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We pull up to a gas station roughly an awkward hour of silence later. What do you talk to your long missing, immortal brother about? Kai goes inside the store to get a snack and Daniel begins filling the tank. Kai returns with a bag of chips and stops at the pump to chat with my brother. It isn’t until then that I realize something strange. I can’t hear what they’re saying. At all. In fact, I can’t hear anything happening on the outside of the vehicle. Is the car soundproof?
I close my eyes and focus on hearing anything but I hear nothing. It is sound proofed. How strange. Could it be for privacy sake since Bryxx can hear so well? It makes sense I guess.
Before I know it, we’re on the road again.
To my surprise, Kai offers me a chip, but I decline. So far, I’ve gotten the impression that he doesn’t care for me much.
The sun disappears below the horizon shortly after we leave the gas station, and we continue on the final leg of our car trip. It’s another hour until we reach Billings where the airport is stationed.
Daniel and I converse lightly about growing up before talking about our shared love of a cop comedy drama on tv. Even Kai chimes in a few times, and I finally see the bond between the two of them as Kai opens up and relaxes his walls. They joke and tease one another.
“Remember when we were hunting deer last fall and you fell right out of the tree stand and onto your ass? Are you seriously telling me that you have better balance than I do?” Daniel demands incredulously, attempting to put a comment from Kai about his lack of balance to rest.
Kai whistles. “Well, at least I can drive. Do you remember what you did last hunting season?”
Daniel squeezes his eyes shut momentarily in a cringe. “Kind of hard to forget.”
“You should’ve saw him.” Kai laughs so hard I think he’s about to suffocate. Once he calms down he continues, “He drove the four-wheeler right into the creek, the front tires got lodged in the mud and the thing stopped but he kept going and I swear he flew twenty feet! He landed head first in a patch of thistle!” Kai chuckles. “I’ve never met someone so prone to accidents. You’re lucky you’re immortal, Dan!”
Daniel shakes his head back and forth. “It wasn’t that funny. You’re exaggerating.”
“You didn’t see it! You just felt it!” Kai snorts and I can’t help but giggle at both Kai’s uncontrollable laughter and the story.
“Yeah. I was injured, and you were too busy laughing to help me push the four-wheeler out of the damn creek,” Daniel mutters in a growl.
I interrupt. “I love how you guys can laugh about the types of normally tragic stories that would have a normal person like me killed.” Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry so much about death every day of your life?
“There are perks to this life for sure, but it’s not all good,” Daniel reminds me. “I’d rather be what I am now than dead, but if I were to choose between being human and being Bryxx, I would choose being human in a heartbeat.”
I am about to ask why but we’ve parked in front of the airport and there are cars behind us ready to drop off passengers like myself. I wish we had more time.
“Thanks for everything. It was really good to see you again, both of you,” I tell them honestly. I reluctantly gather my plane ticket and driver’s license so I can get on the plane.
“I wish you the best,” Kai says with care. “I hope that you got some closure seeing Daniel again, finally learning what really happened, and knowing that he’s alright.”
I smile softly and nod in thanks. “I wish you two the best as well.” I reach over and hug Daniel over the center console awkwardly and shake Kai’s hand. A car behind us honks for me to hurry up.
As I climb out of the car, a single tear slides down my cheek.
“Stay safe and have a long, happy life, May,” my older brother asks of me. “I’ll see you again in another life.”
With that, I close the car door behind me and head into the airport without looking back.
Two weeks later
“May, do you have to go? You know you can stay here.” Jane tucks the apartment key I just handed her back into my jeans pocket. “Keep it. In case I go out of town and need you to check the place or...you want to stop by for some wine and girl talk.” Her face pinches. “Girl, it’s going to be so weird without you,” Jane, my best friend and now ex-roommate whines.
“I know, but it’s time I grow up and get my own place.” I sigh. “You know I loved living with you, but this apartment is small, and I know you can easily afford it without me. I can afford my own place, too, now.” I embrace her in a tight hug and kiss her cheek. “Anyways, I’ll just be a few miles down the road,” I assure her and pull away before lifting the last of my belongings, a clothes basket filled to the rim with towels.
