by Davis, Jarod
Kayla didn’t want to do this again, but at the same time she felt a flutter of hope. It was one of those nice little fantasies where they could be friends again. “Hi,” Kayla said, careful.
Hands on her hips, Allie titled her head to one side, “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.”
“I was thinking about you,” Allie said. “Can we talk?”
Kayla waited for something to stop her ex-friend. It felt like talking to a coiled snake. Sure, she might just touch her tongue the air and hang out, but she could spring just as easily. When Allie smiled, Kayla noticed her canines. “Sure. What’s going on?” Her question pretended the last month never happened.
“Have you talked to them?”
This would go the same way, same argument, same fight. Kayla should’ve walked away. It was like with the guys. One of them said something and the other wouldn’t walk away. Now Kayla didn’t leave either. “No. There’s nothing for me to say.”
“They’re going to break the vows they made before God,” she said. “Don’t you think you should try to stop them? You’re their daughter. They’d listen to you if you try.”
“It’s their decision.”
“It’s wrong. It’s a sin. You can’t let them do it.”
“Let them?”
“They would listen to you.” This felt like a battle she’d gone through a thousand times. Twice before with Allie in the real world and another couple hundred times in her head.
“I’m not doing this again.”
“You’re going to have to live with the choices you make Kayla.” Allie made sure to say her name like an insult. “I’ll pray for you. I promise.” She was halfway gone when the bell rang and she disappeared into clusters of students. Everyone had somewhere to be.
But later on, Kayla couldn’t sit down. She couldn’t sit at her desk and listen to the morning announcements and be still. She couldn’t be still at all. Frustrated, Kayla turned and walked against the current of students. That itch to smash something was back in her fists.
The world spun and it felt like everything would crack apart. She felt it in her chest. Cracks broke through everything. Kayla wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. Her eyes watered anyway like they didn’t care what she wanted.
She didn’t see anyone. Everyone blurred together into a nameless throng of people. Guys in jeans, girls in skirts, teachers yelling at people to get to class. No one noticed Kayla. No one noticed her until a strong hand gripped her shoulder and pulled her to a stop.
“What’s wrong?” Seth asked when he pulled her to a stop.
“Nothing,” she wiped at her eyes. Worst lie ever.
“C’mon,” Seth let her go and walked beside her, but she didn’t stop. She let Seth tow her along, because he had somewhere they should be and she didn’t. Besides, if she kept walking, one of the hall monitors would drag her back to class.
Kayla was relieved again when he didn’t ask questions. Anyone else would’ve wanted to know what was wrong, but he strolled beside her. A few stragglers hustled between classes trying to get to their teachers before their names were called and they were tardy. One of the monitors glanced over at Seth, but he didn’t say anything.
“It’s cold,” Seth said to her. “Let’s find somewhere better.” A few steps later, he opened a door to the cafeteria for her.
The air was warm and smelled like stale pancakes. A few student volunteers worked at wiping down the tables before the lunch lady turned on them, “You can’t be here. You two have to get back to class. Now.”
“You have things to do in the back. You should take care of them now.” The same spark of blue touched her eyes before the cafeteria lady barked for everyone to leave. “No people,” he said. A trace of a smile touched his mouth. It surprised her, because he didn’t do it often enough, and she thought he would’ve looked good if he could be happier.
“How long can we stay here?” she asked.
“As long as you want,” he went over to the counter with his wallet open, dropped a bill, and came back with two little cartons of milk. He handed her one.
“Chocolate milk?”
“Good for the soul. If you believe in that sort of thing.” Seth sat next to her. They both had their backs to the table. Kayla got the impression he didn’t want to leave his back to the door, but she didn’t hear that paranoia when he added, “Be careful. That’s hardcore stuff.”
Kayla felt herself smile, mostly because someone wanted to say a lame joke to make her feel better. He didn’t say anything else and he didn’t poke her to talk. She did anyway. “People aren’t bad,” she said. “They’re good when they’re nice.”
“You’re probably right,” he said. “I wouldn’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
Seth needed a heartbeat to find the right answer, “I don’t do the whole people thing.” He squirmed a little. “It doesn’t work out.”
“Everyone has people, someone.”
Now he looked at her. His eyes were warm and sad at the same time, but she guessed she wasn’t supposed to see that part. “I don’t.” Before she could ask, “No one. No family. No parents. No siblings. Everyone’s gone.”
“What about your friends?”
Seth shook his head, “They’re not friends.”
“You hang out a lot.”
“Those two are bodyguards.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. They’re protection. They know guns, pretty much every kind of martial arts, and I know they’d die to protect me.” As an afterthought, he added, “It’s not by choice.”
“They’re young.”
“They’ve been with me for a long time. We practiced together.” Kayla peeked over and saw his muscles pressed tight against his shirt. He wasn’t built like a wrestler or football player, more like one of the guys from the swim or baseball teams. It wasn’t hard to think of Seth like some panther, sleek and fast, but still strong enough to take down any prey.
“Why?”
