《The Peripheral Girl》


 Chapter 1

    I had been watching the leaves cling to the branches for about an hour. They still hadn''t moved. Frustrating. Still, the tree was good practice since there weren''t very many inside of the Community. I was lucky enough to have one right outside my window, but I admittedly spent more time on my bed watching it than I''d care to admit.

    It was hard to move something that was so easily manipulated by another outside force. That''s why I focused so much on the leaves. The wind made them fickle objects. I closed my eyes once more and pictured the yellow, coin shaped leaf that was closest to me. I pictured the leaf being plucked from the branch and landing in my hand. I opened my eyes. The leaf remained attached to the tree.

    "What is your problem?" I demanded of the leaf. It rudely ignored me. I heard footsteps outside of my door, and my mother popped her head in.

    "Practicing?" She asked.

    "It''s not doing me any good today," I said glumly.

    "Well, why don''t you take a break and come eat dinner? Your father is home."

    "I can''t! I haven''t moved one blasted leaf! It''s just a leaf, how hard could it be?!" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Zuzanna,"my mother said, a hint of pleading in her voice. "You can try again tomorrow. You look tired."

    I turned away from her and looked again at the leaf. "... Fine. I''ll be down in a minute."

    "Thank you." She shut the door and I listened to her head down the stairs. Once she had left, I hopped off the bed and peered around the room. There wasn''t much to work with: a bed, a small dresser, and a mirror. I noticed my hairbrush at the top of the dresser. Too small. I decided on the mirror. I reached my arms out to the oval mirror fixed to the wall across the room. With a quick, silent demand, the mirror flew into my arms. I commanded it to return, and it fixed itself again on the wall. Almost too easy. I needed to start working with heavier objects... or leaves. What I really needed was to get out of the house and try my hand at other objects in the Community, but my parents would never allow that.

    Having a daughter with the ability to move things with her mind tended to make them a bit hesitant to let me out in public by myself.

    "Zuzanna!" I heard my mother bellow from downstairs. "Dinner!"

    "Coming!" I ran to the door and bounded down the stairs.

 Chapter 2

    "Dehydrated potatoes again... great,"  I mumbled as I sat down in my chair.  My sister Madi rolled her eyes at my comment and shoveled a spoonful into her mouth.

    "They''re really not that bad if you stop complaining and just eat them," she said.  My mother gave her a stern look.

    "Madara, please,"  she said to my sister.  "You''ve been at school all day, I don''t want you two arguing now."

    "Sorry," she said quietly, and continued eating.

    A strong, deep voice sang out from the kitchen.  "Hey now, what is the rukus?"  My father swept into the tiny dining room, taking up space with his broad body.

    "Father!"  I leapt into his arms and he spun me around.  I felt childish, but in that moment I didn''t care.

    "Zuza!"  he cried.  "How was your day?" he asked, setting me down.  He kissed Madi and my mother on their heads and took a seat.

    "It was rather boring really,"  I admitted.

    "Oh?"  He glanced at my mother and they shared an odd look that they thought I wouldn''t notice.  "Why is that?"

    "I really just did my lessons with mother and then spent some time practicing with the leaves outside my window.  I couldn''t move them.  Not one bit.  I''m going to keep trying though, I want to move them before they all fall off on their own."

    "Winter will be coming before we know it," my  mother said.  "We need to start thinking about the supplies we''ll need soon.  Word in the Community is that there is more food to go around this winter due to a disolved community about fifty miles from here."

    "Wait, we''re getting their supplies?" Madi asked with a hint of panic.  "But wouldn''t it be... contaminated?"

    "Now Mads," my father said tenderly.  "We received food and supplies from a dissolved community several years ago.  Nothing happened.  There''s nothing to be worried about in that sense."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "But we risk more if people leave the community to get supplies.  They could bring the sickness back with them."

    "Hirsh has considered all of these things.  He is a good leader," my mother pointed out.  "Once they know that the dissolved community is cleared, they will take what they can.  The sickness only affects people.  It can''t pass through food or water.  That much we do know."

    Madi didn''t look convinced, but then again, she spent most of her time worrying about anything that could be considered a remote concern.  I, on the other hand, was excited about getting new shipments into the Community.  We grew our own food and raised our own livestock inside the walls, so it was rare when we got food from the outside.  It was even more rare to bring in people from the outside.  If there were survivors from a dissolved community, they were usually left to their own devices; we called them roamers.

    People are never keen on letting others in if they are from a dissolved community.  They could bring the sickness with them.  There was only one time since I''ve been alive that they''ve brought in a roamer.  It was an old man that had only been roamers for a few weeks, but he''s dead now.  I think a lot of people believe that the sickness doesn''t affect the old and young as much.  That''s just speculation though.  No one really knows why a community is healthy one day, and sickly and dying the next.

    "Can I go out tonight?"  I piped up.  "I want to know if they are going to bring in more supplies, plus I haven''t been outside at all today."

    My parents gave each other another look.  I hated when they did that.

    "Well, I don''t know Zuza," my father said.  "It has been a long day for all of us.  Maybe tomorrow."

    "It hasn''t been a long day for me!  I''ve been so bored!"  I looked at my mother whom I knew sometimes tired of me being with her all day.  She''d probably like it if I got out of the house.

    "Please." I pleaded.  "It won''t be for long.  Madi can just take me around the outskirts of the inner wall. Maybe we''ll run into Hirsh, I can ask him about winter supplies.  I promise I won''t try anything!"

    My mother thought on it a moment, she looked to Madi.  "Do you have homework?  Would you mind taking Zuzanna out for a bit?"

    Madi gathered up her plate and cup and stood up from the table.  "Sure, I don''t care."  She did care.  But I didn''t care that she did.  I quickly took my dishes to our small kitchen and set them in the sink.  I ran to the door and slipped on my shoes that had been waiting all day for me to wear them.  Madi dragged her feet as she left the house, but I opened the door eagerly to take in the evening air.

 Chapter 3

    "I feel so free!" I yelled as we strolled through the narrow, cobblestone streets.

    "Quit being so dramatic," Madi said as she trudged behind me.  There weren''t very many people about, most had returned to their small cottages for the night. The Community was safe and clean, but it got boring quickly.  All the buildings looked the same inside the inner walls; just squat, two story houses of plaster and brick.  One right after the other.  Outside the inner walls was just farmland.  That wasn''t any better in the way of excitement.

    "Do you think all of the communities look like ours?"  I asked Madi.  She shrugged.

    "What does it matter?  You''ll never see another one."

    "Who''s to say I won''t?  Once I''m strong enough, I''ll travel all around and defeat the sickness with my powers!"

