Keeper

by Jessica L. Randall

  “What are you guys thinking?” Austin said. “We could all potentially be in a lot of trouble!”

  Kaela grinned. “You just need to relax and have a little fun.”

  “Fine,” Austin mumbled. “I’ll never rebel again ... after tonight.”

  It was quiet for a moment aside from our feet padding on the paved path we’d just reached. There was a small knot in my stomach because I’d chosen to come to this party when I was supposed to be showing my mom I wasn’t going to give her any more trouble. It seemed I was more determined to show my friends, and people shouldn’t even care about, that I was a perfectly normal, non-crazy person.

  It would be so nice to feel that way for one night. But if Micah was there, would that even be possible? I’d been trying not to think about it, but I couldn’t forget the way he’d ignored me in that ambulance. Was it possible that we’d both had an extreme allergic reaction at the same time just by coincidence? The connection between us seemed to be getting stronger, and weirder, making me even more nervous about what that meant for me. And yet for the most part, at school Micah still acted like he was just some guy from speech class.

  Beside the trail, the bleak landscape was finally showing signs of spring. The dry yellow weeds were giving in to new, green growth, and lichens spotted the dark rocks with vibrant orange and green. We continued in silence past giant lava rocks with craters big enough to create little caves and perfectly rounded pocks made from air bubbles.

  Finally the sounds of laughter and simple guitar chords reached us. We rounded the bend and saw groups of kids perched on the giant rocks surrounding the lake and crouched under the narrow cave on the opposite side. Some of them sat with their feet dangling in the water. The golden-brown cliffs rose up around most of the lake, faded graffiti marking the distance teenagers had dared to go like high scores on an arcade game.

  The guitar chords changed to form a song, and my eyes settled on the player. Ethan sat on a lichen-covered rock, grinning at me.

  “I can’t believe you came,” he said over the sound of a 90’s grunge song.

  I shrugged.

  “Of course he plays the guitar,” Kaela whispered, nudging me. She grabbed Austin and left me there.

  Ethan stopped playing and patted the spot next to him. I sat down, my arm pressing up against his since there wasn’t much room for keeping my distance. He leaned his guitar against the rock.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “I’m really feeling fine. Just like I said the twenty times you texted me. I only showed up to prove to you that I’m not dead.”

  He ducked his head. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. That was pretty traumatic, probably for both of us. I also wanted to say thanks in person. Without you and Kaela things might have gone very differently.”

  “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

  “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me since I came back to school.”

  He laughed. “Is it that bad?”

  I grimaced, thinking of the mouse in my locker, which didn’t gross me out but wasn’t exactly a warm welcome. “I guess it’s okay. Everything will blow over, right?”

  “Yeah, things will be back to normal in no time.”

  I nodded slowly.

  “What?” Ethan asked.

  “Nothing. It’s just that I’m not sure normal’s in the cards for me.”

  “Good. Normal is overrated.”

  I chuckled. Know what’s not overrated? I thought. Not being hunted down by alien life-forms.

  “Hey, Puffy, have a marshmallow!” I looked up just in time to catch the giant marshmallow Stillman had thrown at me.

  “Easy, dude,” Ethan said.

  “It’s okay.” I waved a hand at Ethan and bit into the marshmallow.

  “See? She’s cool,” Stillman said as he dragged a dry piece of sagebrush onto a large, flat rock. A few of his friends added dry branches to the pile.

  “What are you guys doing?” I asked.

  “It’s not a party without s’mores.” He grinned.

  “We could get into big trouble for doing that down here.” Starting a fire in undesignated areas wasn’t a joke around here, it being a semi-desert and all.

  “I’m getting lectured by the biggest rebel in the school?” he said.

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s just—someone’s going to see the smoke.” Risking burning the habitats of countless furry little creatures, and possibly some humans as well, wasn’t the kind of rebellion I was interested in taking part in.

  “Don’t worry, it’s just a little fire. We’ll be really careful, Ranger Puffy.”