“We’d be worth a lot of money to the government or pretty much any corporation on the planet. They would kill to get their hands on us. And we’d disappear into their files. We have no protections beyond those we create. You proved that yourself at the party.” Before he stopped, Seth glanced away, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the wrong way.”
“No, it’s okay.” Kayla never thought she could feel that comfortable on a cafeteria bench. “You think that’s true?”
“The world is a very big and very dangerous place. Billions, probably more, would be at stake if someone grabbed one of us.” Seth shook his head, his lips tight, “If it helps, I’ll do my best to protect you.” He sounded like a knight until he added, “If they catch one of us, they’ll probably figure out there are more.” Kayla hoped she didn’t look deflated.
“Right.” They were quiet again. The cafeteria felt a lot bigger when they were alone. It usually felt small, crammed with teenagers and a few adults, everyone jostled and shouted for position. Seth had his eyes on his hands like he wanted to get out of there.
Kayla was about to tell him that she was fine. He could leave if he wanted, but he spoke first, “I wanted to say I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Yesterday. I wasn’t very nice about your problems with your friends. I wanted to apologize.” He sounded stiff and formal, but he managed to look guilty when he peered at her. Maybe he was afraid she’d rip his head off or start crying. Sometimes guys couldn’t tell which would be worse.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“You’re an ally. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“An ally,” she said.
“We’re not really friends.”
“Why not?” Kayla turned to him, too hurt by everything else to be scared of this. Seth didn’t scoot away, get up, or stutter a retreat. “I’m helping you. You helped me. Why aren’t we friends?”
“Friends are healthy, sane, normal, happy
people.”
“And that’s not you.” Kayla grinned at him, “Or are you trying to say something about me?”
“I didn’t want to get close to anyone. I couldn’t trust they wouldn’t figure something out,” Seth told her. “I guess that’s not true about you. You already know, and you’d be just as messed up if anyone found out.” He said it like a surprise.
“Pretty much.” She held out her hand, “Friends?”
He took her hand, his grip firmer than she would’ve expected. “Sure.” He watched her and Kayla thought she saw something else there. It made her stomach feel lighter, like she could trust this boy. He’d be there for her, because that meant something to him. Everyone else could say friends and they might’ve been talking about that guy they saw online that one time or the girl they sat next to for a quarter back in sophomore year. Seth meant it, she thought. He’d be there if she was ever in trouble or hurt.
Warmth tingled through their hands like she sensed something more.
Their school’s electronic bells pinged to announce the start of third period. Kayla’s teacher didn’t feel like doing his job so he passed out a bunch of distorted photocopies and told them to get to work. As long as no one screamed, shouted, or stabbed anyone else, they were good. Their teacher sat at his computer, clicking away. He probably hoped they thought he was working on grading or some specialized paperwork that only a professional would understand. Kayla figured it was Tetris or poker.
She didn’t mind too much. Sure, the class work was boring but easy. It felt a lot like digging a hole. She opened the book, flipped the pages, found the right definition, and copied it down. Nothing hard, nothing stressful. She lost herself to the lead scratch marks on the page when someone else knocked at the door and called her name. The teacher motioned for her to go.
Pulling her backpack over one shoulder, Kayla wondered who it would be this time. Part of her guessed Cyrus. Part of her hoped Seth. Instead it was one of the actual office aides. He nodded for her to follow, the pink office note in hand.
At the front desk in the main office, Kayla saw her mom sitting in one of the plastic chairs. She hugged Kayla and said that they should go get something to eat. It was almost lunch, and real food sounded better than the squished sandwich Kayla made that morning, yet she still felt the trepidation of knowing something bad was about to happen.
Neither of them spoke on the drive to the hamburger place a couple blocks from her school. Kayla only found her voice when they sat down. “You wanted to talk about something,” Kayla said, ready to get this over with.
“Yes.” Kayla could guess, but she didn’t want to, because then she might be right and she’d get this from both sides.
“It’s about custody of you, Everett, and Skyler. I trust your father spoke to you about this,” she said that second part like the worst profanity. Kayla nodded. She didn’t sound happy about it, but her mom still aimed for diplomacy, “That’s good. And he said that the judge in our case will want to know what you think?”
“He did.”
“Good. Good, that’s good.” Just like her dad, Kayla’s mom took a breath like she was about to dive into some really cold water or get into a really nasty fight. “So you know how important it is for you to talk to your brother and sister about this.”
“I do. I guess.”
“They’re going to look to you for guidance. I know things at home have been—tense.” Yeah, listening to one parent shout about how the other ruined his life got tense. It was tense the same way nuclear bombs caused a little bit of damage. “But I know this is the kind of decision you can handle. You’ve always been very mature and rational. Now will be no exception. I can trust you, right?”
“Right.” Kayla mumbled and didn’t care.
“So what are you going to say?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s fine. Take your time with this kind of decision. It’s just important that you remember your father’s not around very much. You have to ask what kind of influence he’d be on Everett and Skyler. They’re both very young. They need a parent around.”
“Because your hours are better?”
“I can make myself available.”
“Dad probably says the same thing.”
