A Place Worth Living

by B D Grant

  “I will give you any material I can put my hands on. In a week or so I’ll ask William if we can go on a weekend trip. We can find more stuff in Aurora.” She moves my hand off the knob and opens it for me.

  “He’ll let me go with you?” I ask, walking out.

  “I think so once things calm down. Til tomorrow,” she says shutting her door.

  Getting to visit Aurora after hearing all the stories about it would be like going to a haunted house. Maybe Cassidy will show me the house she used to live in where her parents were killed.

  Ashley tells me about all the sights in Aurora on our walk to last period. “A lot of stuff isn’t there anymore, but the city council building is still standing.”

  “Is it a ghost town?”

  “No, it’s a normal small town. There’s even a Dairy Queen.”

  “Wow, that must’ve been a big deal.”

  “It was, thank you very much. Have you ever had their ice cream? It’s delicious.” “Okay, be serious,” I tell her. “Will Cassidy take me to the hot spots around Aurora?”

  “Hot spots? Like bars? You’re underage, Taylor.”

  “No, I am talking about where Rogues attacked Seraphim.”

  Ashley stares at me with a disgusted look for a second. It’s long enough that I begin to feel uncomfortable. Her look of disgust looks turns into seriousness. “You don’t want to see that, Taylor. People died. Good people.” I do want to though.

  “Miss. Jameson,” my teacher calls. I’m outside the classroom finishing my conversation with Ashley.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  She points to the speaker on the wall in her room. “They called for you. You’re needed at the front office.”

  “Ooo, you’re in trouble,” Ashley teases. I roll my eyes.

  I stride in the main office expecting to see Cassidy. It’s been a couple of hours since our lunch date. She could have found something already.

  “Taylor Jameson,” I tell the woman behind the desk.

  A huge lost and found box is on one side behind her and on the other side there is a line of belts hanging up waiting for any student who forgets to wear their own.

  “Principle McBride wants to see you,” she tells me.

  “Really?” I ask, genuinely surprised.

  A phone rings on the desk that houses the speaker board to all the classrooms. “Yes,” she says turning her attention to the phone.

  I juggle between wanting to take my time so he gets a taste of his own medicine and wanting to run straight there. I pause outside the entryway to the back offices. I take a deep breath and turn the corner.

  As I do I channel the coolest cowboys I’ve seen in old westerns. I keep my hands at my sides, fingers loose. “So we meet again,” I say wiggling my fingers.

  Uncle Will’s secretary looks up. She’s not amused at all by my attempt at being funny. “Good evening, Miss Jameson.” She goes to the door that has remained shut during all my previous visits. She gives it a quick knock then opens it.

  I walk in as Uncle Will says, “Come in.” The secretary shuts the door behind me. Upon seeing me, he asks nicely, “How have you been?”

  I cross my arms not sure if I want to play nice after having to wait this long to see him. We aren’t alone in his office so I’ll have to save my lecture on disserting family for a later date. John is standing on the side of Uncle Will’s desk. Looks like Ashley was right, I am in trouble.

  “I’ve been okay. Am I in trouble for yesterday?” I ask looking at John. Uncle Will looks over at him with a confused expression. John leans over and whispers something I can’t hear.

  Uncle Will smiles. “This has nothing to do with being out too late. It was decided that once security was properly staffed that the school’s key figures, like myself, would have personal security. John is among the most qualified in that aspect so he won the position of working with me.”

  “For you,” John corrects.

  “Why am I here then?”

  “I’ve found myself in a predicament. Family day is tomorrow and our key speaker for the event has informed me that he won’t make it in time.”

  “What does that have to do with me?”

  “Good question. I would like recent events to be discussed tomorrow. Many of the Seraphim that will be present tomorrow believe Rogues are no longer a threat. I need someone to speak with first-hand experience about what’s happening right now.” He stares at me waiting for it to sink in why he called me here.