    Madi just rolled her eyes.

    "Look- I''ve been practicing all day."  I pulled her back behind an alley where no one could spy on us.  I crouched down and focused on a small rock lying several feet ahead of me.  I held out my hand and demanded it come to me.  The rock wobbled on the ground, then floated seamlessly to me.  I held it in my hand and showed it to Madi.  "Not bad, huh?"

    "Amazing," she said sarcastically.  "Can we go now?  I really do have homework to work on."

    "No, I want to find Hirsh and ask him about the winter supplies."

    Madi grabbed my arm and yanked me back into the street.  "Hirsh doesn''t have time to be bothered by you.  Besides, why do you care so much about the winter supplies?  Even if we don''t get them, the Community has plenty of food to last through the winter."

    I pulled away and kept walking towards the inner walls.  "I''m just curious... I want to know what the outside is like."

    "Nooo... you want to go stirring up trouble.  Face it, Zuza, Hirsh would never take a fourteen year old on a supply trip, especially a fourteen year old who-" she stopped.  I glared at her, waiting for her to finish.  "- Especially a fourteen year old with your ability.  You could get in serious trouble."

    "How?"  I felt anger start to rise up in me.

    "Because you''re reckless!  Why else do you think mother and father make me follow you around everywhere?  Or why you''re not allowed to go to school?  If it weren''t for us, you''d have let the whole community know about you and they''d lock you away."

    Her words hurt.  "...Hirsh wouldn''t do that."

    "You''re a danger to yourself and others," she said bluntly.  "Now let''s go home."

    "No." I turned and ran from her.  I ran past the buildings, zig-zagging my way towards the wall, away from everyone holding me back.  Maybe I''ll just leave the Community all together.  That''ll show them.  I stopped when I got to the gate of the inner wall.  Show them what, Zuza?  I''d just be showing them that Madi is right.  I am too reckless.  And I''m certainly not prepared to face the outside on my own.  I can''t even move a leaf.

    "Zuza?"  I heard a man''s voice beside me.  I looked to find Hirsh walking towards me.  His back looked more hunched than usual and his shuffling feet were louder than normal.  He was accompanied by the one of the guards, Clovis.  The one that Madi liked.  I could see why;  Clovis was handsome and nice.  A lot nicer than Madi was.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Hi Hirsh,"  I said, trying to slow my breathing.

    "What are you doing out by the inner wall?"  He asked.  "The sun is quickly setting."

    "I uh... wanted to see you I guess.  You''re looking older,"  I blurted, then immediately felt mortified.  "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to say that."

    Hirsh just laughed.  It was a cute, old man laugh that made you feel better about yourself.  "It''s all right, Zuza.   Now, why did you want to see me?"

    "My parents told me that we might get supplies from a dissolved community.  Is that true?"

    "It is true that there was a nearby community that was dissolved," Hirsh said.  "As for getting their supplies, it''s too early to tell.  I''ll be sending a group of investigators out in a couple of days to determine if there''s anything worth taking- that is, if another community hasn''t scavenged everything before we get there."

    "What about roamers?  Will you bring any back?"

    "Ah, now something tells me that''s the real reason you wanted to see me tonight.  Curiosity killed the cat, you know."

    "I hate cats."

    "Hirsh laughed again.  "Of course you do.  I''ll tell you this, it''s not common that a community picks up a roamer... but that''s not to say it won''t happen."

    "Why don''t the communities pick up more?  If the sickness doesn''t hurt the very old and young as much, why wouldn''t more people be taken in?"

    "Well, you''re a smart girl," Hirsh said.  "You tell me."

    I thought on it for a moment.  "Well, I guess it''s not proven that the very old and young are safe from it.  Those are just stories from other communities... Still, it doesn''t seem very nice to just leave people out there to fend for themselves."

    "You''re right.  But truth be told, we rarely see roamers when outside of the walls.  We''re more isolated than other communities, so there''s a good chance that more roamers than we believe are taking in."

    "That''s good I guess... I''ve always wanted to see the outside. Even if it''s boring out there like it is in here.  It''d be something different-"

    "Zuza!"  Madi screamed behind me.  I turned and saw her walking towards me, fuming with anger.  "Don''t run off like that!"  She stopped short when she saw Clovis.

    "I-uh, I.. I''m sorry about her,"  she said to the pair.  She grabbed my hand.  "Let''s go."

    "Hello Madi," Hirsh said.  "We were just having a pleasant conversation with Zuza."

    "I hope she didn''t bother you."  She purposely avoided looking at Clovis, but her cheeks still turned red.

    "Not at all," Clovis said in his soft, calm voice.  Madi blushed harder.  I slightly nudged her in the side, to which she responded by covertly pinching my arm.  Worth it.

    "You know Madi,"  Hirsh said.  "We were just about to show Zuza something.  Clovis will you bring the car up to the gate?"  Clovis nodded and departed.

    "Show me what?"  I asked.

    Hirsh tapped his cane on the ground with excitement.  "The outside."

 Chapter 4

    I''d never been in a car before.  There were only three cars in the Community and only a handful of people knew how to drive them and they were only used for supply runs.  If you were a guard for the wall, like Clovis was, then you could be a driver.  I don''t even think Hirsh knew how to drive a car.  He was probably too old anyway.

    "This is weird,"  I whispered to Madi.  It was like floating really fast.  "I like it, though."  She looked green and didn''t move her eyes from the road.  "Are you okay?"

    She shook her head.  "I think I''m going to throw up."

    "Why?  I didn''t think you''d be that nervous around Clovis," I whispered.

    "Shut up."

    "Are you getting car sick?" Hirsh asked.

    "What''s that?"  I asked.

    "It''s when the movement of the car makes you sick," he explained.  "Once we stop, you''ll feel better in no time."

    It wasn''t a long drive to the outer walls.  We passed by several fields before Clovis came to a stop at the tall, metal gates.  Once he parked, he went around the other side and helped Hirsh out of the car.  Madi took in the crisp, evening air and the color was starting to return to her face.

    "This way," Hirsh said.  He pointed to a narrow set of stairs along the side of the wall.  They reached to the top of the wall where a few guards were patrolling.

    "We have to climb... that?" Madi said.

    "Don''t worry, they''re much more stable than they look," Hirsh said.

    "I don''t really like heights..." her voice trailed off.

    "If you don''t want to go up them, I can stay down here with you," Clovis offered.  Madi looked flustered, so I rescued her.

    "That''s a great idea!" I said.  "We''ll be back in a jiff!"  Madi shot me daggers, but I knew she was grateful.  Hirsh and I slowly made our way up the staircase.  Each step was accompanied by an unsettling creak, but Hirsh didn''t seem too worried, so I tried not to be either.  If anything, I could run back down the stairs much faster than he could.