Jane gives an unsure nod, still not too keen on the idea. She’s been trying to convince me to stay ever since I made the decision to move out two weeks ago. “I guess you’re right. It’s just going to be different. We’ve lived together for over four years now. I’m going to miss you so much.”
I smile. “You and that man of yours are probably dying for some alone time. Maybe he can officially move in now that I’m leaving. Change is for the best. We’ll still see each other a lot. It’s not like I’m moving to Australia.”
A hopeful glint in her eyes tells me that she’s already thought about having her boyfriend move in. “See you, May. If you need help unpacking, give me a call.”
“Thanks, Jane.” I turn and head down the hall to the stairs and out towards my new car. A black Audi that I told Jane I inherited with the family farm since I couldn’t very well tell her I got it from my brother, who is still technically a missing person.
Since learning my brother’s whereabouts and situation, since learning that immortals exist, my life hasn’t really changed much. I see things a little differently, and I look at people with a new sense of wonderment. How many people do I pass on the street who aren’t human?
I have so many questions that I wish I could have the answers to. Does the government know about immortals? Are Bryxx the only type of immortals, or are there others? Will I ever have the answers to any of my questions? Part of me feels like I hallucinated the entire ordeal, but then I have proof that I didn’t. The return address on the package of my things that Clarissa sent me, the car, the new cellphone I found inside of my new car.
I huck the laundry basket into the trunk and drive down the street to my new apartment building. It’s nothing fancy but with the money I will soon get from the house sale, I will be able to afford my own space for the first time in my life, and I’m more than looking forward to it.
I manage to have most of my few things unpacked and put away by the time supper rolls around. I make myself a bowl of sugary cereal to eat, too tired and grocery-less to make anything substantial. Sometimes simple is best.
I plunk down onto the couch that came with the furnished apartment, reminding myself that I’ll need to get it rug cleaned before I forget. The thought of what types of bodily fluids amongst other gross things could be on it from the last tenants disturbs me. Not that I’m a germ freak, but I have noticed a handful of mysterious stains on the cushions. Ew.
As I slurp at my cereal, I pull out the letter that my dad wrote me, the one I found in my parent’s safe. I’d nearly forgotten about it until I received the package from Clarissa with all the stuff Kade collected from my car after my accident while I was unconscious at Clarissa’s. Amongst the smashed picture frames, ripped and water damaged photos, disappointingly, little made it through my roll. The letter was amongst the water damaged items, though still readable.
As I read through it once over and then twice, I can’t help but become more and more confused. What was my father trying to tell me? Did he know something about the Bryxx, or could he have been as crazy as my mom? I don’t recall him being crazy, but then again, I didn’t think my mother was crazy either until she attempted to kill me. I set the letter down on the worn coffee table I picked up from a thrift store down town and finish up my cereal before heading into the bedroom for a quick nap. Moving is seriously the most painful thing in the world.
Just as I’m lying down in my freshy made bed, a knock on my front door startles me and I jump a little. I’m not expecting anyone. Has Jane already missed me so much that she’s driven over here? That sounds like her. Shaking my head in amusement, I skip to the door and gaze through the peephole. The only thing I can see is a hairy elbow from this angle. Okay, definitely not Jane. Maybe a neighbor has come to welcome me to the complex or the landlord has come to officially meet me himself.
I leave the chain on the door but crack it open as far as it will let me. I am more than surprised by who stands on the other side of the door, staring at me with one side of his mouth quirked up in a friendly grin.
“What are you doing here?” I ask curiously and quickly close the door to unchain it. I wave for him to come in and he slowly steps just inside the apartment.
His burly shoulders rise and then fall. “I went to the address we sent the package to and the woman there told me you’d moved to this address.”
I squint at his words as if this will help me understand. “Okay, but why are you here in Seattle?”
Kade smirks devilishly. “I’ve been banned from the Bryxx community.”
“Because of that crime that they thought you committed, but you couldn’t have because you were helping me, but you couldn’t say that because that would get a whole lot of people in trouble?” I ramble off quickly without taking a breath. I wave him further into the apartment, realizing just how ecstatic I am that he’s here. Maybe he will answer some of my questions. If I’m being honest, I didn’t think that I’d ever see any of them again, let alone have one of them show up to my apartment two weeks later.
