by C C Solomon
“So, how many kids are here?” I asked as we walked.
“We got about three hundred kids in the school from ages five to eight-teen,” he replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “And a good portion of them are orphans, so it’s more than just a teach and go.”
“Wow,” I whispered as I looked inside the classrooms. We came upon one room full of kids looking like they ranged in age from eight to ten years old.
“We have to mix some of the groups of kids up because we’re short on teachers. Not everyone can teach everything. Or at all. Had to kick out one guy who kept cursing the kids out every day for misbehaving. It is hard work, though. You got special needs kids. Kids with powers and kids without. All in one class together. And the middle school aged ones are naturally…difficult. Add all this divide and you can imagine a person going off on a kid.”
“I see. What did you do before this?”
“Uh, I forgot. These are the bathrooms.” He pointed to the left. “We take turns cleaning and the students are on shift to help clean as well.”
He forgot what he used to do? Something wasn’t right here. “How long have you been here?”
“About two years. It’s a nice place. I’ve been in some good places and some not so good ones. This is the best.”
“Where are you from?”
He stopped walking and looked at me with those big, almost innocent eyes. “I feel like you’re interviewing me.” He smiled.
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “It’s fine. I get it. You want to know about the people in this town. Just because it’s a government town doesn’t make it a place you want to be. I’m probably not the best spokesperson, though.”
He started to walk again in silence.
“Oookay, care to elaborate?”
He looked over at me. “About what?”
Patience, Amina. “Why you wouldn’t be a good spokesperson.”
He slapped his forehead and grinned. “Sorry. My memory was wiped when the world changed. It’s like this wave of the supernatural came and I just went blank. I remember standing in the middle of the sidewalk. I think I was going for a jog because I was dressed for it. Anyway, I didn’t even know how to get home. All hell was breaking loose around me and I didn’t know where to go. Tech was down, so I couldn’t even use my phone to call anyone. By the time I got to someone who could make phones work, which was like two weeks later, no one in my phone who looked like a relative or who was a recently used contact was picking up. So, I don’t know who I was before the change and the only reason I know that there was even a change was because people told me. I still forget things that happened since then too.” He shrugged.
“Damn. I’ve never heard of anyone getting amnesia because of this. That’s horrifying.”
He nodded. “I found my address in my phone. Stayed there for a while before I just had to leave.” He started walking again. “So, we have a free period at ten for working out or gym activities. Lunch between eleven and one. We do shifts for cooking and serving for that too. Although a few times a week the local restaurants will send us food to serve. We also have study period at three p.m. Then kids are released. Some can stay after for tutoring. We have older people come in for college-level studies a few times a week in the evening as well. Teacher’s lounge is to your right and the cafeteria is to the left. So, my first class starts in ten minutes. You can sit in there and then shadow the English class after that.”
I was still stuck on the whole memory loss thing but, clearly, he had moved on. I’d have to file that in my memory bank for later discussion.
We walked towards his classroom and it was odd to hear the sounds of children giggling and talking. Sure, my old town had kids and we taught, but it was on a much smaller level, with makeshift classes held in houses. This was so organized. It was a real school. Children’s artwork hung on the walls, along with pictures of the student body counsel. There was even a poster advertising the summer talent show.
You really could almost forget that we were living in a different and dangerous world. I couldn’t help but wonder. If we’d gotten to a government town before, would we have ever been captured?
“Are you special too?” Felix asked, stopping in front of a classroom with thirty teenagers gabbing away.
“Do you mean do I have gifts?”
He nodded.
“I’m a witch. What are you? You said ‘too.’”
“I wish I knew. I can heal people but I’m not a witch or a mage. I can’t use spells or anything. No one can tell me what I am and me having no memory before, like nine years ago, doesn’t help.” His smile faltered a little and a look of worry passed through his face.
I felt sorry for him and shook my head. “What are you doing after work?”
“Nothing. Well, I got to feed Dexter.”
“Dexter?”
“My dog. I’ve had her for almost three years.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “You’ve been traveling all this time with a pet? And she stayed with you? I opened my front door when I was ten and my tabby cat, Mimi, ran out and was gone for a week. I only found her when I was out playing with friends. That cat was not loyal.”
Felix nodded swiftly. “Dexter’s like my best friend.”
“Aww, that’s…” Sad, is what I was thinking. “Sweet. Well, let’s meet at the local pub around six. I have someone I’d like for you to meet.”
After my day at school, I rushed to the mayor’s office for my meeting with the head of the town. Colonel Foster Robinson was actually former Air Force and he took his job very seriously. He was a sixty-something, African American man with cropped gray hair and a face set in a permanent scowl. I felt like someone had sent me to the principal’s office because I was a little nervous talking to him. I wasn’t sure he was even going to care about our situation.
