by P. S. Power
Keeley kept the shock of contact off her face and had to fight not to hit the guy. After all, he deserved it. The fact was though, that she was in hiding and really couldn't afford to get in a fight over a pig she hadn't personally known, in the middle of the school. Plus, whatever he was, the guy was old and much stronger than she was. A soldier? Something like that. That had come through. Blurry, muddled, but they hadn't held hands, it was just the lightest of contact.
Instead she smiled, not feeling it at first, then trying to bring up a memory of real gratitude and projecting that.
“Thanks... Quince is it? I'll take Hally to get cleaned up now.”
That and see if Darla knew who, or what, her homecoming date was.
For some reason Keeley hoped not.
The whole school was buzzing about the mascocide by lunch and very little school work actually got done that day. Keeley made herself pay attention and focused on what she was doing until Darla called her over in the lunch room. She sat with the usual crew, plus several others, Quince and a couple of his buddies. Oh, goody.
One of them, a good looking dark haired boy smiled at her happily.
“You're Keeley? Gary said you were cute enough, but I didn't think you'd be quite this good looking.” He half rose putting his hand out to her.
“I'm Rob.” He smiled as the information hit.
Keeley shunted it to the side only taking the main facts.
He was bi-sexual, was dating Gary and would like to sleep with almost everyone at the table with them. Except Quince, who he secretly hated.
Keeley decided to like him then, a feeling of warmth rising in her toward the boy. Anyone not a fan of the football captain was good in her book.
“Nice to finally meet you.” She said, making her voice warm for a moment.
“Um, Darla? I... can we get together after school? I have a problem, it's a bit embarrassing so maybe...” She tried to will the idea of them meeting alone.
Thankfully Darla was a demon. She got it instantly.
“Sure, meet me out front? We can talk after we drop everyone else back at home.”
Chapter ten
It felt like the next two and a half hours took forever, and the drive would have been unbearable, as anxious as Keeley felt, but she remembered to use her abilities and make herself relax about fifteen seconds later and feel peaceful about the whole thing. It was nice, but a little thread of anxiety kept niggling at her, even as she held her body calm and still.
Hally put her hand on her shoulder and gave a small squeeze. They were both in the back seat, Gary having gone home with Rob, to work on a “school project”. Eve was in the front seat next to Darla, since for some reason she was more affected by the loss of Marisa than Hally was. Probably because she'd spent more time with her, even taking the mascot home on weekends to watch, so that the little pig wouldn't feel too lonely while everyone else was gone.
Hally spoke softly, sounding almost shy.
“Um, Keeley? I know this probably isn't a good time, what with the... thing, you know, the murder, but...” The girl looked embarrassed.
“Um, well, there's a math test on Friday and if I don't pass I'm going to be kicked off the cheer leading squad. I don't have a lot else in my life, so, would you help? I mean, Darla suggested it, but I never actually asked...”
“Sure. Of course I will. We can get together tonight and work on that if you want. Um, at the library? Or your house, but...” Keeley knew that the red-head really didn't want to take her friends home to meet the parents, since every time she did they gave whoever it was the third degree about drug use and any potential criminal activity imaginable. It didn't matter to them that most of the kids Hally liked didn't use anything stronger than caffeine, they just assumed that they all lied, since that was what they'd done as teens.
They hadn't talked about that though, Keeley just knew it, having picked it up the other day. At the same time Keeley could have had her over at her house, but she didn't want to bring an actual cheerleader home in case her dad got ideas. At least if he flirted with Darla it wouldn't be illegal. Just creepy. OK, he hadn't done anything like that and honestly, Keeley knew enough about guys to know that most of them wanted to have sex most of the time, but still, it was her dad. Even if not the biological one. She had to keep herself from shuddering about it.
“Oh, that's great. I live decently close to the public library, um, can you get a ride? I don't have a car or I'd come get you.”
Keeley didn't, it was only a few miles so she'd just figured she'd walk it, but Darla laughed from the front seat. She didn't say anything until they got to a red light near Eve's, since they were hitting there first.
“No worries, Keeley has a license and can drive stick, so she can borrow Humbert. I'll take you there, after we drop Hally off, alright Keels?”
Where that was, if it was a real thing, would probably be fine. Though who, or given the context, what, Humbert was she didn't know. Not at first, Hally seemed satisfied by the answer, but Eve looked put out. Extra sad suddenly.
“Damn. I was going to see if I could buy him off of you. I mean I don't have any money right now, but Humbert is a sweet ride. A classic. Just a dream I guess but, you know...” She looked away and didn't say anything else.
“I didn't know that Eve. No problem, Keeley can take Freida then. We'll set up a deal for Humbert if you want. I'm sure we can come to some kind of arrangement.” Darla sounded sympathetic, but Keeley wondered if this was just the first step in entrapping the girl into a life of servitude?
