play elsewhere.

  We all sat there in silence for a minute then Cain resumed eating. I turned full to face Merrick.

  “Well. That was interesting.”

  “Yeah,” he croaked and cleared his throat. That was all he said before taking his first bite. “This is really good, babe.” He kissed my cheek but didn’t look up at me.

  “Thanks.”

  “It is good,” Cain stated.

  “Thanks,” I repeated. “So... You were gonna hide the fact that you two ran into an enforcer...twice?” I asked Cain but kept my tone playful though the situation was anything but funny to me.

  “Ah! Come on! You told her?” Cain asked Merrick, looking disappointed.

  “Of course I did,” Merrick said firmly. “She’s my wife. Sherry can handle it.”

  “It’s not just Sherry handling it I’m thinking about,” Cain whispered.

  “I won’t tell anyone else so they won’t freak out, but you shouldn’t want to keep it from me,” I said with a slight bit of hurt in my voice.

  “You freak out more than anyone,” Cain said looking right at me.

  “I worry more than anyone. It’s different.”

  “Not to a guy. It’s sucks when women freak out and worry. Especially when there’s nothing we can do to change it. Sometimes things have to be done that aren’t fun or even safe. But it’s gotta be done to keep this group here alive and there’s no point in you sitting here pulling your hair out the whole time, sick with worry, when there’s no other solution.”

  I felt wide eyed and remorseful. That’s what my worrying did? Made them feel that way.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be-” I started but Merrick interrupted me.

  “Don’t you apologize,” he said softly and looked from me to Cain. “Enough ok. It’s fine. Only a couple more weeks and we’ll be through with all of it, for good.”

  “Yeah. Ok. I didn’t mean anything by it, Sherry. You know that right?”

  “I know,” I answered.

  A long pause.

  “Ok. Well-” Cain said and started to get up.

  “How’s work?” I ask to keep Cain from leaving.

  I don’t want him to leave just because it’s awkward.

  “It’s ok. Kinda boring lately what with less people coming in. Only two weeks til the warehouses go up and people are already acting like they can’t buy anything from anywhere else.”

  “Really. Well what-”

  “Crap! Sorry. I totally forgot something!” Cain yelled making me jump. “I heard people talking about the new Taker yesterday in the shop.”

  “What?” That got Merrick’s attention.

  “Yeah. Supposedly now there’s a new one, named Mal... Mali something.”

  “Malachi,” Merrick answered, letting his fork drop to his plate with a loud clank.

  “Yeah. That’s it. How did you know that?” Cain asked but instead of answering Merrick sat with a concentrative look.

  “Yeah?” Jeff said as he in came quickly, I realized Merrick had called him in his mind.

  “Malachi’s the new Taker,” Merrick told him and giving him a look.

  “What? No. Maybe the name’s a coincidence.”

  “With our luck? Doubtful. It’s him Jeff. I know it.” Before I could ask what was going on Merrick filled us in. “Takers are usually new. Human souls or maybe their spirit hanging around the body after they die, who absorb the Lighter instead of the Lighter absorbing him, but there is always a part of the Takers before him, inside. He knows exactly how to do everything, how to absorb, everything any Taker has done before him, he knows all about it. But Malachi has already been the Taker. Instead of some twisted form of reincarnation it’s...re-reincarnation.”

  “Hmm. Well, they’re having a big party/dance/rally thing Friday night for him to introduce him to the world and they are giving a speech and all. I was thinking I could go, see what’s up. Maybe Sherry could go with me...as my date,” Cain said and turned to me with lifted eyebrows and a smile.

  “I agree. That sounds like a good idea,” Merrick said stunning me, but then he continued, “but, I don’t want Sherry in town.”

  Even though I knew what his answer would be, I still slumped a little in disappointment. The prospect of having something else to do other than domestic chores was thrilling for about three seconds, then reality hit.

  “Oh yeah. The Taker, I forgot. Well, he won’t be there himself. I don’t think anyways.”

  Every since the Taker tried to get me to go with him and be his uh, mate or whatever, Merrick had forbid me to leave the bunker under any circumstances.

  “It doesn’t matter. I don’t want Sherry in town, especially not without me,” Merrick said with finality.

  “Well I still think you should go. You’re immune to the Lighter speak and they can’t sense you’re a Special,” Jeff said. “If you want to, that is. I don’t want to put you in danger but you’ll know a lot of these people right?”

  “Yep, mostly. Ok. Well. Maybe Lillian could come with me. Or Marissa. No not Marissa, they can tell she’s a Muse. Dang it. Well, I’m not going clubbing by myself.”

  Jeff said he needed to think and left. Merrick grabbed my hand under the table.

  You understand why you can’t go, don’t you? Please don’t pout. I can only take so much of your disappointment in me in one day.

  “I’m not. I understand why.” I smile sweetly at him and answer him aloud because there’s no other way to.

  “Good,” he said and smiled back and returned to finish his pasta.