As I explained the past six months of my life, he sat stone faced, unmoving. Erik sat beside me with a similar look. However, when I choked up and told Colonel Robinson about the death of others drained dry, including children, the usage of sexual favors to get better treatment, and my own assault, Erik reached out and grabbed my hand. I couldn’t explain it, but his touch, so unexpected, helped ease the pain weighing down on me. It was surprising that he would be that comforting. It certainly wasn’t what I expected from the little I knew of him. I didn’t look at him, just held onto his hand as I continued my story.
When I finished speaking, Colonel Robinson let out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Amina. You’re a strong person. A survivor,” he stated.
“Thank you, sir. Will you help us?” I begged.
He sighed again. “A place like this cannot exist if we are to become the nation we once were. But we can’t haphazardly take on such missions. We have to understand what we are getting into and the risk to the people here. Our world isn’t like it once was. Going to battle with another group puts this town at risk. Puts other government-backed towns at risk as well. We’re still in repair. Still trying to find survivors and get them to safe towns.” The Colonel leaned into his desk and clasped his hands together. “I can’t give you an answer right now. I would love nothing more than to find this place and bury those assholes so far in a hole they never see daylight. But I have to talk to the other leaders. Get their support. If we attack this place and they are able to retaliate, they will be coming here or to another government town. We have to be prepared for that. I also have to convince the leaders that this is real and not a trap.”
I shook my head, confused. “Who would set up a trap like this?”
“You have to know, Amina, after what you’ve been through, that there are groups out there that don’t want government to form again. They want to keep us separated with total anarchy. If you’ve had access to the internet, I’m sure you’ve seen the streaming reports about such groups and their attacks on some government towns and any towns thinking of combining with us. Did you hear about the ambush in Detroit?”
/> “I didn’t have access to the internet in the last six months. I barely know what day it is.”
“Some soldiers from the Detroit government town went to a nearby community that needed medical help after an alleged massive supernatural fire they had a hard time putting out. They were also told the leader of the community wanted his town to join with the government. When they arrived, they were attacked. Most of the soldiers and civilians with them were killed.”
“That’s awful. And you think this could be like that? That I’m sending people to their deaths?”
“No, but it’s the world we’re in,” the Colonel replied. “Give me time to talk to the other leaders. Then we have to do a bit of reconnaissance.”
When we left the Colonel’s office, I felt anything but hopeful.
“It’s not over,” Erik stated, glancing down at me.
We walked out of the building. “We should just go to Silver Spring. They’ll help us.”
“They’ll help you here. This is a large town with back-up across the country. An independent town in Silver Spring, whose location we don’t even know and size we don’t know, isn’t a better bet. The people here will help. I’ll make sure of it.”
I nodded. He seemed so sure, but I wasn’t. My mind was already focused on next steps. He was right. For all I knew, Silver Spring had just one hundred people and those people wouldn’t all be willing to fight just because a guy in their town asked them to for a woman he’d met in his dreams. And that was assuming that all those imaginary one hundred were in fighting shape and age.
When it came down to it, having a government town was always a better bet in a fight. I had no clue how large David’s operation was. There could be another town that supported them. Maybe even a government town. That thought disturbed me the most.
Erik touched my shoulder and stopped me. He turned me to him. His hazel eyes were serious as he looked down at me. “I didn’t realize all that happened to you.”
I dropped my shoulders and looked down at the tiled floor. I barely wanted to talk about it with the Colonel. I really didn’t want to talk about it with Erik and look like some damsel needing saving. I was stronger than that.
“Hey, look at me.”
I glanced up at him. “What, Erik? I don’t want to talk—”
He put up a hand to stop me. “You’re a good person, Amina. I knew that from the
start, even though it seemed like I didn’t trust you. When you first approached us do you know what I smelled?”
I squinted my eyes. “I hope something good because I did take a shower that morning.”
“You smelled, you still smell, like roses to me, Amina.” He looked almost perplexed when he said that, as if he couldn’t quite understand how I could smell good.
“I put on perfume,” I stated with a shrug.
He shook his head slightly. “I smelled that as well but I can still get to your natural scent.” He leaned towards me and took a deep breath in. He wasn’t inhaling my scent now, was he?
I shifted on my feet uncomfortably. It was moments like these that reminded me he was part beast because people just didn’t sniff each other. “So, good people smell like roses?”
He leaned back. “No. You smell like roses. I’ve never smelled that natural scent on anyone. Most good people smell of flowers but not roses specifically. You’re the first with this scent. How is that?” He studied my face as if it, alone, would have the answers.
I opened my mouth to say something but then closed it. I didn’t really know how to respond.
Erik straightened up, his eyes returning to their cool demeanor. “When we go back to that prison, we’re going to free your friends and you are going to kill David.”
I gave him wide eyes. “I don’t think I could—”
“You’re a bad ass. At least that’s what Lisa calls you.” He smiled at me this time. I’d only known him for less than two days but it was the first time I’d seen anything other than a serious expression on his face. It was strangely soothing. “And I know you can do it. So, say it with me. I’m a bad ass.”
I gave him a questioning smile. “I am a bad ass?”
He frowned. “Say it like you mean it. I’m a bad ass.” He said it with conviction and I had no doubt he meant it.
