The basket of fries is finished and I tried a peanut but it’s not hitting the spot. I need real food. A burger, a pizza, a anything, really, besides more cold fries and peanuts.
Kathy wanders back over while I flick the basket back and forth between my hands.
“For them, not I. Youngin’, you oughta be getting’ back to The Host.”
My hands stop batting the basket like a cat. “How do you know about that?”
The corner of her lip rises, revealing perfect white straight teeth. “I’m a Protector.”
“Where…” I say slowly, processing the fact that Kathy is talking just like Levon and Talis. “…is your Leaver?”
She tsks her tongue. “In the back corner.”
Sure enough, a man stares back, and waves.
“Your mama and pops, they came about years ago when you’sa just a young thing and designated some of us to protect you and watch over you when you’s eventually run away from The Host while you decides if Levon is crazy or not.”
My brows furrow. “How could you’ve known that?”
She wipes the counter beside me. “Why’d you’s think your mom and Levon always talk ‘bout this place being a restaurant, when clearly, we’re just a bar with fries?”
She makes a valid point. A very valid point. Mom did talk a lot about this place and so did Levon and they made it clear, if I wanted to eat out I should try this restaurant. Peculiar.
“So, darlin’, I suggest you finish up and head back to The Host ‘cause lots of Hiyulahs are on the hunt for ya’s and I smell one a comin’ right now. This is the only safe place for ya in the Lifeworld now you’s of age. But if anyone’s ask besides Levon and your Protector, don’t be talking ‘bout this place or they’ll destroy us.”
“Who will destroy you?”
“Get goin’, she close, now.”
I think, that’s enough evidence for me to believe Levon and believe Talis. Well, more like believe I’m not creating my own hallucination from a carbon monoxide hot spot.
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“Could I have some more fries?” I ask.
“You have got to leave now,” she says. “No more food.”
“Please?”
I’d like some to go, at least to have a snack at The Host. Kathy nods, pulls out her phone to text, and heads to the back.
About a minute later my phone goes off, making me jump in my seat.
Ring, ring, ring.
A panicked Levon is on the otherside. "Lyla, where the friggin' hell are you? I'm at The Host and you're nowhere in here at – did you go into the basement? The door is open."
"Uhm," I say. "I left to get a bite to eat and –"
"Dude. Lyla. You need to get back right now. You're going to think I’m crazy but someone is in the house, I think in the basement. And if I get killed-”
"Killed? You’re going to get killed? Levon, you're crazier than mom."
"Lyla," he whispers, "come back right now. I'm going to make my way to the front door while I'm talking to you." There's a creak in the background and a rush of static against my ear. "If I don't make it out of here, tell Tessa-”
He hangs up.
I don’t think I’m crazy anymore but Kathy hasn’t walked through that door yet to get stale, cold fries and Levon is about to be killed by whatever is in the house. But I’ll go back to The Host without my fries, not because Kathy and what she said about a monster coming here but because Levon is scared. As I walk past the table of men, the stench of smoke wraps under my nose. It engulfs me for a moment and while everything swirls gray and white around me, one of those men grabs my shoulder, Kathy’s Leaver, his fingers digging into my skin. I can't see him but I hear him in my ear. He says,
"Wrapped in smoke,
stench is tight,
keep the Earth,
wrapped with might."
He pushes me through the door. The light is so bright, I have to shield my eyes with my hands. I stumble down the step and towards Levon's car. A familiar voice makes me stop in my tracks. I blink a few times, eyes finally adjusting. The voice, it follows me and I want to hold onto my charm and ask it if I should run. But I don't have my charm in my hand. I have Levon's keys. I fumble for the right one and unlock the door. The voice comes to me again. Did you do that yourself? Visceral. It churns my stomach. She says a lot of other words to me but all I hear are the colors I saw when Talis touched me. I have no other words except for I hear the colors and it blocks Jessica’s words. I open the door and slide in the seat. The voice is muffled but I don't care. I don't really care about a lot anymore.
I don't care why she’s talking to me. I don't care that I forgot to ask if those peanuts were free or not. I don't care to check my rearview, though I do anyways. Platinum blonde hair and eyes that pierce mine through the mirror. I check the sideview mirror. She seems so far away but I know if I look over my shoulder, she’ll be a lot closer than I think. I shouldn't have looked. I take off for my g-rents place and speed down the driveway. I don't care if I'm hallucinating or not anymore. I don't care that my brother is peculiar now and walks around the forest with Tessa. I don't care that her bracelet reminds me of mom. I don’t care about training with Siegrist. I don't care about anything at the moment, just Levon being alone with whatever thing is found him.
Oh my, oh my.