    We had almost reached the top of the stairs when I heard a faint voice in front of me.

    "Help me," it said feebly.

    "Hirsh, are you okay?"  I asked him.  He turned around and smiled.

    "I''m old, not dying Zuza."

    "You didn''t just ask for help?"

    He shook his head.  I looked up at the guards atop of the wall.  They seemed fine.

    "... Nevermind."  I tried to shake off the uneasy feeling that was starting to swell in my chest.

    We got to the top and Hirsh led me over to the edge.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    "Look out, what do you see?"

    I peered out over the ledge and squinted my eyes.  The fading light made it hard to see, but I could see shapes start to form out in the distance.

    "What are those jagged things out there?"

    "Those are mountains."

    Once I could see better, I greedily took in my surroundings.  The land was a nearly  blank canvas, only interrupted by some trees, rocks, and mountains far away from me.

    "What do you think?"  Hirsh asked.

    "It looks... lonely."  I wouldn''t say I was disappointed with what I saw.  I just didn''t know what to expect.

    "Lonely is a good word for it.  There''s not much out there.  Roamers don''t come out this way.  Not for a long time."

    Below us, I heard the faint sound of whimpering.  I looked to try and find the noise, but only saw some trees and rocks.

    "What is it?"  Hirsh asked, giving me a worried look.

    "Do you hear that sound?"

    "What sound?"

    "Whimpering... like someone is hurt."

    Hirsh looked at the two guards near us on the wall.  "Do you hear anything?"  he asked them.  "Perhaps I''m just getting too old."  They shook their heads.

    "Help."  The feeble voice said again.  "Help me."

    "They spoke again!"  I exclaimed.  "It said ''help me''!  We need to do something!"  I paced along the wall, trying to find them.

    "Zuza, calm down for a moment," Hirsh said, reaching out to me.  I ignored him.

    "Hello?"  I called out.  "Where are you?!"

    "Help." It said again.  I closed my eyes and focused on the voice.

    "Say that again," I yelled.

    "Help me."  The voice sounded like it was getting weaker.  I heard it to my right.  I ran across the platform.

    "I''m here!"  I called again.

    "Zuza, what are you doing?!"  Madi shouted up at me.

    "Where are you?"  I mumbled more to myself.  I leaned over the wall and scanned the ground.  Rocks.  Rocks.  It''s all just rocks and plants!

    "Speak again!"  I yelled to the rocks.  I''m going crazy.  I''m literally yelling at rocks.

    I waited.

    Silence.

    Please, say something.

    "... Help."  It was hardly more than a whisper, but I found the source of the noise;  A boy clung to a boulder, his clothes ripped and his skin scraped and bloody.  He lifted his head a fraction and looked at me before closing his eyes and crumpling to the ground.

 Chapter 5

    Hirsh ran as fast as he could to the edge of the wall.

    "Go get him!" he yelled to the two guards. They fled down the stairs, opened the gate, and made their way over to the boy. One guard picked him up and he slumped lifelessly in his arms.

    "Is he dead?" I asked Hirsh. I had never seen a dead person before.

    "I don''t know. Go down to the car." I ran down the stairs, ignoring the creaking underneath my feet. I met and Clovis and Madi at the bottom.

    "What''s going on?" Madi demanded, nearly hysterical.

    Clovis pointed to the two guards coming back through the gate. "There''s a boy!"

    Hirsh joined us and opened the passenger side door. He climbed in and yelled to the guard carrying the boy. "Give him to me," he ordered the man. "Clovis, girls, get in." Hirsh was strangely calm as he held the boy in his arms. Madi and I clambered in the backseat of the car and Clovis took off. "Take me to the infirmary, then take the Madi and Zuza home."

    "Yes sir," Clovis said.

    I leaned forward to get a good look at the boy. His dark hair was matted with dirt and he was sickly and thin. I reached forward to touch his face but Madi grabbed my wrist.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    "Don''t touch him," she hissed quietly. "He could have the sickness."

    "Doubtful," I mumbled under my breath.

    Clovis stopped the car suddenly and got out. He took the boy from Hirsh and the two of them raced inside the infirmary. Madi and I sat in silence as we waited for Clovis to return.

    "We shouldn''t have brought him in," Madi said finally.

    "I turned and glared at her. "Don''t say that! He could be dead."

    "He could also carry the sickness with him and then we''ll all be dead. This is your fault. If you hadn''t run off, we wouldn''t be in this position."

    "I don''t care," I said stubbornly. "I probably saved his life."

    "-And risked ours."

    I didn''t want to believe Madi, but maybe she was right. The only thing that made me feel better was knowing that Hirsh was so eager to help him. He wouldn''t do something against his better judgement... I don''t think.

 Chapter 6

    Sleep still hadn''t come to me hours after I had gone to bed. After telling my parents what had happened, I could hear them pacing back and forth in the living room downstairs. My mother almost cried out of fear. No one had ever come to the community like this. Not bloody and nearly dead. Clovis said not to tell anyone but our parents what had happened, not that I''d really have anyone to tell. I wasn''t exactly rolling in friends and Madi would do anything Clovis asked of her.

    The tree outside my window swayed in the wind. I sat up and stared at the leaves that were dancing furiously. Focusing on one leaf, I willed it to fall off the branch. It still didn''t move. I threw my pillow at the window angrily. Fall, you stupid leaf! I screamed in my head.

    In one, loud movement, all the leaves fell from the tree, forming a pile at it''s roots. I jumped back in surprise and nearly fell of my bed.

    "I did that... I did that!" I laughed in delight. I bounced over to the window and opened it. Cold wind rushed at my face. I reached out towards the barren branch.

    "Zuzanna!" My mother snapped behind me. "What are you doing?"

    Before I had a chance to touch the tree, I whipped my hand back into my room and turned around. "Did you see that?! I knocked all the leaves off the tree!"

    She ran over to the window and slammed it shut. "Now is not the time for your tricks. Keep the window closed, it''s not safe right now."

    "Why not?"Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    "Because of that Roamer. He''s bad news,"

    "He''s just a boy," I protested.

    "He''s an outsider," She scolded. "And if he has the sickness with him, then we all have it. Hish should not have brought him in, he shouldn''t have taken you to the gate."

    "You sound like Madi," I said glumbly.

    "Your sister is a smart girl."

    My mother sat down on the bed next to me and cradled my face in her hands. The harsh look in her eyes soften as she looked at me.

    "You care so much about everyone, my sweet Zuzanna." She gave me hug. "I just want you to be safe."

    "I know."

    "Promise me you''ll stay away from this boy."