“I’m a bad ass!” I exclaimed, cutting off a laugh. Maybe it wasn’t a joke. I was strong, I knew that. I escaped. I survived this long. Maybe I really could take David down.
Erik slapped me on the back and I bounced forward an inch. “There you go.” He nodded his head and started to walk again.
He believed that I could kill someone. How nice. I guessed that was his version of a pep talk.
Chapter 11
That night I met the others at the town Irish pub called McFarley’s. Outside of the three restaurants, a coffee shop, and the library where they showed old movies, it was the only nightlife in town. The fact that they even had a formal nightlife was still amazing to me. In my old community, we huddled in a house over drinks, food, and an old MP3 player and that was a party.
In the dimly-lit bar, the four of us sat around a dark wooden table recapping our first work day and my meeting with Colonel Robinson.
“How long is it going to take them to help us? We passed all the tests,” Charles said, with a confused look. “And we got our powers back. We don’t have this kind of time to waste.”
“It’s not going to be easy to get them to just go to a place they don’t know about,” Erik explained. “Even if they believe us and that it’s not a set up, they have to assess the risk. Is it worth starting a fight? Losing people? We have to do this at their pace. We’ll have an answer by Monday.”
I nodded and sighed. “Thank you, Erik,” I said. “Your next drink’s on me.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I owe you a makeover,” Lisa stated, looking at my hair. It was in a high bun and I could only imagine by her concerned face that she didn’t care for it.
“Hey, I have a guy I want you to meet,” I said, turning to her.
Charles, who up until that moment had his face buried in a burger and fries, perked up. “Guy? What guy?” he asked with a frown.
I ignored him. “I think he might be Fae like you. He doesn’t know what he is. Probably hasn’t even tapped into all his powers.”
“Is he cute?” Lisa asked, her green eyes sparkling.
I opened my mouth and raised my eyebrows. “If I said he was ugly would you not want to meet him?”
Lisa gave a light shrug. “Of course, I’d want to meet him. My people are my people. Plus, he can just glamour himself if he’s ugly.”
“Dear God,” I stood up. “Okay, I’m going to go get another drink. Erik, I got your next one like it or not.”
“I kid, I kid!” Lisa cried, getting up and following me. “You’ll learn to love me, Amina. I’m telling you now.”
I chuckled and shook my head, walking through the increasingly crowded space to the bar counter. Lisa stood next to me.
“I swear I have to slow down. My tolerance isn’t what it was,” I stated. “Unsurprisingly, they didn’t give us alcohol in the lockup and we didn’t have a lot of it in my town before then.”
“It’s the weekend, sweetie, live a little. For once we are both somewhere safe. Let’s enjoy it for the time that we’re here. We deserve it.”
“Planning to leave already?” asked one of the bartenders. I hadn’t seen her earlier. She had a deep voice that commanded attention. She was white, fair in skin tone, with dirty-blonde, purple-streaked hair cut in a pixie style. She looked around my age, average height, with an athletic figure. Her eyes were deep blue beneath thick, well-shaped, dark eyebrows and adored with a thin, black eye liner which was winged out at the edges. The only other makeup she had on was a bright red lipstick. She was mesmerizingly gorgeous.
She rolled up her right sleeve and I saw a fully tattooed arm and hand. In fact, both her arms and hands were tatted and more tattoos pe
eked out of her black collared shirt. “Didn’t you just get here yesterday?” she questioned.
“Wow, word spreads fast in a small town,” Lisa replied.
“We tend to run through faces quick nowadays.” She threw out her hand to Lisa. “I’m Faith Thomas, by the way.”
Lisa shook it and I noticed Faith hold on to her hand just a beat too long. “Lisa Xu, and this is Amina Langston.”
“Well, welcome girls,” she said, with a slight grin as she shook my hand. “A welcome drink on me. What can I get you?”
“Vodka tonics for us both. And she’s getting a whiskey for another friend,” Lisa replied.
“Sure thing, sweetie,” Faith turned and went to fix our drinks.
Lisa leaned towards me. “She’s beautiful. I hate her.”
I laughed.
“Amina?”
I turned to my left to see Felix standing there.
“Hey Felix, glad you could make it.” I smiled and gave him a quick hug.
He shrugged. “I didn’t have anything to do but feed Dexter.”
“So, you said.”
“She was pissed that I was heading out. I don’t really go out much at night.” He leaned his massive frame against the bar.
Lisa leaned into me. “Who’s the cute but creepy weirdo?” she whispered.
“Felix,” he said, clearly having overheard Lisa’s not-so-whispery whisper. Good-natured, as I was beginning to think he was, he leaned over and offered his hand.
Lisa shook it and offered him her most pageant-like smile. “Sorry, I’m Lisa.”
Faith appeared again with our drinks. “Here you are, lovelies.” She looked over at Felix and gave a look of shock, her eyebrows raised. “I must be seeing a mirage because that couldn’t possibly be my Felix out at a bar.”