Djinn

by Laura Catherine

  "I'll send you a text every hour to prove I'm still alive," I said.

  "Good. See you later, Kyra."

  "Bye, Dad."

  I hung up the phone and slid it back in my pocket. Pulling my other arm into the strap of my school bag, I gazed out over the schoolyard. Parents were picking up their children, and older students were getting into their own cars to drive home. I wished I had my own car, but Dad and I could barely afford to survive, let alone have two vehicles. Still, sometimes I did wish for normal things. Things I could call my own.

  I scanned the car park for signs of danger, mostly out of habit, but also because I'd promised Dad and I felt bad about disappointing him earlier. There were no signs of anyone suspicious—and then I spotted two people standing by a small black hatchback. One of them was Pyke, and the other a girl I didn't recognise.

  The girl reminded me of a goth, dressed in black boots, matching skirt and a leather jacket. Her hair was a jet-black bob with streaks of purple, giving her a rebellious look. I don't think I'd ever seen so much eyeliner on the one person before. I would never wear something like that.

  Pyke's face was pointed while the girl's was more round, but they both had certain qualities that made them appear similar—and not just their matching leather jackets. They had the same eyes, the same shrewd facial expression, like they were too good to be around everyone else. They leaned against the hood of the car, eyes scanning the car park.

  Pyke spotted me and nudged the girl to look. They stared at me and I felt heat in my cheeks. Pyke must have been showing her who I was after we'd talked in sport class. Maybe he was letting her know about the weirdo girl.

  I gave them a small wave out of awkwardness. Pyke returned my wave and smiled, which surprised me. Maybe those girls hadn't got to him, after all. The goth girl only watched with dark eyes, not moving a muscle. I shrugged, putting it all down to girls being weird. Most of them were.

  Girls seemed to naturally dislike me. I think it was because I was sporty and got attention from boys, but obviously they were mistaking the interest for attraction, when it was clearly jealousy of my athletic style. Either way, I hadn't ever had a girlfriend and I never really wanted one.

  I walked past the shops and picked up groceries for dinner. With my school bag on my back and my arms filled with shopping bags I slowly made my way home. Carrying all the weight it took me ten times as long, but I figured it was like weight training.

  The streets became quieter the further away from the school and shops I got. I preferred it that way; there were less annoying sounds and more natural ones, like the chirping birds and the whistling wind through the trees. Those were the sounds I liked best.

  I strolled at an easy pace in a daydream state, until a strange feeling came over me, like I could feel someone watching me. My head flicked around in the hopes of catching who or whatever it was, but when my eyes took in the scene there was nothing but an empty street, the leaves blowing off the trees in a chilling breeze as the afternoon light lit up the sky in orange hues. The scene was so peaceful. I didn't know why I was being so silly. There was nothing there and I was being paranoid. I shook my head, freeing the doubts from my mind—but I did notice my pace quickened after that.

  I trudged up our driveway, kicking the autumn leaves out of the way. A noise behind me caused me to turn, but not in alarm. I knew this noise. It was the bark of the golden Lab. He trotted up the driveway behind me, tongue hanging out and cheeks raised, as if he were smiling at me.

  "Hey, there," I said, dropping the shopping bags and bending down to pat him. He nuzzled my hand and followed me as I headed to the house.

  As I got to the stairs and onto the porch, I felt one of the shopping bags rip as groceries scattered the ground.

  "Dammit," I said, growling a little.

  I opened the front door and dropped my school bag and the other groceries on the kitchen floor then turned, shoulders slumped, and trudged back outside to retrieve the other items. To my surprise, the Lab darted past me into the kitchen with a can of beans in his mouth. He dropped it next to the other groceries and headed back outside for more.

  I stood in the doorway staring at the stray that was helping me bring the groceries in. He cocked his head at me as he passed again, this time with a frozen dinner pack in his mouth as if to say, "Well, come and help."

  "Sure," I said, even though he hadn't actually asked anything. I darted outside, picked up some more cans and plopped them on the table. The Lab picked up the last of them, dropped them on the floor and lay down next to the table, staring at me with warm eyes.