    "I promise," I said, but we both knew that was a lie.

    My mother kissed me on the head. "Get some sleep." She closed the door behind her and left me sitting on my bed. I waited two hours before I snuck out the window.

 Chapter 7

    The infirmary really looked no different than most buildings in the Community, which was a good thing for me; it would make it much easier to sneak in and find my way around. I walked to a back window and checked the lock on it. Unlocked... Figures. The Community was so empty and quiet at night, but I was still surprised that there weren''t more guards or something outside, given what had just happened.

    I had never been inside of the infirmary, but I trusted my gut and crept down a dark hallway and started checking rooms. Of the three rooms downstairs, I had found no one in them, so I headed for the stairs. I snuck past the kitchen, which still had a dim light on above the sink. I didn''t stop to poke my head in and see if anyone was actually in there. I had gotten this far without getting caught, I didn''t want to press my luck.

    After tiptoeing up the stairs, I made my way to the first room on the right. I put light pressure on the door, and it opened slowly. The window on the other side of the room let the moonlight leak in; the boy was lying in the bed, his back facing me. Next to him, Hirsh sat sleeping in a rocking chair. Careful not to wake Hirsh, I went over to the bed. The boy looked so gaunt and sickly in the moonlight. Bags sat under his eyes, and his thick, dark hair fell on his thin face. He was clean and his hair was no longer matted, but he still looked too skinny. Is this what the sickness looks like? I wondered. Come to think of it, I''d never really seen a sick person before. What if he didn''t have the sickness and was just starving or sick with something else? I reached out and touched his arm, afraid that he''d wake up, but hoping that he would at the same time. He merely stirred in his sleep. I held my breath and touched his arm again. This time the boy sprang up and pushed me away, a look of horror filled his large eyes.

    "I''m sorry!" I whispered. Thankfully, Hirsh hadn''t woken. I held out my hands, trying to calm the boy down. "I didn''t mean to scare you, I just-"

    "You''re the girl that found me," he said with a weird voice, his eyes still holding a look of terror. I nodded.

    "I''m Zuza."

    He looked at me wearily.

    "What''s your name?" I asked him, making sure to keep my voice down.

    "... Enzo," he said quietly.

    "Why do you talk differently than I do?" I asked him. "You say things differently. It''s not bad, just... different."

    "That''s just how we talk where I''m from. Your voice sounds different to me."

    "Yeah, but your voice sounds fancy."

    He shrugged. "I guess."

    "Hmm. Where are you from?"

    He shifted his eyes and looked at the ground. "I-uh, another community."This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "The one that was dissolved? Did bad things happen there? Is that why you looked the way you did?"

    "You''re awfully forward."

    "I know."

    "Well..." Enzo looked anywhere but at me. "Well, I don''t want to talk about it."

    "That''s okay," I said. "We only just met, you don''t have to tell me yet."

    "Yet?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

    "Yeah, friends don''t tell each other everything all at once. You have to get to know each other little by little."

    "We''re friends?"

    I nodded. "If you want to be. There aren''t a lot of kids here my age. How old are you?"

    "Fifteen."

    "You''re kind of small to be fifteen, but I guess I can see it."

    Enzo pulled the covers up around him tighter. "Umm... alright."

    "I''m fourteen, so that was a pretty good guess."

    "Are you always this talkative?"

    "Yes, why?"

    "Oh, uh-"

    "You get used to it. My sister Madi says the same thing all the time. Though, she''s usually more mean about it. The thing is, I just have a lot to say, and sometimes it''s hard to find people who care to listen."

    Enzo let slip a small smile. "How frustrating that must be."

    "You seem like a good listener though. That''s why I think we''ll make good friends. Anyway, I''ll let you go back to sleep. I''m sorry that I woke you up."

    "It''s alright."

    "Well... goodnight!" I said quietly. He nodded and laid back down on the bed. I slipped out of the room, proud of myself for sneaking into the infirmary and not waking up Hirsh, but even more proud that I had made a friend.

 Chapter 8

    The next few days passed uneventfully... for me anyway. My mother made sure to keep an extra eye on everything I did. I hardly left the house, and when I did, Madi never let me anywhere near the infirmary. I wondered if Enzo was doing any better. Hirsh had already called a Community meeting and it had been discussed what they should do with him. Surprisingly, many people were okay with him being there. I guess it made them feel better about themselves by taking in a roamer. That, or they were just as curious as I was about the outside. Still, there were quite a few people who did not like him being here. Madi was one of those people. My Mother probably was to, but she was still too nice to voice her opinion. Either way, Enzo would stay in the community for now. Hirsh had made the decision to see what they should do with him once he was fully recovered.

    As for me, my powers had started to manifest themselves more and more. Ever since the leaves had all fallen off the tree, I had been able to move heavier things farther than usual. My family didn''t really seem to care, though. They were more concerned about the happenings in the Community. I can''t really blame them. No one else really gets me. I don''t even get me sometimes.

    After the fourth day of Enzo''s arrival, I woke up one morning to find Madi and my mother eating breakfast together. My father had already left for work, but it didn''t make sense that I wasn''t woken up to join them.

    "Why didn''t you call me down for breakfast?" I asked my mother.

    "It''s been a stressful few days, Zuzanna," she said. "I thought you deserved to sleep in."

    "What are you hiding?" My mother was never any good at keeping a secret.

    "Calm down," Madi said. "Not everyone is conspiring against you."

    My mother put some food on a plate for me and kept her head down.

    "What''s going on?" I asked her. "You''re both acting weird."

    "Nothing''s going on," Madi stated calmly, eating her food.

    "Tell me, or I''ll tell Clovis that you''re in love with him."

    Madi shoot me a look that sent genuine chills down my spine.

    "Who, Madara?" My mother looked shocked.

    "No one," Madi said hastily. She ran a discreet finger across her neck, directed at me.

    "Tell me." I said again, happy with the leverage I now had.

    Madi groaned and said, "I heard that Enzo is feeling better. They''ve already moved him to Hirsh and Baila''s home and Hirsh might lead him around the Community today."

    "Really?!" I stood up in excitement. My mother gave Madi a disapproving look. "Can we go see him?" I begged my mother. "Please!"

    "You know how I feel about you being around this roamer."

    "Yeah, but if he''s out in the Community, what does it matter? Anyone can see him, why not me?"

    "Because you''re special, Zuzanna. What if he- I don''t know- what if he really does have the sickness. What if you have a greater chance of getting sick?"

    "Mother, that''s crazy. Hirsh wouldn''t let him out of the infirmary if he thought he would get people sick. Please, I just want to see him, now that I know he''s okay."