  “You can’t mean me.” I shake my head ‘no’ at the thought. “I’m a kid. No one is going to listen to me.”

  “Don’t underestimate yourself, Taylor. You were there, were you not? Strangers took your father in the middle of the day.”

  Dad standing in Jake’s yard flashes in front of me. “I was there.”

  Uncle Will dramatically holds his hand up towards me as if I’ve offered him something. “That’s all I need. You tell them exactly what you saw. Tell them what you felt. Tell them about having to leave your home and everything you’ve ever known in fear. People have forgotten what Rogues are capable of and I need you to remind them.” He’s telling me he wants me to stand in front of strangers and cry about what happened.

  “I’ve never liked giving presentations in front of a class of fifteen peers. How do you expect me to talk about all this in front of ten times the amount of people?”

  “Twenty-five times,” John mumbles.

  Uncle Will shoots him a look. “When I was your age, I was just as uncomfortable, scared even, of talking in front of people, but I did. And I know you can do it too. It doesn’t have to be long and you don’t have to answer questions afterwards if you don’t want to.”

  “There has to be someone better. Why not Cassidy or Dillon Weston? They have much scarier stories than mine. John looks like he has some good stories to tell.” John isn’t happy I’m bringing him into this.

  Uncle Will is shaking his head gently. “They need to hear what is happening now, Taylor. You are the only person here that knows first hand.”

  I can already hear it, “The principle’s niece is an idiot.” That’s what everyone will think if I tell them my five minutes of “first hand” experience. I’ll make a fool out of myself and whatever my uncle is trying to accomplish will fail, thanks to me. “My mom could do it. She’ll come if you ask her to. She’s much better with this kind of stuff.” Adult stuff.

  Uncle Will turns to John. “Could you give us a minute?”

  “Yes sir.” John leaves.

  Uncle Will walks around his desk. “There are other people I could ask. People who can talk about family members that have recently gone missing, but none of them witnessed anything. They have nothing substantial. I can’t talk to them and the student body about what I know because I can’t disclose my sources. Catherine believes in you and so do I.”

  “You spoke to my mom about this?”

  “Yes. I wanted her opinion before I came to you. She knows the real reasons for the increased security so, she knows we need all the support we can get.”

  “Like, reasons besides Rogues knowing our location?”

  “Yes and don’t repeat that.”

  “I won’t,” I assure him.

  “You see tomorrow is going to be less about seeing the students and more about gaining support for a move against Rogues.”

  My eyes bulge despite myself. “We’re going to fight them. As in, you know where they are to fight them?”

  Uncle Will motions with his hands for me to lower my voice. “Keep it down. We don’t know where they are but if everything falls into place we will soon.” I open my mouth but he stops me. “And I haven’t found anything out about Darrell.” My mouth shuts. “I have faith if he’s alive we’ll get him back.”

  “If,” I repeat softly.

  Uncle Will’s hands slid in his pockets. His voice is equally soft, “You know his chances aren’t good.”

  “I know,” I say in almost a whisper. Knowing it neve
r caused my chest to hurt like hearing it does. The truth of Dad’s situation is that he’s most certainly dead along with Jake and his parents. Not one time have I heard about anyone surviving being taken by members of the Rogue organization. After a long moment I say, “I’ll do it.”

  He looks surprised. “You will?”

  “Dad did everything to keep us hidden. If they could find him than they can get anyone. Seraphim should know that they’re all in danger.”

  He gives me a proud grin. “That is my thinking precisely.” He takes a few steps toward the door. “You can come back in, John,” he says loudly to the shut door.

  John peeks his head inside the office. “Cassidy Sipe is here to see you. Do you want me to let her in?”

  “Sure, sure,” Uncle Will says, waving him in.

  Cassidy follows John in. She raises an eyebrow when she spots me standing by Uncle Will’s desk. “Someone finally got her meeting with the man in charge,” she says playfully.

  Uncle Will walks up to me and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Cass, I would like to introduce you to our speaker for Family Day.”

