And that made me feel guilty. Guilty because I thought someone like me didn’t deserve hope.
So I buried it, along with all the memories of the deaths I’ve caused.
I yawn, the exhaustion coming back full force.
“Thanks Shikoba,” I say, “I really needed to see that.”
He nods. “Some things should not be forgotten.”
“Yeah…” I look at Hunter in front of me, realizing that he’s still holding my hand. “I don’t think I would have been able to get through it if you hadn’t come. I was just about to give up.”
He smiles and lets go of my hand quickly, as if just noticing that he was still holding it. He stands up. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize.” I get up too. “Let’s go to the cabin. I want to finish that game.”
“But what about Li?” he asks. “You did all three tasks. You can have your gift removed now.”
I shrug. “That can wait.”
Chapter 37
Ron, who was sleeping on the couch, is woken up by a microwave beeping. Groggily, she sits up and looks back. Today, Giselle is in the kitchen.
Ron checks the time. It’s just past noon. She has an hour or so left.
She also has a missed call from Chrys, but Ron decides not to call her back. She’s going to go out there for 1:13 and wait, like they promised yesterday. She’s afraid that if she calls now, Chrys might say they can’t leave after all.
“You’re up?” Giselle says from the kitchen.
Ron rubs her eyes. “Yeah.”
“Do you want some instant oats? You’ll have to make your own though.”
Ron gets up and stretches. “Sure.”
She goes into the kitchen. A box of apple cinnamon oats is still out on the counter. Ron usually likes to eat two packets at once, but she doesn’t want to impose, so she takes one packet and pours it in a bowl. She adds more milk than the instructions say because she likes her oats watery. She pops it in the microwave and stands at the counter waiting.
“I bought a domain name,” Giselle says. Normally, she’d almost be done by now, but she’s just nibbling on the oats.
“For what?”
“The newspaper.”
“Oh, awesome. You decided on a name?”
She sighs. “It’s just something Iris said she would have called the Normal News instead.”
“What is it?”
“The Regularity.”
The microwave beeps so Ron takes out the bowl and brings it to the table. She stirs it.
“Why did she want to call it that?” Ron asks and then eats a spoonful of oats. It burns the roof of her mouth but it doesn’t really bother her.
Giselle shrugs. “She just insisted it sounds better.” She mixes around the oatmeal slowly, not really eating it. “You probably think I’m dumb for leaving everything here to start a newspaper.”
“No, I don’t. Besides, it’s not like you’re leaving because of the newspaper.”
“Yeah…”
“Have you decided where you’re going to go?”
She puts a small spoonful of oats in her mouth and swallows it without chewing. “New York. It’s the base of the Normal News too. There’s a lot more happening out there. The gifted seem to either flock to the forest here or the city there. Not much goes on here though so, I guess I have to go back home if I want to have a fighting chance.”
“New York is your home?”
She nods. “I was born in the suburbs but after my parents’ death, my aunt raised me in Manhattan, where she lived. She said I can stay with her for a while, so—I don’t know—that just seems like the best option. I spoke to Agnes and Bill this morning. They said they’ll buy the place.”
“That’s great. I’m glad you figured it out. I’m actually going to leave today.”
Giselle lets go of her spoon in her bowl and puts her hand on the table. “You’re not staying for the funeral?”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to but, you know my friend Chrys? I contacted her and she said she and Hunter are still nearby so they’re going to drop by in an hour or so and I’ll go with them.”
“Ah… You’re leaving in an hour.”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s just… I kind of thought maybe you’d want to come to New York with me. I could use the company.”
“You’re going to be staying with your aunt though. And I’ve already imposed a lot, being here.”
“Just for a bit, until I find my own place. And you haven’t imposed. Iris and I really liked having you here. It was so much fun. Every day was like an adventure.”
“I appreciate that but I’d just feel like a mooch. I mean, I have no money or job prospects.”
Giselle shrugs. “We could do research together for the paper.”
Ron passes a hand over her hair, feeling her tight, bouncy curls. “That sounds fun but I don’t really think I’m qualified. Besides, my friends are already coming. Let’s keep in touch and if I end up in New York, I’ll let you know.”
She gives a sad smile. “Okay, sure.”
Ron scrapes her bowl clean. “I’ll keep an eye on your paper.”
“Thanks.”
Giselle picks up her spoon again and starts nibbling on her oatmeal.
Ron washes her dishes and then goes to the living room and packs up what few belongings she has left.
After half an hour or so, Giselle is still at the table, her bowl still full of oats, now cold.
Ron goes over to her. “I think I should head out now.”
Giselle stands up and hugs Ron tightly. “Bye.”
“Bye.” She pulls away. “I’ll keep in touch.”
Giselle nods and then sits back down at the table.
Ron puts on her backpack and walks out the door.
Chapter 38
“You’re really leaving?” Ana Maria says with a pout. She’s hovering by me at my desk as I pack up, but I’m trying my best to ignore her.
Last night while we all finished playing the board game, I made the mistake of mentioning that I’ll be leaving the next day. Hunter and Remington made