  The previous Taker has tried to make me run away with him. He said he had plans to destroy mankind and needed one altruistic human to remain to order to keep the balance and not destroy everything. I thought the whole idea was ridiculous but he based his whole existence on it so I guess he must have really believed it.

  That Taker was killed, by Calvin and his fire fingers. We knew a new Taker would be along eventually but this was pretty quick.

  Cain looked at us for a moment, realizing Merrick had been speaking only to me and then shrugged, sensing the conversation over. He took his plate to the sink and refilled his tea glass. Leaning on the counter with his hip he turned back to us.

  “I’m really gonna miss sweet tea,” he said and sipped it smiling sadly.

  It wasn’t just the tea. The tea represented everything that we were about to lose. All the simple things we’ve been taking for granted. Once we run out of normal things like tea, there won’t be much of it anymore after that. We use of the small rations they’ll give them at the need warehouse’s in a day with a bunch like this.

  We already haven’t had a lot of fruits and vegetables in over a year. The weather is making it impossible for most things to grow and everything
is scarce at the grocery store.

  “Me too,” I agreed. “And eggs. Eggs I’ll miss the most.”

  “Oh! That reminds me,” Cain said and smiled hugely.

  He walked over to the fridge and reached inside. I looked at Merrick and he was grinning too. Cain then produced a big green ball from the bottom drawer and plopped it gently on the counter.

  I heard my breath catch.

  It was a watermelon!

  A real watermelon!

  Lily’s absolute favorite thing to eat we learned and she even drew pictures of them. I personally hadn’t had watermelon in years.

  “Lily!” I yelled loudly knowing exactly why Cain had gotten it.

  Lily skipped in nonchalantly, as did Marissa with her, hand in hand. When she saw Cain next to the counter she stopped dead in her tracks. You’d think it was the most precious of diamonds and gold but no, our Lily has simple taste.

  She screamed. She squealed. She ran and jumped to Cain. This brought another round of onlookers to see what the fuss was about. Everyone was in awe. As I said, it’d been a long time since we’d had real fruit.

  Cain and Lily nuzzled and smooched as she thanked him before he passed her to me and took a long serrated knife from the drawer and began to make small slices. The first one went to Lily and she devoured it. I refused a piece as badly as I wanted one. There was too many people and too little watermelon to go around.

  Cain gave me a knowing smile.

  “You are the sweetest, Cain,” I whispered and kissed him on the cheek before taking Lily away to finish her slice.

  He looked slightly taken aback but smiled, maybe even blushed a little which amused me, and continued to slice and hand out to eager hands waiting their turn for a piece of momentary heaven disguised at sticky red sweet watermelon.

  Keeping Up Appearances

  Chapter 8 - Cain

  I tried to hold myself together, perfectly still, though I could have taken her right then and kissed those lips that taunt me right off that pretty face.

  Oh man, that was so close. So close. Her lips touched me, not even an inch from my mouth. They are so freaking soft and - whew, boy. I gotta stop this.

  I hear someone speaking, interrupting my internal tirade.

  Lillian.

  “How on earth did you get a watermelon?” she asked softly and genuinely impressed.

  Everyone else that wanted one had gotten their pieces and left the kitchen, it was just her and me now. And one small slice of watermelon.

  “Well, it was tricky. First, I had to fight an old lady for it, seeing as how things like this don’t last long anymore. Then, I had to put down a down payment just to get the thing out the door.”

  She laughed. Really laughed. It was awesome to see her still smiling when she looked back up at me. She again, tucked her hair behind her ear and I determined that it was probably a self conscious notion of hers.

  “Well, however you got it, I’m glad. I haven’t seen so many smiles in a very long time.”

  “Well, there’s one piece left. It’s all yours.”

  “No.” She shook her head and waved her hand. “You’re the one who fought old ladies for it. You deserve it.”

  “I’ll split it with you,” I said as I turned to slice the rind once more down the middle.

  “Deal.”

  “Technically, I should lose points, not gain them for fighting old ladies, by the way,” I joked.

  “True,” she said smiling and reached for two plates, when she turned back she had the cutest amused look on her face. “Did you really fight an old lady?”

  “Nah.” I almost seemed ashamed to admit it. “In fact, we would have had two watermelons had the old lady not shown up.”

  “That’s more like it,” she said looking pleased and cut up the slices with a fork and dealt the pieces between the two plates.

  She put salt on hers which I thought was disgusting but after a little coaxing, she got me to try a bite and I was pleasantly surprised at the delicious mixture of salty and sweet.

  “Wow. I thought I couldn’t be surprised anymore,” I say as I cleaned up all the sticky counter mess.

  “I’m still surprised everyday.”

  “Really? Well-”

  “Lil?” Mitchell interrupted, though I don’t think he meant to. “Oh. Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Yep. Like it thought.

  “No, you’re fine. We were just discussing...watermelon philosophy,” Lillian said looking at me and smiling.