  "Umm … thanks," I said.

  A gust of wind blew through the open door and I remembered I had promised to lock it. Usually I would just tell Dad I had locked all the doors, but that strange feeling was still clinging to me. I locked the front and went around to do the back. I even checked all the windows.

  Finally convinced I was safe until Dad came home, I set about putting away the groceries in to their rightful places. I even chopped up some vegetables for a homemade stir-fry. Dad and I didn't do a lot of home-cooked meals, but I felt like putting in the effort. That and I wanted to put off my math homework for as long as possible.

  The Lab remained by my side in the kitchen, content in the warmth of indoors. I let him stay. Dad wouldn't be home for a few more hours and the dog had earned his place. I tossed him some cuts of meat as I mixed them into the stir-fry, but he wouldn't touch the raw bits, only eating when I'd cooked them. What a strange dog. I wondered who he belonged to? The way he looked and acted, there was no way he was a stray, but then, why wasn't he with his owners and why hadn't I seen him before?

  I bent over and checked for a collar, but his neck was bare. Maybe he was mircochipped, but I hadn't seen any posters for missing dogs. If Lab was keen to stick around with me, then who was I to deny him?

  "I'm going to ask Dad if I can keep you," I told him, and he barked in answer. "It will take a lot of convincing, but I can be very persistent."

  The veggies and sauce simmered on low heat in the pan, ready and waiting for when Dad got home. I checked the clock and sent Dad a sixth text to let him know I was okay. My phone beeped not long after with a reply.

  Not sure when I'll be heading home. You can start dinner without me.

  I turned off the stove and served up our meals. I stored Dad's in the microwave so it was ready to heat up and placed mine on the table. I paused for a moment to check outside the window; the feeling hadn't left me since the walk home. I still felt like I was being watched, and I wondered whether or not to tell Dad about it when he arrived home. It was just a feeling, and I had no real proof, but that would be enough for him; he'd have us packed up and heading out of town by midnight, and not give it a second thought.

  "He doesn't need to know," I decided, pulling cutlery from the draw and looking down at my new friend, who I'd decided to name Lab. Well, at least until I found out if I could keep him, anyway. "It's fine. We need to stay here longer. Dad needs that promotion."

  The Lab didn't say anything and continued to lie with his head on his paws, half watching me, half asleep. I'd finished my meal and finally decided to pull out my homework when I heard the Ute pull up outside. The Lab's ears pricked and he scurried to the door, pawing at it to be let out.

  "Relax," I said. "It's just Dad."

  I unlocked the door and the Lab dashed off into the darkness. "Lab?" I called, but he didn't return.

  "Hi, kiddo," Dad said as he walked toward me.

  "Hey, Dad." I stopped looking for the Lab and turned my attention to Dad. I could see the weariness in his eyes after a long day at work.

  We both stepped inside and I closed the door. I put my bowl in the sink and fetched Dad's meal from the microwave. He slumped into his chair and I placed his dinner in front of him.

  "Thanks," he said. "Smells good. How was school?"

  I turned on the tap and filled the sink. "Same old, same old," I replied, washing the dishes.<
br />
  "Make any friends today?"

  I cocked my head at him and give my usual "Did-you-just-ask-that?" look.

  He put his hands up in defence. "I was just asking. People need friends, Kyra."

  An image of the Lab flashed in my mind. He was my friend, but he wasn't human, and Dad would never let me keep him.

  "I don't get on with anyone and, even if I did, we'd just leave. It's easier not to let anyone in," I said, lowering my head to focus on the dishes.

  "Hey!"

  The alarm in his voice made me turn to him. He caught my eye and held my gaze; his eyes were a strange red colour, like he needed sleep, but it was more than just the white areas—it was his iris, too.

  "You should have friends, Kyra," he said, sternly. "I want you to have friends. I want you to have a normal life. I—"

  "Dad," I cut him off and took his hands in mine. "I know you want the best for me. I do want those things, but I can't have them; at least, not now. I'm okay, though. Really, Dad, I'm good."