    My mother sat and picked at her food for the longest time, not saying anything. Madi had gotten up in a huff and took her plate to the kitchen. Finally, my mother looked at me and in her most serious tone, said, "Fine you can go see him, but I don''t want you to touch him. Don''t even get too close. We don''t know how the sickness spreads."

    "Thank you!" I gave her a tight hug and shoveled food into my mouth. I was finally going to be able to see my friend. My friend... I have a friend.

    ********************************

    "Madi! How are you?" Clovis was standing outside his home with a couple other kids that Madi went to school with. Madi smiled sheepishly and waved at him.

    "I''m good... How are you?"

    I''m going to barf. I rolled my eyes. Madi pinched my elbow in retaliation.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "I''m great," Clovis smiled. He was handsome, I''ll give him that. Smiling made his blue eyes twinkle. Blue eyes weren''t very common in the Community, so he stuck out and it was the reason that so many girls liked him. That was my theory anyway. "Hi Zuza," he said to me, forcing me to snap back into focus.

    "Hello, Clovis. Smiling really makes your eyes stand out. They''re very blue." Did I really say that out loud?

    ... Oh well.

    Clovis took it well and just laughed. "No one''s ever told me that before. The smiling bit. Thank you. I take it you two are going to see Enzo?"

    "Yeah," Madi said, trying to find her voice. I don''t know why she always got so nervous around Clovis. You''d think after a while, it''d get old. Is that what it''s like to really like someone? That''d get annoying real fast.

    "Well, I have only seen him once. but I hear not many people have had a chance to meet him," Clovis said. "But given that Zuza found him, I can''t think of someone who deserves to meet him more."

    "I can''t either," I beamed.

    "So it''s true then. You found the roamer?" A girl behind Clovis piped up. Marzie. I always thought her nose was too big, and maybe that''s why she was mean to everyone. In any case, I decided A couple of years ago that I didn''t like her. She liked Clovis and hated Madi, probably because Madi is a lot prettier than her. Marzie scratched her big nose when she looked at me and Madi. Almost like she was trying to get rid of a bad smell.

    I made it a point to wrinkle my nose back at her before speaking. "It is true. And his name is Enzo, not roamer."

    "Well, that''s what he is. That''s what I''m going to keep calling him," she smirked. "The dirty roamer."

    I frowned at her. "Well, you''re a brat with a big nose but no one calls you that- to your face, anyway."

    "Zuza!" Madi looked horrified and grabbed my hand. "I''m so sorry about her, she''s not very good about holding her tongue."

    Clovis and the other boy there, Leland tried to hide their laughter by coughing. I grinned at Marzie, waiting for her response. She glared at Madi.

    "Whatever, why don''t you just take your freak sister and get out of here!" She shoved past us and took off down the street.

    "Should we go make sure she''s okay?" Clovis asked.

    "I''m sure she''ll feel better once she''s made a few small children cry," Leland responded. He was short and skinny, with nappy hair and a permanent smile on his face.

    "I really am sorry about that," Madi said to Clovis. "I didn''t think-"

    "I''m not sorry!" I said. "Marzie isn''t very nice. Why are you friends with her?"

    The three of them looked at each other uncomfortably.

    "Sometimes friendship is a bit complicated," Clovis explained.

    "Well, it shouldn''t have to be. You either like someone or you don''t. If you don''t, then why hang around them?"

    "Okay, that''s enough of your daily dose of wisdom. Clovis, do you know where Enzo is?" Madi asked.

    "I do. Follow me."

    Clovis and Leland took us past the infirmary, near the center of the Community where Hirsh and his wife, Baila, lived. They had a small garden in an enclosed courtyard. There, he experimented in growing different types of fruits and vegetables to see if they could eventually grow enough for the rest of the Community. Most of the time, they died before they got too big. He got the seeds from other dissolved communities, but explained that some communities had different weather than what we had, and that''s why the food wouldn''t grow. It was disappointing, especially since he once gave me a piece of one fruit that managed to survive longer than the others; a yellow spiky fruit with tangy, but sweet flesh. He said it was called a pineapple, but I never understood how it was related to a regular apple.

    Clovis opened the gate of the courtyard and led us inside. Hirsh kneeled on the ground, pruning one particular unruly plant. He stopped when he saw us approaching.

    "Good morning!" he said cheerfully. "I take it you didn''t come to see me, Zuza."

    "Not today, Hirsh. I came to see Enzo."

    "I figured. He''s quite popular. He''s off in the corner by the pear trees. Just be careful, he''s still not quite up to snuff."

    "Will do, thanks HIrsh!" I left Madi with the group and skipped over to the tiny orchard of trees. Enzo sat against a tree, reading a book. He looked to be alone, but I froze when I saw it.

    A black, ashy figure hovered above him, it''s body slender, frail and grotesquely twisted around the truck of the tree. It reached out a spindly arm towards Enzo''s head and caressed it longingly. Enzo kept reading like nothing was there. I blinked, trying to process what I was seeing.

    "Enzo!" I yelped.

    The shadowy being turned to me and let out an ear piercing shriek. I covered my ears, but the sound penetrated through, making my head spin. It dissolved into the air, leaving no trace of its presence. I pulled my hands away from my ears and saw blood on them. Enzo ran to me, but as he got closer, his image became more and more blurred until I saw only black.

 Chapter 9

    I could feel my body being lifted off the ground. I opened my eyes, though they felt so heavy, I could have held them closed forever. I found myself in Clovis'' arms. He carried me through the garden and into the house. I tilted my head to catch a glimpse of Enzo. His dark, frightened eyes looked back at me. Madi burst open the door and I was rushed into the nearest room. Clovis plopped me on the bed. Something was wrong.

    Everyone was crowded into the small room; Madi was pale and panicked, Hirsh sat on the edge of the bed and was talking to me. But I couldn''t hear a thing. I opened my own mouth to speak, but instead I only heard the same loud, shrill that the shadowy figure had just made outside. I grabbed my head again, trying to block out the sound, but it seemed to come from inside me. No one else seemed to hear it, and they just looked at me, horrified.

    When the screaming in my head stopped, I looked at my hands again, seeing fresh blood.

    Again. What''s wrong with me?

    I could feel myself slipping out of consciousness again, and I fell back onto the bed, hitting the headboard.

    ************************************

    "Zuza?" a quiet, worried voice spoke above me.

    My mother sat next to me. Tears sprang to my eyes because I could hear again. She stroked my face tenderly, "We were so worried about you." I looked around and saw my father, Hirsh, Baila, and Madi also in the room. Night had fallen.