  I shifted, trying to get more comfortable, which was probably a hopeless cause because I was sitting on a rock. I wondered why coming to this party had seemed like a good idea. Where were Austin and Kaela?

  I glanced around, finally spotting Austin perched on a ledge tossing pebbles into the lake. My jaw dropped when I registered that Miriam was sitting next to him, carefully watching his every move. My stomach turned at the thought of Austin getting too close to Miriam.

  Then the realization hit me that if Miriam was here, Micah was probably here too. I felt a flicker in my chest and warmth rise into my face, and it had nothing to do with the flame that had just began devouring the dry offerings of sagebrush nearby.

  “Here, you take a stick and put the marshmallow on the end.”

  The chirping voice made me turn. Cheyenne was demonstrating for Micah, whose eyes darted to me and quickly away again. His jaw tensed, then he gave Cheyenne a fake-looking smile and followed her example, sticking his marshmallow too close to the fire.

  It didn’t look like he was happy I was here. I could say the same about him. What had I done, anyway? I wasn’t the one abducting people.

  “It’s your puffy friend,” Ethan said, staring at Micah. There was a slight edge to his voice. “Sorry, girls probably don’t appreciate being called that.”

  I chuckled as he handed me a stick.

  “Seriously, though, what is that guy’s deal? There’s something weird about him.”

  “The entire cheerleading squad doesn’t seem to think so.”

  “So you think I’m jealous?” he said, offering me a marshmallow. A corner of his mouth turned up. “Maybe. But as long as he sticks to the cheerleaders I won’t give him any trouble.”

  I tried to laugh, but it sounded like something was lodged in my throat. Ethan was a nice guy. Cute too. If I was smart I’d listen to Kaela and go out with the ginger. Why did I have to fight to keep my eyes from traveling to the group on the other side of the fire?

  “You don’t like cheerleaders?” I asked.

  “I prefer a girl that doesn’t fall in line so easily. A person who thinks for herself.”

  “And all cheerleaders fit into one category?”

  He laughed, sounding uncomfortable. “See? That’s what I’m talking about. Maybe I owe them an apology.”

  “Maybe,” I said dully, my eyes sneaking up to Cheyenne as she giggled at the sight of Micah’s marshmallow engulfed in flames.

  Micah’s eyes turned and met mine, lit with the reflection of flickering fire. His jaw clenched again, and the intensity of his expression reminded me of yesterday, when he’d told me to run. Maybe it was a threat after all. Maybe I should have been more afraid of Micah from the beginning. Looking at him now, I was a little.

  Still, what could have happened that would change him from a somewhat friendly alien/classmate into someone who seemed to be appalled or angry at the mere sight of me?

  I swallowed and looked away.

  “I don’t like the way he’s looking at you,” Ethan mumbled. “If he’s giving you trouble or something, just say the word.”

  “Thanks, I’ll take that into consideration.” If only my problems could be solved with a fistfight. If that were the case, I’d try it myself, even though I was sure Micah could take me out in a matter of seconds.

  Just then Stillman walked by,
grabbing the cap off Ethan’s head.

  As Ethan reached up, trying to swipe it back, I noticed a pink scar on his wrist. My breath caught, my eyes darted quickly to Micah. A guilty look passed over his face.

  Ethan jumped up quickly as Stillman folded the hat in half and drew his arm back, ready to throw his hat into the lake.

  “Sorry,” Ethan shouted. “I’ll be just a sec.” He hurried after Stillman, leaving me alone with my marshmallow. It had expanded and turned the perfect golden-brown, but I wasn’t hungry anymore.

  I pulled it away from the fire, not taking my eyes away from the flames. Had Micah really taken Ethan? Was it because I’d been talking to him? Was it just another genius way to cause me guilt and pain, so Micah could take notes on human emotion?

  I raised my eyes, staring at Micah. Most of the group around us had been pulled into the scuffle, laughing as they played keep-away behind me, but he sat there stuffing a blackened marshmallow in his mouth as Cheyenne crooned over him. His face twisted up in disgust at the taste.