Kayla’s mom inhaled to say something sharp and fast, but she stopped herself, licked her lips to stay calm, and said, “Your father is a good man, but he has issues with expressing himself. He also has issues with priorities. We’ve seen that a lot over the last couple years, and I don’t want to see you kids neglected in anyway.”
“He wouldn’t neglect us.”
“Not on purpose, of course not. He loves you very much, but he just can’t be there for you, just like he couldn’t be there for me. He wants to be a good man, but it’s just not in him. He doesn’t have the maturity to do what’s right and take care of the people he supposedly loves.” That came out faster and sharper.
“I don’t know what I’m going to say.”
“Do you love me?” Kayla’s mom asked.
“Of course.”
“Then I know you’ll make the right choice.”
Kayla didn’t look up from the table. She just said, “Yeah,” because she couldn’t commit. For a long time after that, she wished Seth would appear again. She wished for some chocolate milk and the boy who called her his only friend.
Chapter 5: Hopeful Prayer
After school, Kayla walked home again. She didn’t drive that morning. Asking for anything from her parents made her feel sick and slimy. She knew some other kids milked those fights for everything they could get. There were a couple new cars in the student lots that came from jagged divorces. That wasn’t her, and it wouldn’t be.
Halfway home, she came to the last turn and almost walked into the five people sitting on the wooden fence or leaning against the stop sign. Of the five, there was just one woman. She leaned against the fence, her legs crossed over each other. Her long and lustrous blond hair caught the light. She would’ve been beautiful. The other guys all looked young, attractive enough, but generic except for the way they stood. Like soldiers, each ready to pounce even if they looked relaxed.
Another young guy took the front spot in front of his group. He could’ve been in high school but college would’ve made just as much sense. He wore black clothes like his comrades, everything nice and silk and expensive looking.
Kayla would have crossed the street to get around them when the leader called her name, “Kayla Knack. We’d like to speak with you.” He smiled at her. His face was pale. If he wasn’t in college, he could’ve had a nice career as an actor. He would’ve made a good vampire.
Kayla stopped and reached for that spot of fear and acidic emotion that channeled her ability. She felt the air around them, and she knew she could knock a couple of them down. That’d probably give her enough time to get away. All she had to do was find someone else. She guessed these guys wouldn’t want witnesses.
“About what?” she asked.
“You’re a nascent,” he said. “Don’t bother denying it. We spoke to Cyrus. It took some convincing, but he told us that you appeared on his radar within the last few days.” They started to move like wolves or sharks. Kayla watched them, careful not to let any too close.
“I did something. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You knocked a high school student into a wall.”
“Something like that.” She didn’t want to admit anything. “Who are you?”
“My name is Vigo. I’m a member of a group called the Alliance.” He smiled like a lawyer or a cell phone salesman. “We’re a very special group dedicated to protecting the world from—certain threats.”
Kayla put on a smile, hoping it might hide every ounce of fear. She watched these guys and remembered everything Seth said. “Threats?” she tried to sound innocent.
“Yes, threats. The world is a dangerous place. Members of the Alliance try to ensure our world’s safety. Born of the Spa
nish Inquisition, we’re a group of individuals across nations dedicated to the protection of humanity. We watch the world for other people with—unique talents. We make sure that they don’t hurt the people around them.”
“I’m not going to hurt anyone.”
“You have already,” Vigo said, “And if it weren’t in self-defense, this would be a very different conversation.” He smiled, “But don’t worry. We’re not after you.”
This felt like her chance for some more information, so she knew she had to take it. It wasn’t on purpose, but she thought of Seth anyway. He wanted to know what they were. This chance would mean a lot to him. Kayla didn’t want to let him down. “You called me a nascent. What does that mean?”
“It means that you’re a different kind of human.” Vigo held out his fist to show her the back of his hand. A circle with an X with sharpened tips was tattooed to his skin. “This is the symbol of our Alliance. For a very long time, we’ve hunted them. We fought when demons ran amok. You see, demons are real. But you believed that already, didn’t you?”
“I believe in evil.”
“Good enough,” he said with s curt nod, “Nascents are humans who’ve been chosen or created to evolve into demons and angels. Their abilities manifest when they’re human, but as they age, they begin to shift. Their abilities develop.”
“Develop how?”
“Nascents evolve differently. They learn to heal and control their bodies. Their talents get stronger as well. A fully grown demon could wipe a city from the map with a few thoughts or swings of his talons.” Vigo stepped closer. Stiff, Kayla let him approach. She refused to blink because she wouldn’t let him intimidate her. “That’s why we hunt them. They’re killers and monsters. They need to be eradicated.”
“Are you going to hurt me?” Kayla balled her fists, ready to knock Vigo to the ground, trip his allies, and run as fast as she could. She reminded herself to drop her backpack. Homework wouldn’t help if they sprinted after her through backyards and down the street.
“From what Cyrus has told us, you are no demon. But to be sure.” With an assassin’s speed he yanked a strand of her hair. Kayla didn’t get the chance to let out a squeak of pain. “We’ll test this.”