    "You''ve been asleep for a long while," Baila said in her old withered voice. "We were afraid to move you after you passed out again."A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "Where''s Enzo?" I asked. My throat felt scratchy and I longed for some water.

    "Enzo is fine," Hirsh assured me. "Frankly, we''re more worried about you right now. What happened in the garden?"

    "I-" I thought about the faceless figure above Enzo. It had no eyes, but somehow looked right at me. It had no mouth, but somehow screamed in my head. Enzo couldn''t see or hear it, but why me? Or worse, what if he could see it, but ignored it. What was it? And did Enzo bring it with him?

    "You okay?" Hirsh asked. I realized I had begun to tell them what had happened. But now I didn''t want to. Who would believe me? No one in this room.

    "I came down with a headache," I lied. "So sudden and strong, It felt like someone hit me from behind."

    "Enzo said you yelled his name," Madi said, not looking entirely convinced. "Why?"

    "I guess I felt scared. He was there, so I yelled at him to get help, then I fell."

    "I''ve never seen a headache make your ears bleed," my mother noted. She turned to Hirsh.

    "You don''t think-"

    "Let''s not make any judgments too quickly Tatyana. Enzo has seen the sickness, he''d be able to tell us if Zuza got it."

    But was it the sickness? Or something much, much worse?

 Chapter 10

    I woke up to the sound of my parents arguing. It was odd, because they rarely fought. I sat up in my bed. I was taken home soon after I awoke at Hirsh''s and Baila''s and my mother had made sure that I had gotten plenty of rest. I had been cooped up for two days and was itching to stretch my legs. I went to the door and poked my head out to overhear their conversation.

    "The boy has already said that Zuza doesn''t have the symptoms of the sickness," my father said. "We can''t just turn him away if he wants to visit her."

    "We don''t know anything about this boy. He has hardly said anything about the community that he came from, what if he is hiding something?" My mother sounded distraught.

    "He has been through a lot. He is probably very frightened, but he''s reaching out to Zuza. We should let him."

    I could tell my mother was fighting back tears. "But she''s our special girl, Yann. What if it affects her differently? The sickness? I couldn''t live with myself."

    I had honestly been feeling much better. Physically, anyway. I had nightmares about the figure every time I tried to sleep, so I spent a lot of time awake and practicing my powers. It was odd, but I felt that my powers were easier to control once Enzo had come to the Community. I managed to get all the leaves to fall off the tree right after he came and ever since then, I could feel myself growing stronger. Granted, there were always times where I couldn''t move anything, but I saw real progress that I hadn''t seen before. I wondered if Enzo''s arrival really had anything to do with my powers, or if it was just a coincidence. What was worse was that I started to wonder if the monster had anything to do with it. How long had it been in the Community?

    I tried to push the thought out of my head, and I ran over to the window and opened it. I saw Enzo standing awkwardly outside my home. I heard my front door slam in his face, and he turned to leave. He seemed to be trying to hide his face in a thick scarf around his neck, but not to shield from the cold, but more to disappear from the side glances he kept getting from passersby.

    "Enzo!" I yelled out to him, waving my arms frantically.

    He stopped and looked at me. "Hello Zuza," he said in a muffled voice.

    "Did my mother turn you away?"

    He nodded.

    "You can still be my friend, don''t worry. Here, you can just climb up the tree and we can talk that way."

    He appeared hesitant, but slowly walked over to the trunk of the tree. One he got there, he looked unsure as to how to get started.

    "You have climbed a tree before, right?"

    "Well..."

    "Did you have trees in your community?"

    "We did, but we were never allowed to climb them."

    "What?!" The concept was absurd to me. "Why not? That''s a silly rule."

    He shrugged. "My Community is-was- a lot more strict than yours is. We weren''t allowed to do a lot of things."

    "Hmmpp, well it looks like I have some things to teach you. Was it a rule that you had to have a stick up your butt all the time, because you don''t know how to have fun."

    Enzo looked shocked and blushed profusely. "N-no."

    I laughed. It had been awhile since I laughed, I realized. "I''m just kidding. And don''t tell my mom I said the word butt, she thinks it''s a rude word."

    "Right... I''ll add that to the list of things your mom doesn''t know you do, right under sneaking out of the house and visiting the infirmary."

    "You can joke! I was worried for a bit. I thought that stick was wedged up there a little too far to allow for that."

    "Stop talking about the stick," he blushed again.

    "Whatever." I climbed out of the window. I confidently stepped out onto a branch and shimmied about halfway down the tree.

    "Give me your hand," I told Enzo. "I''ll help you up."

    He settled beside me on the branch, looking uneasy.

    "I''m sorry my mother wouldn''t let you in." I told him.

    "It''s okay, I don''t blame her for being cautious. Seems like most people here are, even if they voted for me to stay."

    "I think they just did that out of curiosity. You''re like a zoo animal for them to watch from a safe distance."

    "A zoo animal?" he looked confused. "What''s that?"Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    "You know, a zoo, like where they kept animals before the Communities. Madi told me all about them. They learn a lot in her history class."

    "We didn''t learn that much about how the world used to be in my Community."

    "That seems odd. You should be open about the past unless you''re trying to hide something.

    Our communities are very different."

    "I think maybe that''s why ours didn''t last as long."

    "Why are you so vague when you talk about your old community?" I asked him, hoping the question wouldn''t put him off.

    "A lot of bad things happened there." He said simply.

    "Were you the only survivor?"

    He shook his head, "No. but only a few people made it out. Overtime, they all died until it was only me. I was alone for ages, it felt."

    "Have you told Hirsh any of this?"

    He shook his head again.

    "Why did you tell me?"

    "I don''t know," he shrugged. "You ask questions like you''re actually concerned about me. Others ask questions because they''re concerned about themselves and the Community."

    I didn''t know how to respond. I had never thought about it that way, I was just worried about him. The fate of the Community was out of my hands, but I know that I could help my friend.

    "Well, you''re welcome!" I grinned, but strangely didn''t feel that happy. I felt sad. Empty, maybe? I had never felt this way before. I felt bad for Enzo. I guess I had never really felt bad for anyone. Not really.

    "Am I selfish?" I asked, more to myself than to Enzo. He looked taken aback.

    "No, I don''t think so. You saved my life, I don''t think that makes you selfish. Why do you ask?"

    "I''ve never felt bad for anyone, not even myself really. Is that bad? I don''t know. My life is pretty good, but my life isn''t like most people."

    "Wh- what do you mean?" Enzo stammered.

    "I''m just... different." For the first time, I felt the strong urge to tell someone about my powers. Outside of my family, no one knew, and I was actually okay with that. It was like our little secret. If I was to tell anyone, I''d want it to be Enzo, but my parents told me over and over how important it was to keep my powers a secret. "I..." my voice trailed off. I would keep my secret.

