We argued that this world wasn’t ours to rule or conquer. Because we will live for eternity, it would be unethical to change things when we ourselves would be the only ones benefiting from those changes. It was selfish and dangerous. They would be recognized over time and history would not be kind to them, especially if our true nature was revealed. But they, so proud and confident, replied, “Do you think us simpletons? Every precaution has been accounted for. Even if our secret was discovered over centuries, what could those little mortals do?”
“You would be driven away, persecuted, forced to live like wild animals, tortured, just like before,” Dymeka said boldly. “The world is shrinking. Soon there will be no place to run to, no place you would not be recognized.”
“What would you have us do, oh wise one? Travel like rats all over the world?” Segil retorted. “Never settling, never owning something, never making a difference?”
“We live free of guilt!” I defended us.
“Guilt? What guilt?”Izz inquired haughtily.
Our arguing was clearly going nowhere, so Dymeka took me and we tried to leave the house. But their guards barred our every escape.
“You may leave when we have dismissed you,” Segil said.
“Be forewarned,” Dymeka told them, “Death will not allow us freedom forever. And if she does not stop you in your games, then someone else will.” Dymeka threw himself through the window we were standing by, pulling me along with him. We sailed to the ground two stories below and ran as fast as we could, away from the flying bullets chasing us. We were both shot, but what were bullets to us? Temporary pain.
We swore from then on never to make contact with our immortal brethren again. We stole a small vessel and sailed to Europe, unsure when we would ever feel safe enough to return.
Chapter 11
Esmeralda
A shadow appeared over the new book I was pretending to read. I looked up, mouth full of chicken salad sandwich. Charles stood there, holding his lunch tray in one hand and gripping the strap of his backpack with the other.
I hurriedly chewed and swallowed. “What up?”
“How are you eating hunched over like that without getting any chicken salad on your dress?” he asked.
Today, I’d decided to wear a short, white, lacey dress from my Goth stage. I shrugged, gripping the sandwich more tightly in one hand so I could reach for a napkin. “It’s a special talent of those who like to wear white.” I wiped the mayo from around my mouth and tossed the wrinkled napkin onto my tray. “Looking for someplace to sit?”
“Yeah.” Charlie cast a harsh look over his shoulder. “A group of brave jerks decided to commandeer my usual table.”
I nodded at the other side of my bench, having taken another bite of my sandwich.
He lowered his backpack to the ground and kicked it under the bench before sitting.
“Careful,” I said with a cough. “I might chip your skateboard.”
Charlie shrugged, tearing open packages of mustard and ketchup. “It’s old.”
I finished the last of my sandwich and wiped my fingers against another napkin. “So are you grounded for life?”
“Yeah, kind of, but I’m already a recluse so it’s really just superficial grounding. You?”
“I’m not exactly grounded, but the old bat’s having an alarm system installed in the house. If I break out again, she’s going to sic the troopers on me.”
“Nice.” He spread the condiments across his hotdog and shoved half of it into his mouth. While he chewed, his gaze flitted across the campus.
Indecipherable mutters and sporadic laughs echoed across the picnic area and the stone amphitheater to meet us. Clouds danced over the sun; the wind from last night had died down into a lazy breeze, but it still had bite. Winter was coming.
I felt someone watching me and turned casually to meet Randi’s death glare. She stood with her posse under the awnings shading the wall of classrooms next to the picnic area. The tall, burly chick with the dude’s haircut elbowed Karen, her second in command, and nodded at me. I stiffened, preparing for a fight. But Karen took one look at Charlie and shook her head. I looked over at my new friend, wondering if he was giving them the death-glare or something. He was still eating and surveying campus.
Were they afraid of him?
“Nice choker, by the way,” Charlie said once he’d swallowed.
“Thanks,” I said, a bit distracted by the argument going on between Randi and Karen now. Randi was gesturing at me, getting angrier by the second. Karen was still shaking her head. I snickered. “Don’t look now, but Randi’s pissed.”
Charlie sat up and looked around, suddenly concerned. “If Randi and her gang are around, you should probably hide. We went to the same high school so they won’t mess with me because they know I’m weird but—”
“Looks like I’m safe as long as I’m with you.”
Charlie spotted them just in time to see Karen march away from Randi, who shouted, “Bitch, don’t turn your back on me when I’m talking to you!” and stormed after her. The other three nameless followers trailed after her, eyeing me with a mixture of curiosity and frustration.
I flinched at the outburst, but my smile stayed in place. “Karen is so demoted once Randi catches up to her.”
“Huh,” Charlie said, relaxing back into the bench.
I reached for my water bottle. “Guess it’s a good thing we decided to be friends, huh?”
Some pink appeared across his cheeks. “Yeah, I guess.” He finished his hotdog and popped open a can of soda before he spoke again. “My sister wants to meet you.”
I bit back a smile. “Yeah?”
“You came up in conversation once and she was surprised because, you know, I’m an outcast.”
I inclined my head in his direction. “So I’ve heard.”
“And now she won’t leave it alone. You don’t have to come over if you don’t want to. I can tell her you can’t because your aunt won’t