He nods promptly. “Yeah,” he groans slowly. “That.” He crosses his arms at his chest lets out a deep breath. “At least they didn’t kill me. They could’ve. I’m lucky all things considered.” He nibbles his cheek. “Anyway...I didn’t really have anywhere to go. I’ve never really been free...” he trails off in thought. “They seem to think this banishment is some sort of crazy punishment, but I’m not so sure. I guess I came here because you’re the only friend I have that’s not part of the community. At least, I hope we are friends.” He smiles hopefully, a glint in his brown eyes.
“Yeah, of course. You saved my life and you got kicked out of the community because of it. You’re a hero and they think you’re a murderer because of me. I owe you it time.” My heart falls into my abdomen and I feel terrible. This is literally all my fault. If only I’d been paying attention while I was driving.
His smile widens. “It’s alright. I don’t belong there anyway. I haven’t for some time. It was more than worth it. I don't care what they think of me. All that matters is that I saved your life and I know that was the right thing.” Kade stares down at his shiny black shoes. “Daniel doesn’t know I’m here. He wouldn’t approve of me coming to see you, but I wanted you to know that I’ll be in Seattle for a while. I don’t know for how long but if you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to call.” He hands me a card with his number scrolled across it. “I may as well be in the same city as my only friend.” He sends me a teasing smile. “If you like this place, then maybe I will too.”
I giggle. “Where will you stay?” I wonder, motioning to the kitchen table. I wonder if he’d like to stay for coffee. “And I’m the one who owes you, remember? So, if you need anything, you...” I point to him. “...call me.” I point my thumb into my chest. “Okay?”
His warm grin is friendly and relaxed as he takes a step backwards towards the doorway, denying my request to stay for a while. “Of course, but you don’t owe me anything. As for where I’m staying, I will be getting a hotel room for a few nights, until I can sort things out and find something more permanent.”
“You don’t have to waste all that money on hotels. That’s just crazy. You need a place to stay and I have one. I owe you big time. Stay here. This couch has a pull-out mattress. At least stay here while you look for a place,” I encourage him too quickly. He probably thinks I’m losing my mind. I hope he’ll stay, not only because I owe him, but because maybe he will answer some of my millions of unanswered questions about the Bryxx and about my brother.
Kade shakes his head quickly. “No, no I can’t put you out like that. Don’t worry about me. I have lots of money put away. A hotel is fine. I don’t mind, honestly.” He pulls out his phone and check the screen momentarily before shoving it back into his pocket.
“I’m hardly around. I work fourteen-hour days, mornings at the gas station on 5th and afternoons as a janitor at the car dealership down the block. It’s really no trouble at all. From what I understand, people like you...” I say the last part awkwardly, wondering if that’s a rude way to put it. I continue anyway, “...are up at night and sleep during the day.”
A soft, easy going laugh escapes him. “How about just one night then? I’ll be gone in the morning.” Kade seems to relax a little. “I’m sure you have loads of questions for me anyhow. You don’t phase me as the type of person who’d just accept that supernatural beings exist without any questions.”
I internally leap for joy but on the outside I keep it cool and just give a small smile. “I’m not that kind of person, you’re right, but you don’t have to answer my questions. I know it’s not safe for me to know much. That’s what Daniel said anyway, and this is a favor, not a job. I owe you, you don’t owe me,” I remind him and wave him inside.
Kade removes his shoes and sets them neatly next to mine. “It’s no trouble. You owe me nothing and a bit of chatter might be good. I don’t recall the last time I was able to have a friendly, casual conversation with a friend. As for knowledge being dangerous, sometimes being ill informed is even more so, so I can’t say I fully agree with him on that one. The only thing that would be too dangerous would be staying in contact with him. If the community ever found out, it wouldn’t be good.”
Squeezing out a rag from the sink, I then wipe the table down. “But it’s okay to have contact with you?” I question, tossing the rag back into the sink and taking a seat at the kitchen table.