  He sighed and for once looked his age, with baggy eyes and wrinkled face.

  "I think you need to go to bed," I said, moving closer. "Your eyes are all red—"

  Dad jumped from his chair and turned away from me.

  "Dad?"

  "Ah, you're right, kiddo," he said. "I'm just going to go to bed, night."

  I'd never seen Dad move so fast out of the kitchen without eating his meal. He didn't even kiss my forehead goodnight.

  I counted it down to him being overworked. He wasn't used to these late shifts, but if he wanted that promotion he had to put in the extra time.

  I cleaned up the kitchen, putting Dad's dinner in the fridge in case he wanted it later. I did the dishes and, by the time I was done, the clock read 10:46 pm. I wasn't going to get anything done tonight and, after my nightmare the evening before, I felt as tired as Dad looked.

  Double-checking all the doors were locked, I headed upstairs in an attempt to get enough sleep to get me through the next day. Even as I closed my eyes I still couldn't help but feel a presence around me, watching me. I wished the Lab had stayed.

  Chapter Six

  I woke the next morning, having managed to fight off my dreams and come out the other side, feeling refreshed. The strange feeling from yesterday had left me and I was glad to be rid of it. I showered and dressed in no particular hurry and headed downstairs for breakfast.

  Dad was feeling much better this morning, too, having two servings of breakfast. His face was as youthful as ever, and his eyes, their usual brown colour.

  Apparently, I'd gotten my golden eyes from my mother. The only time Dad ever mentioned Mum was when he stared into my eyes and said they reminded him of her.

  "Dad, when is Mum's birthday?" I asked, shovelling cereal into my mouth.

  Dad paused for a moment, milk dripping from his half-raised spoon. "October 2nd," he replied, but didn't elaborate or ask why I wanted to know.

  "I think we should have a little party on that day," I continued. "I think we should celebrate her. She is my mother, after all."

  "Kyra …" He had the usual tone of exhaustion, not really frustrated, just tired of me asking. I couldn't help it though; she was my mother, and I wanted to know more about her. How could he not see that?

  I let my shoulders slump and turned my head away from him.

  "We better go or I'll be late for school."

  Dad drove me again, but we didn't talk much. I think he was feeling a little guilty over the conversation about Mum. He shifted in his seat, the way he did when he was uncomfortable or wanted to say something. I realised this might be the perfect opportunity to ask him about Lab.

  "Hey, Dad," I said, turning from the window to face him.

  "Hey, Kyra," he replied and I knew I'd used the "I want something" voice. He smiled at me. "What do you want now?"

  "Just listen to what I have to say first and then you can have your say, okay?"

  "Okay." He raised an eyebrow at me. "This is going to be good."

  "Shhh," I said. "No talking. So there is this stray dog, a Labrador, that I've sort of become friends with and I was hoping you might possibly consider letting me keep him."

  Dad's face said it all, and it wasn't the answer I was looking for.

  "Just hear me out," I pleaded. "He's smart and helpful. He's a good friend—"

  "Kyra …"

  "I can train him to be a watch dog. He'll earn his keep—"

  "Kyra, we've had this discussion before," he said.

  "Yeah, but I was younger and you were unreasonable." Shouldn't have said that.

  "It's not unreasonable. Dogs are a lot of work and mean more money being spent to keep them alive."

  I was clearly losing this argument, which meant I would revert to the only thing I could do.

  "I've never asked for anything before," I said, pretending to cry. I didn't do this often. I felt guilty about guilt-tripping Dad, but I wanted Lab more than anything. "I hardly have anything that's mine, and I just want something constant."

  "I'll think about it," he said.

  "Please I—wait, what?"

  "I said, I'll think about."

  Dad had never said that before. Had I actually gotten though to him?

  "Thanks, Dad."

  "It'll probably be another late one, kiddo," he said as we pulled up to the school, clearly done talking about Lab.

  "I promise to be careful and have dinner waiting." I put my left hand up. "Scout's honour."

  He laughed. "You never were a scout."