  Her smile weakens. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

  “Completely,” he tells her.

  “I’m not asking you,” she says looking at me. Uncle Will turns to me as well. He looks confident in his decision, whereas Cassidy looks worried. “You’ve been through a lot. No one would blame you if you didn’t want to take this on.”

  I do my best imitating Uncle Will’s confidence. “We discussed it and it’s something that needs to be shared.”

  Uncle Will squeezes my shoulder triumphantly. “You’re a brave young lady,” he says in my ear.

  “She must get it from you,” Cassidy says looking unhappily between the two of us. If anyone deserves credit for my bravery it should be my parents. Cassidy continues hesitantly, “The last thing I wanted to do after my parents were killed was talk about them.” Cassidy bringing up her parents instantly warps the confidence I’m feeling into dread. My parent’s could easily meet the same fate.

  “Is that really necessary?” Uncle Will asks when he sees my mood deteriorate. Cassidy acts unaware of the change she’s caused. “What? I’m being honest. She deserves at least that.”

  A beep comes from Uncle Will’s phone followed by his secretary’s voice saying, “Your 3:20 is here.”

  “They’re early. Send them to the conference room.”

  Cassidy perks up. “What a nice change to have people that are considerate of our time,” she says as she walks out the door. The door doesn’t close all the way behind her. We can hear her greeting Uncle Will’s 3:20. “Gentlemen, my name’s Cassidy Sipe. It’s nice to meet more of our new security personnel.”

  “It’s an honor to meet you, ma’am,” A male voice tells her.

  “Oh none of that ‘ma’am’ nonsense. I’m far too young for all that. Miss Sipe will do. Now if you all will follow me to the conference room.”

  Uncle Will walks me slowly to the door in no rush to leave. John waits patiently by the door. “If you want to go over your speech beforehand I’ll let my secretary know you’re welcome to stop by tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I’d like that.”

  He pulls me into a one armed hug and quickly releases me. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you agreed to this.”

  “I’m happy to do it.”

  He gives me a big smile at the door. “I could almost believe you.”

  John shuts the door behind us and follows Uncle Will to the conference room. “See ya,” I say, heading in the opposite direction for class.

  “All I’m doing is distracting you from finishing your speech,” Ashley tells me. “I’m going to my room. Good luck,” she says. For an hour I’ve been asking her about every sentence I write down for the speech.

  “Fine, Bye,” I grumble, dreading being left alone to finish it. I follow Uncle Will’s advice and write exactly what I can recall; from the time I heard the first scream to driving away in a panic headed for an unknown destination.

  Family day flies by. Classes become more deserted as students are reunited with their loved ones that have made it through the screening process Uncle Will’s people are administering. I go to Cassidy’s office at lunch wanting to go over my speech with her before bringing it to my uncle.

  Bet stops me. “Hold on. She’s in a meeting.”

  “Okay.” I sit in the chair nearest her office. I sit silently reviewing my speech. “Look at the time,” Bet merrily says from her desk. She pushes the chair she’s sitting in away from her desk. “I’m going to lunch. If anyone comes by tell them I’ll be back in an hour and Cassidy’s booked for the day.”

  “Sure,” I say, watching her rush out. She must have a lunch date.

  Now that the room is dead quiet I can hear Cassidy in her office pleaing, “We can’t both go, William.”

  Uncle Will says harshly, “You aren’t going. If something were to happen to you I couldn’t bare it. This was my idea. I’m not going to put this responsibility on your shoulders.” There’s a noise like someone slams something down.

  “This is not your burden, it’s everyone’s. What do you think would happen if you went and something happened to you? Who would take your place? And don’t you dare say me.” It goes quiet and I have to put my ear closer to the door to hear Cassidy as she transforms from the mean woman I know her to be into a much sweeter sounding one. “Will, I’m the fighter. Everyone knows I’m more than capable during a fight and as a cherry on top; I can do it while watching Catherine’s back. If anyone had to choose between me or you, I would be the best choice for a take down.”

