by S. L. Giger
“Good, I know who to call then, when my computer breaks down,” I said.
“He is being modest, too. He probably already has letters from MIT at home in which they ask him to come study with them.”
“I wished.” He sighed. “What’s on your list?”
“Psychology, I guess.”
“That’s always useful,” Sam answered.
Since Joe was finished with his plate, I held my small packet of chips toward him. He grabbed a handful and mumbled thanks.“Are the chips your lunch? I would drop dead by next period if I couldn’t eat now.” Phe exclaimed.
“My mom makes me eat a big breakfast, and then I eat some snacks in between classes. Therefore, I ‘m just not hungry around lunchtime,” I lied.
“I should try to skip lunch, too, if that would make my body look like yours.” I didn’t know why she said that. Phe had nothing to complain about. She looked exactly right and healthy. If she weren’t dressed in these colorful clothes and she wore contacts, I would mistake her for a cheerleader. Except that she wouldn’t have to put an effort into her beauty.
“Why would you say that? And, I’m trying not to lose weight. Otherwise, I’d have to eat an apple or a carrot instead of chips, wouldn’t I?” I also handed her the chips, and she reluctantly took a few. At the same time, Joe took out a binder and started doing what looked like chem homework.
“Besides, Joe is the one who it wouldn’t hurt to gain a few pounds,” I said.
“Yeah, I don’t know how he does it. He eats like a wolf but just keeps getting taller and taller. One day that will stop, my dear.” She poked him in the stomach. He grimaced at her and then concentrated back on his homework.
“He is a nerd and always does his homework at school already. He never has any work at home. He is nice enough to let us copy it, though,” Sam said.
“That’s practical,” I smirked. “So, are you in any after school clubs?” I asked.
“Phe is in the art club of course, and I am in steel drum, but that doesn’t start until November. Joe is lazy. He usually goes home to eat more food or sleep,” Sam laughed. “Were you thinking about joining anything?”
“I haven’t made up my mind yet. I also would like to earn some money and have a job,” I said. I hated to be so dependent on Melissa’s and Luke’s hospitality. So far, they had been paying for everything.
“I help out at CVS in the photo section twice a week. Most stores in town employ juniors and seniors. You have to go and ask,” Sam advised me.
“Good, I’ll look into that,” I answered.
“I work in The Land of Milk and Honey. We sell 127 different products made of honey, or that evolve around the topic of honey,” Phe said enthusiastically. “I used to love honey, and now I think I will be forever allergic to it,” She groaned. “But you should try the lip balm; it’s delicious.” She added.
“Okay, sounds good. I like honey, too,” I smiled.
The bell rang, and the noise level was taken up another notch. Chairs were being pushed around and the students exchanged the last words with their friends before heading to class. This time, it was easy to find the right room, as I could follow Sam. By now, I did not feel so new anymore but the teacher thought it was my first class and made me introduce myself once more.
After class, Sam came to my desk.
“Your French sounds so... French. I didn’t know it was possible to speak this language until now.” He said in bewilderment.
“Well, France is right next to Germany. I guess it’s easier to pick it up when you are so close. My problem is math.” After my first ever math lesson in English, I had to say that numbers sounded even more complicated in a foreign language. “I might have to use Joe as a homework ticket. There are too many letters and not enough numbers in these problems.”
“I can try to explain it to you sometime if you want.”
“I’m never going to need this kind of math anyway. So, what’s the point?” I couldn’t believe I had to go through that again. “But in case you need help with French, I could also try to help you.”
“Nah, same here, I took it because I had to take a foreign language.”
We walked to the door, where Phe and Joe were waiting.
“See you later, Phe,” Sam said. “And you maybe, too. Otherwise, mañana.” He tipped his head like a pilot.
“Later,” Joe waved and walked off as well.
I followed Phe to art class. It was organized like an atelier. Everybody was working on a topic the teacher had suggested, but they were quite free in their interpretation. Plus, they had heaps of fun material to work with. It looked as if everybody was really talented. The atmosphere was very agreeable, and I felt like I fitted in well. This would undoubtedly be my favorite class. I even figured out what “Phe” stands for since Phe answered when the teacher called Felicia. Nice name, I automatically assumed that her name was Phoeboe. That lesson was over in a heartbeat. While we were washing the brushes at the sink, Phe asked me whether I also wanted to help her with her portfolio.
“I have to do one plastic artifact, and I choose to tape a body with duct tape, that we will have a human-sized sculpture.”
I couldn’t really imagine how that would look like. Or how long the sculpture could remain intact if somebody was taped up. But it sounded interesting.
“Yes, that would be awesome,” I said a bit overly excited. I indeed was happy that I wouldn’t have to spend all afternoon and all night alone. Days are so long if you don’t sleep at night, but everybody else does.
“We’re going to Joe’s house since he lives the closest to the school and he is the model. I just have to go to my locker.”
I accompanied her to her locker, where she dropped most of her books inside. A quick stop at my locker let me know that I would have to buy a lock. I decided to take my books home since I might just as well do the homework. I would have enough free time anyway.
We met the others in front of the school.