  I felt my insides smolder and blacken as well. You didn’t just abduct someone and then act like they didn’t exist. You didn’t just choose someone and ruin their lives, then start in on the people they cared about. I raised my chin and walked around the fire.

  “How’d that taste?” I asked stiffly.

  “I’m a fan of most foods around here—”

  “Here as in ... Idaho?” I blurted.

  “Yes. Idaho. Of course.” He shifted uncomfortably. “But those things are disgusting.”

  “That’s because you did it wrong. Here.” I carefully extracted the marshmallow from my stick. “Try this.”

  Cheyenne glared up at me as Micah took it from my fingers and stuffed it in his mouth. His eyes lit up, like I’d seen several times before, but I was too angry to find it cute.

  “Better?” I asked sharply, pulling up an empty camp chair.

  He nodded. “Definitely.”

  “I don’t think we need your help over here, Rodent-Girl,” Cheyenne said.

  I ignored her. “You have a little ...” I touched the side of Micah’s mouth, removing a bit of sticky marshmallow, just to mess with him.

  His eyes widened, and he stiffened. It seemed to remind him that he couldn’t stand the sight of me. Good. But it was time for him to talk. I leaned down so my lips grazed his ear. “You don’t have very good food on your planet, do you?”

  His eyes darted to Cheyenne. “Could we have a minute?” he said.

  “Seriously?” She stood up and flounced away.

  “Sorry to interrupt your intimate moment,” I said, my voice dripping with sugar-sweetness.

  “We were not having—You are the one who is engaging in a mating ritual with—what is that sub-species called? Ginger? Miriam is very intrigued with the concept of a human who is without what you refer to as a soul. She would like—”

  I leaned in close. “You leave him alone.” The sound of my voice almost frightened me, and Micah leaned away.

  “I had nothing to do with it. Anyway, it’s too late.”

  “It’s only a joke, you idiot. He has a soul. You tell Miriam to leave him alone. I mean it.”

  “I will never understand ... Idaho humor,” he murmured.

  “Just say it,” I spat. “Earth humor. And probably not.”

  He glanced around nervously, as if afraid someone might have heard. “Miriam will not be pleased, but if it means a great deal to you, I will try.”

  “It does.”

  His shoulders slumped a little. “It will only mean another human—”

  “And keep her away from Austin and Kaela, too.”

  Micah turned his face away from me. “I will do what I can. But I don’t think we should be speaking.”

  “Oh, not here? We should talk later tonight, when no one is around to hear me scream? Why don’t you just admit it,” I hissed, “instead of acting like it never happened? Are you trying to make me think I’m crazy?”

  “You’re not crazy,” he said quietly.

  “Well, that’s a relief.” My chest tightened. I wasn’t sure what was worse, doubting my sanity or facing reality. Not that it mattered. I couldn’t take my pick anymore.

  It was surreal to be discussing this with our classmates running around us. I took a deep breath, hardly able to believe what I was discussing out loud. “What’s with the clueless act during the day, then?”

  “I was not sure how much you remembered.”

  “I remember enough.” I realized my voice was rising and looked around, hoping no one could hear us. Luckily, everyone was still distracted, except for Cheyenne, who kept glancing our way.

  Micah tensed. “Everything?”

  I just stared at him, waiting for him to go on.

  “There were other factors as well. I didn’t know how to act after what I had done. After the time we spent together. Then to see you face to face in a setting with so many humans watching ...”

  “You don’t have to tell me how weird that was. Only I was the one who thought she’d lost her mind.” My voice was rising again.

  “Please—” He looked around again. Some of the kids were starting to wander back toward the fire.

  “Right. I’m supposed to be a good abductee.” I shivered as I whispered. “I won’t cry for help and I’ll make sure to be really careful to keep your identity a secret, as well as the fact that your people are dropping by and snatching humans up for who knows what reason.” Hopefully he caught the sarcasm this time.

  “If you want me to talk to you we need to go somewhere more private.”

  “Fine.” I stood up, trying to look relaxed and failing miserably. I led him up a narrow dirt path and pulled him behind a giant boulder. The space was smaller than I’d anticipated, and we were standing face to face.