  “I’ve never pretended to be the better fighter out of the two of us,” he says. “Don’t leave out that I’m the better gunman with the most successful missions in school.”

  “If they would’ve given an award for Most Likely to be a Badass, it would go to you,” Uncle Will jokes.

  “That’s the most reasonable thing you’ve said all week. Now, I need to hear that you’ll be at a safe distance tomorrow. I know it would hurt you if, God forbid, I didn’t come back, but it would hurt everyone if you didn’t.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Cass.”

  “Look, just think about it and be honest with yourself when you do. We have too much to do today.”

  Someone moves to the door. I dive for the chair by the door.

  Uncle Will eyes me suspiciously when he opens the door. He sees the papers in my hand. “Where you looking for me?”

  “No, I’m here for my lunch date with Cassidy.” I look down at the papers too. “I wanted to go over my speech with her first.”

  He walks out the door. Cassidy sticks her head out the door. “I lost track of time. Come in.” I walk around Uncle Will. Cassidy stays at the door with my uncle as I go sit in my normal seat facing her desk. I watch over my shoulder as Uncle Will kisses Cassidy’s cheek.

  “Later,” he whispers.

  “You sound like you’re reading,” Cassidy tells me after I finish my first run through of the speech.

  “I am reading it.”

  She goes to her desk, sits, and jots something down. “What are you doing?”

  She pauses mid-writing. “Making a note for my next faculty meeting. If other students your age are this bad at public speaking than it needs to be addressed.”

  “You’re not being helpful.”

  “More mandatory classroom presentations will be,” she says. I frown and she notices. She clicks the top of her pen, setting it down. “You’ll lose the audiences’ interest sounding robotic like that.”

  “So, how do I fix that?”

  “Simple, don’t bore your audience.” She hops up from the desk and goes to the couch. “I found something this morning.” She picks an open book up from her couch. I take it from her when she hands it to me. I skim over the pages she has it open to.

  “This doesn’t say anything.” The book is open to one blank page and the sta
rt of a new chapter. The only print is the chapter number.

  “You have to read. It’s in that chapter,” she tells me tearing a paper out of the notepad she’s writing in. “I’ll let you get to it while I run this down the hall.”

  I scan through the chapter more concerned about my upcoming speech than the book. The chapter’s about Seraphim that believe evolution is the only factor involved in how we acquired our abilities.

  “Have you finished it?” Cassidy asks when she walks in to find the book closed on my lap.

  “You got me so paranoid about speaking tonight. I can’t focus on something like reading an entire chapter.”

  She looks at her watch. “You have four hours to work on your speech. That’s plenty of time.” Four days wouldn’t be enough time for me to feel differently. My speech sucks. Cassidy’s said as much. I don’t know what else I can do. It isn’t a good story to tell and it’s evident when I tell it that I hate talking about it.

  Cassidy picks up her phone. “Have we heard anything on the Doyle’s yet?” I’m startled when she jumps from her chair. She tosses the phone down. “Forgot to tell me,” she grumbles to herself. She grabs the jacket hanging off the back of her chair. She stuffs her arms in the sleeves. “I have to end our session early. I’ve got to entertain adults now.”

  “Can I come with you? Most of the students are out now so I’ll probably just have movies to watch in the rest of my classes.”

  Cassidy smiles and hands me a letter. “I was prepared,” she tells me as I unfold it. Cassidy has given me permission to miss my last class for, “final preparations for this evenings speech.” I fold it up and put in my bag along with my speech. “Keep the book. You can read it later tonight. We can discuss it at lunch tomorrow.”

  “Thanks.” I shove the book in my bag with the class excuse and my speech.

  We stop just short of the door. “And remind me tomorrow to get a new secretary,” she says, with annoyance written all over her face.

  Bet’s back from lunch. “Sorry about that,” she says when we exit Cassidy’s office.