Was that how it was done? Just helping get people what they wanted, until you roped them in forever?
Eve relaxed a little and seemed happier though.
“Great, now all I have to do is get a license and I'm set.” She said as if that wasn't totally backwards. Being legal to drive first made much more sense, didn't it?
Hally smiled at her.
“Um, would six be alright? I can't stay out past nine on week nights, it's a rule.”
“Sure, do you want me to pick you up at your house or meet you there?”
“There's fine. I...” The girl stopped talking as they were pulling into the trailer park where Eve lived. The girl really did seem happier now, the prospect of getting a car making her more positive, though she had a dark overtone to her as well.
Whatever else was going on, she'd miss the pig.
The conversation then was all about Hally's math test, which was basic math, not even an algebra class. What was being covered was so simple that Keeley nearly felt embarrassed for the girl, who was smarter than that, but then the problem wasn't the math, it was making sure she had enough confidence to pass the test. That, the fear of failure and self-doubt, had been what really knocked her down before, along with some poor work habits.
They'd run some drills and Keeley would “test” her, showing that she had the skills she needed and it would be alright. The girl knew the material, she just didn't know herself.
The house Hally lived in was cute, two levels, brown and tan with a little driveway, kind of like Keeley's but with actual plants all around, shrubs and greenery, instead of just a rock front lawn. It was nice, she realized, having green things around, as Hally skipped toward her front door, trying to get inside before her parents could come out and embarrass her. At least Keeley didn't have that to worry about. Her dad may look a little too hard at the cute girls, but it was within what was normal. Her mom was weird, but that was just OCD, everyone understood it when explained, more or less.
Hally's folks were just off putting it seemed.
No problem though. The worst they'd do is accuse Keeley of doing drugs and since she'd never so much as taken a drink of wine, that wouldn't do a lot of damage to her.
Darla suddenly looked a little nervous, but drove carefully. At first Keeley thought it was about the offer to lend her a car, but that didn't make a lot of sense. After all, Keeley was a good driver. Even her parents were fine with the idea of her
having a car, they just didn't have money to get her one and she hadn't gotten a job yet. She could now though, since she didn't need to sleep. That was...
Awesome. It left so much more time to do things she wanted.
“Um, you wanted to talk to me?” Darla said as if fearing either a breakdown or a break-up. Since it would be more than a little gross for the two of them to need a break-up, it wouldn't be that, would it? So the girl was worried that Keeley might freak?
That seemed reasonable. It was still hard to believe that this was all really real and not some kind of trick. Maybe a game? But if so it was going way past anything that even a demon would have bothered to set up, wasn't it? Why fix her eyes and fake all the rest just to make fun of her?
No, she was a demon. It hit suddenly, but she just sighed and remembered to be calm, actually feeling a dreamy peace after a few seconds.
“What's an Acadian apple? In terms of creatures or beings I mean...”
“Ah...” The blond didn't look at her but bafflement rippled her across her face. “Mercenaries of a sort, all of them were Durgs. Strong, fast and almost impossible to kill, but only small magics. About what an average human can use. Bloody group of assassins, but efficient and professional when paid for it. Acadian apple was a nickname for them, like “green beret” or “navy seal” is for certain groups now. Why?”
Keeley could have drawn it out, trying to make herself look clever or like she'd ferreted out the information through actual work, but that wasn't true and would just waste time. Instead she gave a half grin, a slightly grim thing.
“Because your date to the homecoming dance is one and he killed the school mascot trying to divine the future and whatever he found out wasn't worth it to him. I know it sounds unlikely, but he brushed my hand earlier and I picked up a bit, not everything but...”
“Damn.” Darla didn't say it loud, but it was heartfelt.
“Why the heck would one of those be around? My first thought would be for you, but... He's been at Raintree for years. We... demons in general, don't show up in auguries or divinations. So even if he used that... No, it's not you. Me? That hardly makes sense either, but, well, we've never actually touched... That is a little weird. Most of the guys try to make contact if they can, but he's avoided it. I figured he just wasn't into sex or liked boys or something. Both happen after all.”
The trip ended abruptly as Darla pulled into a storage rental place and tapped the intercom button as the car sat in front of the black wrought iron gate, which was attached to a nice brick wall.
“Darla Gibson. Here for unit seventeen.” She said firmly, no one answered, but a half minute later the gate rolled to the right.
The units were all painted to look like little red barns, which was cute if a little over done for storage units, even having individual weather vanes on the top of each. Darla pulled up in front of the one she wanted, which was a garage, not something to store furniture in and got out, working something off her key chain.