  “Oookay,” Mitchell said and I could tell he had no idea what we were talking about but loved to see her laugh. Mitchell was one of the guys I saw looking at Lillian like she was a Goddess when she came out of the shower the other day. And he called her Lil? What’s up with that? “Well, like I said, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to talk to you about something when you get a chance.”

  “Ok. I can talk now,” she said and then looked back to me. “Thank you. That was really sweet.” She laughed. “You and the watermelon.”

  “No problem.”

  Then she followed Mitchell out tucking her hair behind her ear.

  Crap.

  So, after I clean up the kitchen, I head back into the commons room and remember that I forgot to talk to Lillian about Friday night. But, it’d be rude to go butt in when Mitchell just came and got her from me, right?

  Besides. As much as I might like Lillian, I don’t know her. I knew they’d be no way that Merrick would have let Sherry go but I’d much rather her go instead. Just because I think she knows how to handle herself if something were to happen. Not for my own reasons of the thought of dancing the night away with Sherry.

  No. Definitely not that.

  But I may get my chance anyway. Upon entering the commons room I see they’ve crunk up the record player. Katie and Paul, always Katie and Paul instigate these dance offs, are all over each other, bending and spinning. Little Sky is in her bounce seat, jumping up and down, beating some poor stuffed worm senseless.

  I see a discreet Keeper meeting going on in the corner and decide to join, since I’m sure I know what it’s about.

  “Hey, ho. I didn’t mean to spoil everyone’s fun,” I say to the group. “I would never have said anything about the new Taker if I knew it was gonna make everyone so sullen.”

  “We’ve got to talk about it, Cain. And we all agree with you, about going to the meeting. If you’re up for it,” Jeff answers.

  “Oh, I’m up for it. I just got to get myself a hot date.”

  “Yes. We definitely don’t want you to go alone.”

  “Agreed. Excuse me. You can get back to your Keeper lingo now,” I say and walk over to where Sherry and Merrick are sitting.

  I’m in the mood for a little self inflicted torture.

  “May I have this dance, milady?” I ask in my best English accent and extend my hand to Sherry on the floor.

  She laughs and takes my hand, letting me pull her up.

  “How can I refuse an offer like that?”

  “You can’t. It’s best just not to fight it.” I turn to Merrick. “You mind?”

  “Of course not. Just make sure you bring her back,” he said and winked at us.

  “Sure thing.”

  I hold her hand as I pull her further away, where there’s room. Her fingers are short, cool and soft. Then I place her arms around my neck, her hands really because she’s so short, and rest my hands on her upper waist, very gentlemanly.

  “I’m not very good at this. Merrick taught me everything I know,” she said looking bashful, watching our feet like she’s waiting for disaster.

  “Really? Where’d he learn it? Keeper academy?” I said low in her ear and she laughed.

  “No. Mrs. Trudy. She taught quite a few of our men how to move. She was a little obsessed with making sure the couples here knew how to dance.”

  “Aha. Well, you seem to be doing a fine job to me. Very graceful.”

  “Thanks, but you don’t h
ave to make up anything for me. I know the truth, Cainy boy.”

  My heart flips. She has to know what she’s doing to me. She has to. It has to be so viciously all over my face. I try to cover with some fancy moves because if she looks in my eyes, she’ll see. I know it. I twirl her under my arm and then take her left hand in mine this time instead of letting her return it to my shoulder. It’s so small. Dainty with cold fingers. Always cold.

  “I wouldn’t dare, Miss lie detector. So, you’re gonna let me go Friday night all by my lonesome, huh?”

  “Cain. You know I can’t go. Even if the Taker hadn’t caused all that...drama, Merrick still wouldn’t let me go and you know it. As much as I’d love to.”

  “We could sneak off. Runaway together. Or only run to the party, whichever you prefer.”

  “Oh yeah?” She snorted and giggled. “Why don’t you try some of that charm on someone who can fight it, huh? You keep this up and I’ll crumble for sure and break Merrick’s poor heart,” she said in a hilarious flurry of mixed together facial expressions and accents.

  If only that were true.

  Wait. No. I don’t want that. Do I?

  “Ah. Well. There’s not a lot of girls to resist anymore I’m afraid. Especially if the Keepers keep turning on their charm.”

  “Aha. So you know about Lillian and Mitchell then? I was gonna talk to you about that today.”

  “So it’s true? Jeez,” I groaned.

  “Not officially, but if he had his way...”

  “Yeah. I can see that. So, she’s taken then. Just come with me. Come on! We’ll talk Merrick into it. We’ll get Danny to compel him.”

  “Cain!” She laughed out loud and the Keepers in the huddle looked our way curiously. “Tempting as that is, you know why I can’t. The new Taker would know me in a second, he would know I wasn’t a supporter. Even if that wasn’t the case I doubt I could fake dancing all night. This is seriously bad,” she said laughing, looking at our feet again.

  “You’re doing fine.” I lean in to whisper in her ear. “And Merrick is just being a stick in the mud.”

  “He just worries about me.”