“Oh, you’re coming, too?” Sam greeted me.
“Yes, the project sounds interesting.”
“Did you come by car?” Phe asked.
“No, actually, I parked my bicycle over there.” Reluctantly, I pointed to the shelter.
“I figured that this must have been you. I heard people talking about the girl on the bike this morning,” She laughed.
“I can’t drive, but I didn’t want to come by school bus.”
“You can’t drive? I could, but my parents won’t allow that I drive on my own until I’m 18,” Sam frowned. “Another half year. Luckily, Phe lives in the same direction as me, and I can ride with her.”
“I can’t be that mean and make him go on the bus with the elementary school kids. He’d end up being deaf. And then, he’d have to stop playing steel drum.”
“Yeah, terrible, terrible fate.” He shook his head.
“Usually, we take the car to Joe’s house, but we can walk today so that you know where it is. It’s only a five-minute walk anyway.”
We passed a playground and a few small houses. A car slowed down, and out of the window a guy yelled: “Bye losers!” I still heard him laughing when the tires screeched, and they drove off.
My companions shook their heads in annoyance.
“That was Timothy. I kissed him in sixth grade. Now he and his friends think they are something better because they win medals for our school with the sports they do.” Phe rolled her eyes.
“You will soon see that there are typical divisions at our school,” Sam shrugged.
Then, we already stopped in front of a house.
“My modest home.” That was the first real phrase I heard Joe say. We entered, and they all got comfortable in the kitchen. Soon, they took the ice cream out of the fridge, and put four bowls on the table.
“Uh, not for me please.” I rejected.
“What! You can’t still be hungry,” Phe exclaimed.
“I’m lacto
se intolerant,” I pulled my mouth into a frown. “You know I get blown up like a balloon.” I formed a circle over my belly. I have noticed that if you talk about uncomfortable things, people let you off the hook more quickly.
“Oh no, is there anything else you can’t eat?” Phe asked.
“Sometimes, I feel like there is hardly anything I can eat.” I sighed.
“That must suck! I love food.”
I used to love it too. Now, I never feel hungry enough to take a bite of something.
“Would you like anything else?” Joe asked.
“No, I’m good for now, thanks.”
They ate their ice cream but then, we went straight to work. Joe kneeled on a blanket on the ground and threw his arms in the air, like a soccer player who had made a goal. The task was to wrap him with tape and cut him out of it and then tape once more over the cut, to make the form stable. In the end, there should be a statue in the posture of that soccer player. When Phe was working at Joe’s lower body, two heartbeats in the room started quickening. I saw that Phe was carefully applying the tape on the inside of the top most part of Joe’s thighs. He was staring highly focused on the opposite wall. I smiled to myself. There was a little romance going on, but they weren’t aware of it yet. When his whole lower body was covered with tape, Joe looked like he was wearing a see-through diaper.
“I might get some muscles thanks to this,” Joe said strained. “My stomach is shaking already.”
“Well, if you get a six pack out of this, you can thank me,” Phe responded. “Besides, tomorrow is the last time you have to play model.” Phe leaned back into the chair at the desk. “The only parts that are missing now are the upper body and head.”
“How can you guarantee that you won’t cut my hair?”
“See, I have thought of that too. You wear a shower cap.”
“They should also let me into the art school. I did at least as much of the work as you.”
“That would be great, then, you’d be forced to touch colors,” Sam laughed.
We went into the kitchen where we were all handed a glass of ice tea. I nibbled at it and then dumped parts of it in the orchid next to the table, whenever nobody was looking. I hoped it wouldn’t kill the beautiful flower. They were talking about so many different things, it was hard to keep up with them, so I mostly listened. I was surprised when all of a sudden, a question was addressed to me again.
“So, are you coming again tomorrow, Nathalie?” Sam asked.
“If I may? This is fun.”
“Sure! The more hands we have, the quicker we finish,” Phe answered.
Soon after that, we said goodbye to Joe and then walked back to the school. There still were a few girls playing field hockey.
Phe looked at the school building and sighed. “I can’t wait to leave this place. I have been in this freaking small town for way too long.”
“Only a few months more, my dear,” Sam said. “But you will miss it anyway.”
“No, I won’t.” She boxed him in his arm. “What do you think, Nathalie?”
“Honestly, I didn’t want to come here.”
“I don’t blame you,” She said.
“But I am positively surprised that there are some normal people to talk to here.” I grinned at them.
“Aw, thanks, girl,” Sam grinned back.
They accompanied me to my bike, where we said goodbye, too, and then I started cycling back to the house. I shook my head at the thought that I had already met such nice people. Returning to school the next day wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Chapter 8
The closest cottage to ours was three hundred yards away, hidden by some trees. Since most of the houses in the area were summer vacation homes, it felt like we were alone for most of the time. This tranquility gave me some time to think. After school, I spent hours staring out into the never-ending Atlantic Ocean. A view you never get in Switzerland, a country with so many hills and mountains.