  "No, because I would have been far too good for them," I joked. Dad's reasoning for not letting me join the scouts when I was younger was that I was much better than them and it wouldn't have been fair. Really, he didn't want me getting attached because he had planned to move away the following weekend. It upset me, so he took me camping for a month to make up for it; although, now that I think about it, he probably just wanted to save more money.

  "See ya, Dad." I kissed his cheek.

  "Bye, Kyra."

  I watched him drive away before heading inside for first period, English. English was by far my favourite subject, even before sport. Sport was fun because I was good at it, but English was like my hobby; it was something I chose to do because I loved reading and books. There was so much interesting stuff to learn about.

  Miss Bree was one of the best English teachers I'd ever had. She liked to pick books outside of the curriculum, far more interesting books. I always sat in the front of her classes because it wasn't often I had a teacher I actually liked teaching my favourite subject.

  "Morning, class," she said with her usual smile. She was one of the youngest teachers at the school and her baby face didn't help her any. She looked like a student, really, except she dressed in suits to distinguish herself from the rest of us. "I have the results of your tests here."

  We'd just finished reading about King Arthur and Merlin, a great story full of castles and magic. I'd always been much more interested in the magical worlds of books. Magic just seemed much easier to understand.

  Miss Bree handed back our tests and I was pleased to see I'd received an A+. Not that I was surprised; I'd read everything I could find on King Arthur, spending three times as long working on the essay than I did my math homework.

  "Well done, Sally," Miss Bree said, handing a paper to the girl next to me. "I love the extra effort you put in."

  I gave her a genuine smile. First Dad actually listened to me, and now I was being praised by my favourite teacher. This day was getting better and better.

  "Alright," Miss Bree said as she made her way back to the front of the class. "We've finished with King Arthur and we're moving on to one of my favourite books: Arabian Nights. Now, can anyone tell me about the book?"

  A few uncertain hands rose in the air. I'd never read the book before.

  "Yes, Rachel," Miss Bree said.

  Rachel was the girl sitting next to me. She had a pointed face that reminded me of a ch
ipmunk but with her heavy makeup, skimpy clothes and bleached blond hair she was clearly a popular girl in school.

  "Umm … it's the one about the boy from the streets who finds a lamp and gets a blue genie to grant him three wishes? I think he was voiced by Robin Williams."

  "That was Aladdin, Rachel," Miss Bree corrected. "And that was a movie."

  The class erupted in giggles and Rachel's face burned bright red. She was popular, but not very bright—just the way teenage boys liked her.

  "Settle down." Miss Bree silenced the class with her hands. "Rachel's not completely wrong. Arabian Nights does have genies in it, but they are called Djinn. They are tricksters who turn the wishes granted against the wisher."

  "Sounds mean," Rachel said.

  "There are other creatures in the book, like mermaids, and there is lots of fighting to survive, and stunning locals," Miss Bree said as if she were reading it in the moment. "I'm going to break you up into groups and I want you to write down everything you know about mythical creatures."

  Miss Bree began breaking everyone up in small groups. I loved the sound of the activity but the fact I had to do it with someone else wasn't great.

  "Sally, Rachel and Mia. You three can work together."

  I glanced at Rachel, who in turn looked back at me. We had the exact same look on our faces. We did not want to work together.

  "Who's Mia?" Rachel asked Miss Bree.

  The same question flashed in my mind. I knew all the girls in year twelve, and there was no Mia.

  "I'm Mia," said a voice behind us.

  I turned to see the goth girl from yesterday sitting behind me. I hadn't even noticed her when I came in. How could I have missed her? The way she looked set her apart from the other students like a beacon, which seemed ironic, given her black outfit.

  "Gross," Rachel said, looking Mia up and down. "What are you, emo or something?"

  "Shut up Rachel," I said, before I could stop myself. I didn't usually stand up for people, but I guess I knew what it was like to be the new girl.

  "Losers sticking up for each other, how cute," she said with a devious grin. "There's no way I'm getting stuck with you two as partners. Later, losers."