“The community knows I have no familial connections to the human world, but even if I did, I’ve been banished. They have no authority over me any longer. I’m not their concern. The only reason that they banished me rather than killed me was because they couldn’t prove I did it. They hadn’t enough evidence.” Kade comes across the room and sits in the chair across from me.
“How could they banish you like that without even being sure you did it?!” Seems unfair to me.
“Bryxx rules are not the same as human rules. The council voted, I was guilty. Without enough proof, I was legally to be banished to keep the community’s safety. Shall I ever return, I will be put to death.”
Death? That seems a bit crazy for a crime that they can’t even prove someone has done. “Surely there must be other Bryxx communities. You can’t join another?” My heart hurts for Kade and I can’t help but feel this is all my fault. If I’d never gotten in that accident, none of this would’ve happened.
Kade places his cellphone on the table and begins to spin it in circles. “There are but they are all linked. I am banished from all. I have been shunned from the Bryxx community entirely. It’s really okay, though. I’ve lived a long time, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I don’t belong with the Bryxx, not anymore anyway. Seriously, May, don’t feel bad for me.”
This is the second time he’s made a comment about no longer belonging with the Bryxx. This makes me wonder what changed that he once did belong with them. I also can’t help but wonder how old he is now that I know he is immortal, although he looks to be only around my own age, for all I know he could be far, far older. Would it be rude to ask?
“The Bryxx community doesn’t exactly sound like a good place to be from all I’ve heard,” I admit sheepishly. “It sounds strict and unfair.”
“Do not kill Bryxx, and do not leak the secret to humans. Those are the only two major rules and they make sense. The Bryxx are arrogant.” This topic seems to be making Kade angry. The tone of his voice becomes hard and annoyed.
I decide to change the subject. “How the heel is it that I lived my whole life near a community of immortals and never knew?”
Kade relaxes into his seat, all signs of anger and annoyance gone. “They have loads of money. Between that and their power of influence, they can keep their communities well hidden from the humans. I bet you never knew you had so many neighbors, did you? The Bryxx that live on the outskirts of the community are well hidden within the tall trees or down beaten paths on pasture-like land, they go unnoticed or don’t stand out to humans. The main community though is not inconspicuous like Clarissa’s. It is a large, gated area spanning several miles in radius, housing nearly one hundred thousand Bryxx. Any human who stumbles upon it is influenced by one of the Bryxx on guard to forget what they saw completely. It’s not easy to stumble upon, though. It has been disguised as a large gated government research centre for the environment and only one road leads into it, a path disguised as a private road on private property, complete with a no trespassing sign.”
I cock my head. “There is no facility near where I grew up that could possibly house thousands of beings. That’s just insane,” I remark. “I’d definitely know if there were.”
Kade scoffs and leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Before any human gets close to it, they’re brainwashed to forget ever seeing anything.”
I’m not sure if I believe this but at the same time I wonder why I don’t believe it? Have I not already witnessed the impossible? What’s a little more insanity?
“As I thought. You have not always been immune to influence, May. As each car drives by, a Bryxx guard enters the passenger’s brains and erases the memory of such place. The Bryxx use their influence to have such a place removed from satellite images. It is marked a no-fly zone due to dangerous, interfering electrical waves from a power plant which is of course a lie. No human outside of the community knows it exists. Humans don’t have a clue about it.” Kade seems to have some sort of attention issues. He begins spinning his phone in circles in front of him again. Fidgety much?
Could this all be true? Although I struggle to digest such a thing, I can’t really disbelieve him. I lived my whole life not knowing that immortals existed up until two weeks ago. I had no idea at all.
If I were once susceptible to influence, why am I not now? Kade’s going to get the questions. They all seem to just ask themselves. “Why am I no longer susceptible to influence?”
He seems to debate this as he spins his phone. “I don’t know. I have never heard of a human immune to the influence.”
“Do you have any guesses?” I urge, unable to take my eyes off his spinning phone.
His lips press into a small thin line as he thinks about this. After a long moment of silence, he says, “Like I said, I’ve never heard of a human being immune to the influence...but what if you’re not entirely human?”