  “Where do I start?” I asked. “How about why did you tell me to run? What are your people searching for? And what happened with that stupid pineapple allergy? I’ve never been allergic to pineapple. Did you do that to me?”

  He frowned, his features tensing again. “I don’t know what happened. Whatever it was, it was not good.”

  “Well, obviously, but—wasn’t good how?”

  He opened his mouth, looking like he wasn’t sure how to explain. “We were connected somehow.”

  “I can see how neither of us would be super keen on the idea of connecting with an alien species. Especially you, with your superiority complex. That must be disgusting to you.”

  He shook his head, looking frustrated. “No, it’s not that. You don’t understand. I meant—you don’t need to be any more valuable than you already are.”

  I jerked back. “What are you talk—”

  I turned my head, listening. There were shouts.

  “Something’s wrong.” Without thinking I grabbed Micah’s hand and pulled him with me as I crept around the rock. Kids were scattering all over the place.

  “Lexi, I’ve been looking for you,” Ethan shouted. “Sheriff’s here, we have to leave.” He stopped, looking down at my hand, still gripping Micah’s. “Oh.” His face fell and he hurried off.

  I dropped Micah’s hand, feeling sick. I hadn’t meant to play with Ethan’s feelings. He was exactly the kind of guy I would date. I glared at Micah, even though I was the one who had grabbed his hand. Maybe my sudden allergy to pineapple wasn’t the only thing that had been manipulated. He’d called our connection “special,” but my internet friend had used the word “forced.”

  In the twilight, I squinted to see a sheriff stalking around the lake toward the kids who couldn’t get away so easily. Like Austin and Kaela.

  “Jump!” I shouted. “Jump now!”

  Austin and Kaela looked at me, panic in their faces. Then they jumped into the lake, and Miriam followed after them. Austin and Kaela were decent swimmers, and swam across in no time. Miriam’s strokes were more awkward, and she lagged behind. Austin watched helplessly, but there was nothing he could do to get her across fas
ter.

  The sheriff was hurrying over rocks and around sage brush, and would reach us in no time. As soon as Miriam grabbed Austin’s hand and climbed out of the lake we ran for the path, with the sheriff close on our trail. I knew I could leave them all in the dust if I wanted, but I kept my pace even with theirs.

  “Ew, ew, ew,” Kaela wrung water out her hair as she ran.

  “We should split up,” Austin said. “I’ll let him catch me.”

  “It would take forever for us to get out of here without the car,” I said, “and as soon as they find that they’ll find me anyway. So you might as well let him catch me instead.”

  “With your record?” Kaela was panting. “No way. We’ll stick together.”

  I glanced up at a group of small boulders up ahead, imagining how lucky we’d be if they slid down just in time to separate us from the sheriff. I noticed Micah follow my gaze, and wondered if he was thinking the same thing. Just as we reached the rocks, I saw them shiver. A few bounced down toward us, and Austin grabbed Miriam’s hand to pull her along.

  As we passed by I looked down the path behind us. The sheriff had stopped, no doubt distracted by the moving rocks. I turned around as he backed up, and we both stared as the cliff-side began to rumble. My jaw hung open as the rocks tumbled down over the path. One must have struck me. I pressed one hand against my head, waiting for the pain to ebb away.

  Then it was silent except for the sound of our heavy breaths and the sheriff swearing. I could see his hat as he began climbing over the rocks.

  “Guys, come on!” Kaela yelled. We ran back to the van without speaking. The five of us piled in and tore out of the canyon.

  Chapter 14

  Kaela grabbed a soda and cracked it open before flopping down on our old basement couch. “Ugh, that lake was disgusting, I had to wash my hair three times.”

  “I think I washed mine four,” Austin admitted.

  “We never should have gone to that stupid party,” I said, curling up on the sofa. Guilt had been gnawing at me. Breaking the law and outrunning a sheriff wasn’t the change in behavior I had promised my mom, and it wasn’t cool to trick Austin like we did. “Sorry we pressured you into coming, Austin.”