    "I''ve noticed. But what''s the fun in being like everyone else?"

    I smiled. "That''s true."

    "Well, I better get going," He said abruptly. "I told Hirsh I would help him in the garden today."

    His words sent a jolt through me. "Is that what you were doing when I came to see you?"

    "Well yeah, but I was still feeling pretty weak, so I was taking a break under that tree."

    My mind went back to the shadowy figure. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. "I don''t think you should go help Hirsh."

    "Why not?"

    "Umm..." I tried to think of an excuse. "Because what if you overwork yourself? You''re still recuperating."

    "I''m actually not feeling that bad. Once I was rescued, I healed a lot faster than Hirsh thought I would. I''m just trying to regain my strength. I think I''ll be fine."

    "I- I still don''t think it''s a good idea."

    "Why..." He had started to climb out of the tree, but stopped to look at me. My expression must have given me away and he started to climb back up.

    "Is this about the other day? Why would you be worried about me?"

    "I''m not," I lied.

    "Okay, but you didn''t answer the first question."

    I could feel frustration starting to build. "It''s not about the incident in the garden," I said curtly.

    "You never told me what happened there... I mean you told Hirsh and the others that you suddenly got a headache, but I was there. You looked right past me, like you had seen a ghost or something."

    My face flushed. I wanted this conversation to be over.

    "Zuza," Enzo lowered his voice. "Did you see something?"

    My shook my head profusely and stood up on the branch. "I didn''t see anything. That would be crazy. Goodbye Enzo, I hope you have an enjoyable time helping Hirsh in the garden." I hurriedly climbed through my window and shut it.

    I wiped tears away from my face as I watched him awkwardly climb out of the tree. I wanted to tell him so badly, but I didn''t want him to think I was crazy.

    You''re not crazy, Zuza.

 Chapter 11

    Try as I might, I couldn''t get the image of the shadowy figure out of my head.  I was more jumpy than usual, cowering at dark corners in my home, and I was hesitant to go to bed at night on my own.  Madi refused to let me sleep in her room, so I ended up falling asleep with a lit candle every night, though that left strange shadows on my bedroom wall that left me unsettled as well.  The longer I went without telling someone about the figure, the more paranoid I became. So much so, that my mother suggested that I spend more time outside, even without an escort.

    It had been a week since the incident in the  garden and I my parents finally confronted me and convinced me to go visit Hirsh and Baila.

    "Hirsh has been feeling his age lately and they miss your visits," my father explained.  "You can''t stay cooped up in your room forever."

    "I can try," I grumbled.

    My father stroked my hair tenderly.  "Go, Zuza.  You need the fresh air."  I slipped off the bed reluctantly and made my way downstairs.  I hated to admit it, but the crisp fall air felt good on my face as I stepped outside.

    Once I got to Hirsh and Baila''s, I found myself back at the garden gate.  Hesitating, I slowly pushed the gate in and poked my head in.   In all my years of knowing Hirsh, I had never gone through their front door.  Even now, the thought of using it felt weird, but I think a small part of me wanted to know if I''d see the creature again.  Morbid curiosity killed the cat.

    I knocked on the back door, waited a moment, then let myself in.

    "Hirsh! Baila!"

    "We''re upstairs, dear!"  Bail''s voice drifted from their bedroom.  I found Enzo sitting at the bottom of the stairs.  He looked up and smiled, though his expression was that of slight surprise.

    "Zuza, what are you doing here?"  he asked, setting down the book he was reading.

    "My parents said I needed to get out more... so here I am."  I smiled sheepishly.  It wasn''t in my nature to be shy, but I hadn''t seen Enzo since I talked with him outside my house and asked me if I had seen anything that day in the garden. I felt awful for lying to him.  I wanted to tell him the truth about everything; the creature, my growing powers, but I didn''t feel like I knew him well enough.  Maybe it was just because I saved his life that I felt an odd connection to him.  Does he feel the same way? I wondered.  How could I even go about asking that?

    "Oh, well... glad you could come by." He looked as awkward as I felt.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "I just wanted to see Hirsh.  I heard he was feeling sick."

    Enzo looked grateful for the change of subject.  "Yeah, he does feel a bit under the weather, but nothing too serious, I think."

    "You don''t think-"  I stopped myself.  Was it too rude to ask Enzo if he gave Hirsh the sickness?

    "You think I gave him the sickness?"  Enzo asked, a little defensively.  Okay, maybe it was rude to ask him that question.

    "Well... Uh- I just think we need to consider all our options," I said.

    "Okay, like the option that Hirsh is just super old, anyway."

    "Look, I didn''t mean to point fingers.  Besides, did you ever get the sickness back in your community?"

    "No."

    "Then he can''t be showing the signs of symptoms, right?  What are they?"

    Enzo furrowed his brow.  "The symptoms?  Well, it can be hard to tell how long a person really has the sickness. They could have it for weeks, but don''t show really noticeable signs until right before they die; slow and painful movements, ashy skin, unable to eat or drink... the oddest thing though is the eyes.  People get black rings around their eyes- around the iris- and  their eyes are all bloodshot.  Those are the symptoms."

    "Sounds... pleasant," I mumbled.  "Is that why it''s so hard for people to catch?  And why so many people die in a short period of time?  They could all give it to each other, but not know it until right before they die?"

    Enzo nodded.  "Still, we don''t know all that much about it, like where it came from or whether it''s spread through physical contact or not."

    "Gotcha..." I said.  I still wanted to check on Hirsh, however.  Not that I didn''t believe Enzo...

    "Well, I haven''t seen Hirsh and Baila in a few days, so I owe them a visit anyway," I said, scooting past him on the stairs.

    "Of course," Enzo said, getting up and letting me through.  I left him on the step, where he went back to reading.

 Chapter 12

    I found Hirsh sitting  up in his bed, reading a book with a content look on his face.  Baila was sitting in the rocking chair beside him, knitting something with brightly colored yarn.  They smiled at me when I stepped into the room.

    "Zuza!" Baila beamed, her bright eyes almost disappearing beneath the wrinkles on her face.  "How nice of you to visit."

    "Happy to be here," I grinned.  "How are you feeling Hirsh?"

    The old man looked back up fro his book.  "Just feeling a bit tired, is all.  I spent a long time in the garden yesterday.  I wore myself out."

    Baila shook her head slightly.  "That blasted garden is going to be the death of you."

    "You don''t look too bad to me," I said.  I stared at his face, trying to see for myself if he was carrying any of the symptoms that Enzo had mentioned earlier.  His eyes looked normal and his skin wasn''t ashy.  I guess he was just old.