However, one of the houses I passed with my bike on my way to school gave me the chills. The windows looked like they badly needed to be washed. They were so dusty that the house always looked dark. The roof appeared as if it was rotting away below fallen leaves. All signs indicated that no one has lived in this place for a while. Yet, there had to be someone because next to the house, there was a big wooden shed with a chimney. Smoke was constantly coming out of that chimney, no matter how hot a day it was. I stepped into my pedals a little quicker to shake the weird feeling off.
At the end of my second school day, we finished the head and the torso. Sam had to leave early because he was working at CVS. On Wednesday, Phe was working at the honey store, and I thought that I’d visit her there. She showed me the products and told me all the current gossip she heard from her co-workers. During her break, we went to a cute coffee shop to get an iced coffee. Well, she took one. I had to take a hot beverage since they were served in a non-see-through Styrofoam cup. This way, it was way less obvious that I wasn’t drinking. When we left the café, two guys wanted to stop us.
“Hey girls,” one of them said, only looking at me.
“Do you come here often?” The other asked.
“No, I’m only here on vacation, visiting my friend.”
“We’re also only passing through but maybe you’d have time to hang out tonight?” They were still completely ignoring Phe, although they addressed both of us.
“I have other plans, thanks, bye.” I grabbed Phe’s arm and started walking.
“You act as if this is something annoying. I’d love to have all the guys following me. They seem to get attached to you as soon as you cross their field of vision,” Phe said.
“Feel free to have both of them. I’d sometimes prefer to be invisible and have my peace and quiet.” I knew they were only noticing me because of my Siren aura and wouldn’t even take one glance at me if I still was my old self.
“So, what do you think of Sam?” Phe asked me as we crossed the street back over to her shop.
“He is really nice,” I answered. Nice and cute, the way little boys are cute.
“Only nice? I think he likes you,” She smirked.
“What makes you think that?” I raised my eyebrows. I hadn’t sensed anything in this direction.
“Just the way he adopted you into our group. He doesn’t seem that way, but he is picky with choosing people to hang out with.”
“How honored we can feel,” I laughed. “I might have gone out of a limb here, but I kind of got the feeling that Sam is not that much into girls.”
“What? I’ve never thought of that,” She exclaimed. “And you know him one day. I know him my whole life.” She paused for a moment. “Then again, the last girlfriend he had was in kindergarten. I should keep an eye on this.”
“And what happened between you and that Timothy?” I asked.
“He and his friends are a-holes. None of them is used to ever lose at anything. So, this one time in sixth grade, he tried to kiss me, but I ducked and hit him. The stupid thing was that his peers saw that and therefore, since then, I had to play the cool one. I pay for it almost every day.” She sighed. “It is time to get out of here.”
“His behavior isn’t fair!” I said.
She laughed a short laugh. “What in life is fair?”
On Thursday, we taped all the plastic body parts together. When it was finished, we stood around it in a circle and eyed it critically.
“Cool,” Sam said.
“It doesn’t look like me, but it is cool, yes,” Joe stated.
It could have been anybody since there was no real face but just a round plastic head. Other than that, it reminded me of one of these happy soccer players.
“I’m so glad it doesn’t tip over!” Phe exclaimed. “I was a bit afraid that the legs wouldn’t stabilize the body enough or couldn’t carry it.”
“Well, it works,” I said.
“Good job and thank you so much,
guys,” Phe high-fived all of us.
“Finally, I have my life back,” Joe sighed theatrically.
“One and a half weeks, Joe. What else would you have done anyway?”
“There is this awesome thing in my living room. It’s called TV. Oh, I missed it so much. How about a movie night tomorrow?”
“I work until 8 but after that, ok.”
“Same here,” Sam said. “How ’bout you?” They all looked at me.
“I have no plans. Movie night sounds great.” My insides jumped with joy. It worried me that I was so happy about such a simple offer. I definitely needed more occupation, especially during the nights. I couldn’t play board games with Luke and Melissa all the time.
Later that evening, I sat on the porch looking out into the dark, listening to the sound of the waves. I was wondering what my parents were doing at the moment. They were six hours ahead, which meant that their Friday had already begun. When Melissa was done with her shift at the hospital, where she works as a pediatric nurse, she joined me on the deck. With a gentle smile, she handed me a woolen blanket. I hadn’t even noticed how chilly it had become.
“Thanks.” I wrapped myself in the blanket. “I’ve been thinking about something. I know it doesn’t concern me now, but what happens with our kind when we die?” What if it was different from a human death?
“Hold on a second, I can show you,” Melissa said and appeared again a few seconds later with her phone. I looked at her in confusion.
“I have a video of the last Siren funeral. Of course, I wasn’t allowed to take it, but Luke wasn’t allowed to go and thought that it was so interesting. Let’s hope the Orbiters never find out about it.”
She opened a file and there I saw a woman lying on a patch of straw on a forest clearing. Many other women were standing around her, talking to each other.
“She was around 800 years old and felt that her body weakened and that she was going to die soon,” Melissa said. “Few Sirens make it to that age since sooner or later, most Sirens kill themselves. It’s too much to bear to always have to resist everything and watch everyone around you die again and again. Therefore, it’s good to have a foundation in a Siren family.” She smiled at me. “Please, always talk to us if something bothers you.”