She could hardly open her eyes from the searing headache but she had to try because of the images of chitinous hands covered in blood flashing through her mind. They had cleaned her up just fine but of course her cousins were now gossiping about how she must have come to the funeral drunk or something. So that would be a fire she had no chance of getting out. Sitting at one of the reception tables, she felt her body continuing to try and empty itself but fortunately she had not gone to fill the void. As she sat there, her sister Katsi eventually joined her. Her sister stated, “Mom said you could stay over here until you sober up.” Anisa went to reply but couldn’t work one out. Still, Katsi understood, “I have been telling people you wouldn’t drink before something like this but you know how Tia and them are. I’m sorry that this sucks right now.”

  Anisa swallowed hard and said, “You have no idea.” She gagged a little half way through. Katsi rubbed her back which helped a little with the nausea. Getting through it again, “Did you see the lady?”

  Katsi shook her head, “I was right next to Mom. You know it is okay that you aren’t feeling well. You don’t have to come up with excuses. He was your best friend. Everyone understands. Well, everyone but Tia.”

  Anisa shook her head, pulling out a small notepad she kept for writing any muses before she lost the spark. She wrote through the tears, ‘Shawn isn’t dead. I need to save him.’ Tearing it off, she put the orange gem she had been given on the paper and motioned Katsi to look at it. Katsi picked it up, rolled it around in her hand a little, seemingly unable to feel what Anisa had felt. Reading the note she sighed before tearing it up and shoving it into her soda can.

  Katsi looked Anisa in the eyes, her clear illness doing nothing to hide her very serious nature. Katsi shook her head, “I get it. He was your only friend, but the body is in there. You saw it before they buried it. And I won’t tell mom you shoplifted this.”

  Anisa was disappointed in her sister but could she blame her? If she didn’t see anything when holding the gem then of course the idea would seem crazy. She could hardly believe it herself and she had all the memories. Still sorting out a decade of life experience she tried again to get her bearings. This started with... she snapped to alertness and turned to run only for her head surging and throbbing like it was going to burst and her body. The sensation sent a shock through her body that not only caused her to stumble but to dry heave on the ground.

  Katsi helped her back up as she tried to figure out how to not seem like a crazy person but communicate that she needed to get home. It was in that moment that Maria came up, eyes full of concern, “I heard you weren’t feeling well, Nisa. I didn’t know it was this bad. Did you eat the shrimp? I know you love them but they never ice them at these events.”

  Anisa lit up and asked succinctly, “Home?”

  Maria hesitated before sighing, “I wish I could but I came with my parents.” Before Anisa could ask, Maria volunteered her recent drama. “And I would ask Terry but we broke up last night after he and my uncle got into a physical altercation. Terry said that he insulted and threatened him. My uncle said that it was the other way around. Terry was the first one to throw a punch and when I said I couldn’t choose my family over him he stormed off and you know how I feel about people who do that. I mean really what was-“ Anisa began trying to walk away and Maria pulled herself back to the conversation, “Wait! I’m sorry. I know you aren’t feeling well. Maybe you can ask Gena. I heard she was here somewhere.”

  Anisa nodded briefly and continued to leave, her Katsi crutch complaining about her pace. As she made her way through the crowd of black, she looked everywhere for the telltale mane of her friend but it was nowhere to be found. After a few minutes of this, Katsi dragged her to a seat. “Look, I love you, sis, but you can’t just drag me around like that. I gotta go. Just hang out until mom takes us back.” Before Anisa could force out the words to call her a traitor, her little sister had disappeared.

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  Sitting at her new seat she held her head as the memories forced their way in. The worst decade of her life.

  —————

  She stood at the top of the hill with Shawn, both of them looking out towards the big city next door, Gasca. Between the skyscrapers they could see a machine as large as the surrounding skyscrapers, no more than an inch tall at this distance. It was flailing its arms around and stomping, occasional gouts of flames lashing against its hull from the heroes trying to stop it.

  “You know Gena is going to Cita high, right?”

  “Yeah, I found out a week ago while helping in the office. I’ve been avoiding her since.”

  Anisa punched his arm hard, “Why? Why avoid her?”

  He took the hit without flinching, “Because it’s better for her. Think about it this way. If I tell her how I feel then she’ll want to stay here and will miss out on one of the best schools with the best classes.”

  “You know you could go too! You are smart enough.”

  He shook his head, “My GPA is low from all the homework I haven’t been doing since mom died. Besides, I have been trying to avoid extra work. I’m not built for overachieving. I’ll probably just be a middle manager and be okay with that.”

  Anisa scoffed but dropped quiet. He already knew what she would tell him. That he lacked ambition. That he needed to stop writing the script for other people. That he needed to think about himself sometimes. Eventually she groaned, “I just remembered. My mom was gonna have me interview for that academy again.” As she said this, the robot’s arm fell off, most likely removed by the leader of the heroes, Blade. He was the coolest.

  Shawn’s arms flew up in excitement when the arm came off, “And that’s the show ladies and gentlemen!” Moments later the robot was engulfed in a dome of shadow. A second later small sections of the dome were pierced with rainbow light and when it dispersed completely there was nothing. Eventually he replied to her previous comment, “Look, it’s okay. You can go. I’ll just be here.”

  She sighed, her heart sinking into the floor. She knew he was right. That if she got in it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but she was losing everyone and it wasn’t even senior year yet. Terry stopped hanging out with her after Maria broke up with him and she stopped hanging out with Anisa because Terry was in her ‘band’. Gena was moving away and now even she was leaving. Shawn being stuck alone the same way she was going to be alone if she got accepted. “That’s it then?”

  He laughed. “So dramatic. No, Ani. It isn’t.” She didn’t look at him. She couldn’t. It was the same bull different day. He said firmly, “You have my word. No matter what happens I’m not going anywhere. If you need me, I’ll be right there.”

  She nodded, saying firmly in return, “Same, broseph.” When he laughed she couldn’t contain a groan.

  Barely containing his amusement, he teased, “What ho, good chap! Jolly good! Radical and tubular! Balla!”

  She growled, “Please stop!”

  “Brochacho!”

  Blocking him out, she remembered something and fished out her father’s gift to her. A golden scorpion hairpin with six ruby eyes. She showed it to Shawn. He looked it over a little before visibly shivering and handing it back, “Yeah I know, you and arachnids, but do you see how clear those jewels are? They said that there didn’t seem to be any cultural significance to the piece but I swear I’ve never seen jewels polished like this.”

  He shrugged, “I mean, if they used a water spout they could have done it but it would take a long time.”

  She nodded, “I am not usually one for jewelry, but this is so beautiful and unorthodox that I kinda want it, ya know?” He sighed but kept his opinions to himself. Good. She didn’t need his back sass anyway.