He awaits my response but I’m too shocked to answer. That’d be impossible wouldn’t it? I’m nothing extraordinary. I’m as boring and normal as a human comes, aside from my apparent immunity to influence.
“You saw that little girl looking for her dog near your old house. May, that girl died in 1704. If you’d have looked closer, you’d have noticed how dated she looked. Harriet has been looking for her damn dog since 1704. In fact, she died after getting lost while doing so and stumbling into something she shouldn’t have.”
I swallow hard. My mind racing.
“Most humans cannot see wraiths like Harriet, let alone have a conversation with them like you did. When your brother was pushed into that old well, the man who did it was another being that a human should not be able to see. I think you have some sort of inhuman blood, maybe just a touch, but enough that you have the ability to see the things a human cannot and reject influence humans cannot.”
“Another being? How many are there? Are you about to tell me that werewolves exist or something?” I demand, noticing that I’m shaking.
Kade sighs and stops spinning his phone. “I’m scaring you. I’m sorry. I’m not used to speaking with humans about such matters. I was born into this world, so this is all normal to me. I apologize. But no, to answer your question, werewolves are not real.”
I sigh in relief. Thank god. “It’s alright, it’s just shocking to me. Two weeks ago, I didn’t even believe in the supernatural and now I am sitting across the table from one who thinks I may have inhuman blood. Do you drink? I need a glass of wine,” I rattle off and get up to grab some wine from the fridge.
Kade appears slightly concerned, his brows pinching together as he watches me pour myself a full glass of the red liquid.
“Just a little for me,” he requests. “I’m not much of a wine drinker.”
“Whiskey? I have whiskey too,” I offer.
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
“Is wine too girly for you or something?” I ask jokingly, attempting to lighten the mood
“No, no, I just prefer the hard stuff. Something I got from my father I suppose.” He starts spinning his phone again.
I reach into my newly assigned junk drawer. “Have you ever heard of a fidget spinner?” I ask him, a laugh about to escape me.
“A what? No. Why?” He seems oblivious to the fact that he’s going to make his cellphone puke at any moment.
I dig through the drawer until I find the three-dollar item I rashly bought when they were all the hype. “A fidget spinner. Your phone is getting dizzy. Try this.” I toss him the small metal device.
He catches it easily in one hand and then holds it in his palm, staring at it with one brow cocked. “What’s it for?”
“People like you. It’s not hard to figure out. Just play around with it,” I suggest and laugh lightly at his confusion. There’s no way that he hasn’t noticed he’s been spinning his phone for fifteen minutes.
I pull the whiskey from the cabinet above the sink and grab a glass from the cupboard. “What do you want me to mix it with? I just have cola, but I’ve seen some strange people use water, though I don’t know how they could possibly stand the taste.”
This causes Kade to laugh out loud. “I drink it plain. No mix.”
I stare at him in disbelief. I’ve seen people do it at bars and on tv but the thought of it makes me want to gag. How could that possibly be enjoyable?
“You’re wincing as if you’re in actual pain, May, it’s just whiskey. You get used to it after drinking it straight for many, many years,” he teases.
I pour him a full glass of straight whiskey. Won’t this knock him out? He stands and reaches for the glass I’ve poured him and places it in front of him.
We take our seats back at the table and have the first sips of our drinks. I watch Kade as he swallows, waiting for him to gag or show pain or distaste if any kind but he swallows it as if it’s only water and then takes a second swallow.
“You say you’ve been drinking it for many years. You only look to be around my age but I’m guessing you’re much older,” I observe casually, watching him fiddling with the spinner in his hands, trying to figure it out.
“Is that meant to be a statement or are you wondering my age?” he asks with amusement sparkling in his eyes. He doesn’t give me the chance to answer. “I was born in England in 1715, making me over three hundred years old.” He gauges my reaction again, looking weary like this is uncomfortable for him to admit to me.
“That’s so...old,” I say it before I can stop myself.
He chuckles. “Yes, from a human’s perspective, that is old.”
“You don’t have an accent,” I notice.