“Alright, I'm lending you Freida and I want you to keep her for now. Tell your mom she's on loan to help with the flower business. We don't know what Quince is up to or anyone else right now, probably nothing to do with either of us, but I want you to have transportation in case you have to get out of town or something. Also, that way you can drive everyone else around at need, if I'm not around. So, part of the loan is about that, which will make my life easier. Oh, here...”
She reached into the little purse she carried with her and pulled out a small blue card, handing it over without pause.
It was a visa card.
One with Keeley's name on it.
“Just for gas and snacks, or if I send you on errands or what not. Or emergencies. So here you go. Oh, the insurance covers anyone driving it, all my cars have that, since I never know who's going to be in what vehicle. Obviously don't break any laws unless you have to. I have too many friends on the police force to have my own sister making their days harder.”
With that she revealed Freida by opening the door, which had to be done manually. It was... Amazing. Ridiculous too, but in that old fashioned way that spoke of a lot of money having been spent on something.
The car wasn't a car at all, but a van, a Volkswagen van that looked a little like a Twinkie, except that the whole thing had been painted in shades of cream, shining enamel paint that made the thing look at least twice as nice as it had any right to.
“Regular unleaded. Here you go.” Darla tossed the keys to her gently, the end of the arc being the palm of the right hand.
Keeley grinned. Freida was perfect. Wonderful.
Powerful. The engine wasn't standard, that was for sure. It barely made a growl and instead of barely rolling down the street Keeley had to be very careful not to break the speed limit. She did it though. Driving carefully just made sense, especially if she wanted Darla to ever loan her another car. Now all she had to do was explain to her mother why she had a van and not make it seem like a big deal. It was, to her at least.
Darla was so cool.
Which was probably the other part of why she lent her Freida. To influence how she thought about her. It was subtle, but there. If she'd given her the vehicle that would have had a temporary bump, but by loaning it, she was ensuring Keeley's continued cooperation and good will. Of course Keeley didn't really get a choice in that, did she? That whole mentor thing kind of trumped anything other than cooperation, at least as long as she wanted to live.
OK, she could be a pain in the butt and try to act like she was god's gift to demons, but that wouldn't work. Especially since god was imaginary. That thought was an odd one. She'd heard some Christians claim that demons didn't really exist, but to say that it was the other way around and actually hear it from a demon, yeah, that was different alright.
It was a good five minute drive to her house, and since there were hours to kill before she needed to be at the library, Keeley decided to get her own homework done. She didn't have a lot, it was Monday, so some things had been assigned, but the only thing of note was a three page paper on “the new deal” for history class. It took about half an hour to write and another half an hour to put in a binder after printing it out, then she wrote the outline by hand. It was busy work, requiring an outline, but if that's what the school wanted, she'd do it.
The paper wasn't due for three weeks, but now it was finished, so she didn't have to worry about it. Maybe she could do a poster project about it too? Those were easy enough.
“Keeley?”
The voice was her mom's, calling with a friendly but worried tone. The kind that said she needed to go out and explain something or... there would be more calling out in a worried tone. Sherry Thomson didn't go in for yelling much, or even speaking harshly.
Stacking the project carefully she headed to the living room.
The sight was pretty much as she expected, at first.
Her mom stood talking to a man, one that she didn't place for about ten seconds, since the last time she'd seen him he'd looked old and had been dressed in silk. Now Finias had on a nice three piece suit and looked maybe a well-kept thirty, if not younger. It was the same face, just young.
And kind of hot.
That was why her mother sounded worried? Did she think this was Keeley's new boyfriend or something? Then, since she didn't know what the demon was going to say, he might be. Though if he tried to say anything like that he was catching a tennis shoe to the groin, she thought suddenly, then fought back her growing sense of panic.
The man put his hand out to shake professionally.
“Ah, there you are. Mrs. Gibson said that you'd be here.” The man blushed slightly and ducked his head, both fake, but Sherry seemed to buy it.
“Oh, sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Carmichael, Dan Carmichael from Coretechs? Just wanted to let you know that we've looked at your application and can indeed use you in the mail room. It's just sorting and delivery two days a week, but there's growth potential if you do well.�
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He said this as if she knew what he was talking about. Keeley forced a grin.
“Mom! I got the job. I can't believe it. I... I promise to do a good job, Darla said there was an opening so I applied, her grandmother owns the place, but you know, I'm a bit young, so I didn't think... Cool!” She tried to sound genuinely enthused.
“Dan” smiled at her and patted her hand, only one thing came across, the envelope he was going to hand her in the paperwork was for Darla. She needed to guard it until it got to her hands.
Otherwise he could have just slipped it under the door.
“Paperwork for you to fill out, if you want the position. We can actually use the help, but it's contingent on grades staying up, you understand? Part of our community outreach program.” This went to Sherry who nodded and smiled happily enough. She wasn't anti-work after all. Few parents were.