Kade takes a drink of his whiskey and then seems to relax a bit when he realizes that I’m not about to become overwhelmed a faint or something. He swishes the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing and saying, “I do, I just do everything in my power to anger my father. He doesn’t like change and if he’d never been offered a position of such high power here in America, we’d never have come here. He very much dislikes this country. When he disowned me, I took every chance I could to piss him right off, including my most recent plot of dropping my accent, learning American slang and pop culture. He loathes it. It seriously infuriates him. I’m an embarrassment to him anyway. I’m basically just stirring the pot.”
“But...you’re banned from the community now and you’ve chosen to keep it up?” I ask in confusion. I could see how having your father disown you could lead to such behavior but why keep it up if it’s not you? I imagine talking in a foreign accent all the time and can’t imagine how annoying and tough it would be. Conversation should be thoughtless, not a chore.
“I doubt you’d be able to understand me very well if I didn’t.”
I cock a brow. “Sure, I will. It’s still English,” I argue. “Try me.”
He relaxes a bit. “Modern Americans have told me I’m hard to understand. My accent is more than dated.”
“I guess I’ll just have to learn to understand it. Do you have trouble understanding me?” I wonder.
He purses his lips. “No, I’ve had a lot of time to get acquainted with the American accent.”
“Say something,” I push, clasping my hands together and leaning forward in my seat.
A silent, semi awkward moment passes between us before he grins wickedly. “What would you like me say?”
“I don’t know, just say something. Like comment on the weather or something.” Why is this so amusing to me?
“Err...the weather is a bit sunny but there are also a few clouds and it’s a little chilly,” he describes in his thick native accent as he stares out the kitchen window. His gaze seems to catch something and it takes a moment before he pulls himself back into the kitchen.
I lean back and look up at the roof, pretending I’m deep in thought. “Okay,” I nod finally as if studying his words very carefully. “I can get used to that.”
This causes him to chuckle. “Can you?”
I nod a few times while trying not to laugh. “I can.”
“Do you always make normal situations so awkward?” Kade mutters teasingly and takes the last gulp of his drink before standing and collecting both of our glasses and taking them to the counter. “More wine for the lady?”
I nod. “Yes, to the wine and also yes to the awkwardness. Sorry.” My halfhearted apology causing his lips to twitch.
He returns with a full glass of whiskey for himself and a glass of wine for me. “Are you hungry? I could order us something for supper.”
Shrugging, I recall my gourmet supper. Cereal. “What do you have in mind?”
“What do you enjoy? Chinese? Pizza? I have no preference.” He leans back in his chair with his arms crossed firmly at his chest.
I jump up and dig through my purse until I find the takeout pamphlets I keep in the front pocket. I toss them in front of him. “Me neither. Surprise me.”
As he flips through the menus, I sip my wine and watch him while relaxing back in my chair. It’s nice to be spending my first night in my new apartment with someone else as I’m not yet comfortable here. It doesn’t feel like home. With everything I’ve learnt about supernatural beings existing, living by myself is still not something I am completely comfortable with. Looking at Kade in front of me, a supernatural being himself, I realize how contradictory my two statements are. I don’t want to be here alone because of my discomfort surrounding the existence of supernaturals but I feel safer with one staying with me.
“So, ghosts are real?” I interrupt his browsing.
He doesn’t look up from the menu. “Wraiths. Humans who’ve passed from supernatural causes.”
“And both Harriet and the man who killed my brother before he became Bryxx were wraiths?”
Kade glances up at me. “No. Harriet is a wraith. Wraiths have no physical influence on the living world. They cannot touch or move anything like in movies. The man who killed your brother was something else entirely.”
Confused, I wait for him to continue but he doesn’t. “What was he then?”
“I’d prefer you not know everything about my world. Not all supernatural beings are like the Bryxx who generally leave the average human alone for the most part. Some are not so kind. If you think the Bryxx are unfair and cruel, you will definitely not like the beings that the Bryxx build the heavily guarded walls to defend their race from.”
“The wall and the guards aren’t to protect the Bryxx from human discovery?” I wonder.
He shakes his head. “Humans are no threat to Bryxx. They’re weak and easily manipulated through influence.”
I swallow, not sure if I do want to know what could scare the Br