    "How are you doing, Zuza?"  Hirsh asked.  "I hope you''re not getting into any trouble."

    "Well, you know my parents.  They would never give me the chance to actually cause any trouble."

    "That''s never stopped you before though... especially with you sneaking into the infirmary to see Enzo.  I''m sure your parents aren''t aware of that."

    My face flushed.  "Oh!  You know about that?"  How embarrassing.  I guess he was right there when I came into the room.  I knew going was a bad idea.

    Hirsh and Baila chuckled.  "You don''t need to worry about us knowing your secret," Baila said.  "It won''t leave this house."

    I felt relieved.  "Thanks.  My parents would probably kill me."

    Hirsh nodded.  "It''s normal for them to worry about you, but I''m glad to see that you''ve made a friend.  Enzo is a good boy."  His eyes twinkled with happiness.  Hirsh and Baila were never able to have children of their own.  It was probably nice to have Enzo staying with them.

    "Yeah..." my voice trailed off.  If we were friends, shouldn''t I tell him about my powers?  That''s what friends did, right?  Tell each other secrets.  He told me a little bit about his community; even stuff that he didn''t tell Hirsh.  Did I not trust him?This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    **********************

    Enzo hadn''t moved from the step when I left Baila and Hirsh''s room.  He looked so peaceful, I almost didn''t want to bother him again...

    Almost.

    I jumped down to his step and stuck my nose close to his face.

    "Enzo!"

    He jumped back like a frightened rabbit, dropping his book.  "What?!" he said, startled.  He picked up his book and held it close to his chest like it was a precious gift.  "Don''t do that Zuza, you scared me."

    "... Sorry."  I felt a little hurt.  I didn''t mean to scare him.  I didn''t think he''d be so jumpy.  "Hey are you busy?  Do you want to take a walk down to the river with me?  The leaves are changing right now, so it''s really pretty."

    "Umm..." He glanced at his book.

    "You can bring the book."

    "... Okay, let me grab my coat and scarf."

    I raised an eyebrow at him.  "It''s not that cold out."  My thoughts turned to the time that I saw him outside of my house a few days ago.  "Oh, you want to hide your face from everyone else."

    "No, it''s not that, I-I," he stammered.  "... Some people still give me dirty looks.  The scarf helps."   He wrapped it around his neck and pulled it up over his mouth.

    "Well, I think most people will be looking at me anyway since everyone thinks I''m weird.  So you don''t have to worry about it too much."

    "That doesn''t bother you?  People staring?"

    "I don''t let people get to me.  Why let them?  They don''t know me."

    "That''s a very courageous thing to say."

    I smiled at him.  He was a lot nicer than most kids my age.

    "Let''s go!" I said, leading him out the door.  Enzo was my friend.  I guess I did trust him enough to tell him my secret.

 Chapter 13

    I sat on the river bank with Enzo and we watched the leaves dance in the slight breeze.  I laid back and stretched out my arms, taking in the sweet, fresh air.  It was nice to get out of the house and not be escorted by Madi, but I knew that I had to tell Enzo about my secret.  Now I was just stalling.

    He had pulled out his book again and was nestled against a tree.  He seemed to be most at peace when he was reading.

    "What are you reading?" I asked him.

    "It''s just an old book of fairytales.  They didn''t have these in my Community."

    He was still pretty vague about where he came from.  It didn''t sound like a great place.  My Community was boring, but at least we were happy and safe.  I sat up and looked at him.  "Did you like your Community?"

    Enzo kept his eyes on the book, but they didn''t move like he was actually reading anything.  They seemed to go out of focus and he was quiet for a long time.

    "I like it here more," He mumbled.

    "Do you miss it?"

    "... I miss my family."  Tears started to well up in his eyes and he quickly wiped them with his coat sleeve.  "But it doesn''t matter though.  I''m alive, so I should be grateful."

    My heart ached at the sight of him crying.  I felt foolish for bringing anything up, I should have just stayed quiet.  I''d never really seen anyone cry before, other than my mother and Madi, and never was it over anything as serious as losing a family member.  being friends with someone was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

    "Enzo?" I asked quietly. He glanced at me, his eyes red and puffy.  "Can I... give you hug?" He gave me a slight nod, so I leaned forward and gave him one.  I''m not a great hugger, but I guess it''s just the thought that counts.  I listened to him sob quietly for a few minutes, unsure of what to say.  Maybe he didn''t need me to say anything. Maybe he just needed to cry.

    After a time, he pulled away from me and wiped his eyes again.  "Thank you," he said.  I smiled, but I felt a little awkward.  Did I help him at all?  It didn''t really feel like it.

    We were silent for a while, and I could feel a pit in my stomach.  What should I tell him first?  My powers?  Or about the monster in the garden?

    Almost as if he had read my mind, Enzo asked with a smirk, "So are you going to tell me about the day in the garden?  I''ve never seen anyone react to getting a headache like that."

    "Ah!"  I blushed.  I guess he made the decision for me. "Well I did  get a headache... after I woke up."

    "But what happened before that?"  He leaned forward eagerly.  "You saw something, didn''t you?  I knew it!"

    "Well, no," I insisted.  "Well I mean... umm."  The pit in my stomach scratched at my insides.  Go away!  I hated this feeling.  The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Don''t think I''m crazy for telling you this," I said, crossing my arms stubbornly.

    He shook his head.  "I''d never think that!"

    "Okay..." Here it goes.  "I did  see something.  I can''t really explain it, though.  It was like a monster, or a shadow- I don''t know- was in the garden with you.  It was like a black shadow that was standing behind you, stroking your head.  It didn''t have a face.  No mouth or eyes, but when I called your name, it looked at me and screamed... That''s when I fell."

    I looked up at him with hesitation, afraid of what his face would say.  His large eyes that held fear so easily looked like they set to burst from his head.  He stared at me blankly and touched the back of his head.  I turned my head away from him.  Why did I say anything? Idiot!  He does think I''m crazy!

    I stood up.  "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have said anything.  I''m gonna go."

    "No, wait!" He grabbed my arm.  "I don''t think you''re crazy, It''s just that... I wasn''t expecting that answer.  I don''t know what I expected actually."

    "So do you believe me?"

    He bit his lip nervously.  "... I don''t know what to think."

    So you''re saying you don''t believe me?  Great.

    "Look, I can prove that I''m not making this up."  Actually, I had no proof... But I could show him my powers.  Maybe then he''d be more willing to listen.  "Okay, I can''t actually prove that.  I haven''t seen the monster since that day in the garden. But maybe I just saw it because, I''m different than everyone else here."

    He furrowed his brow.  "You''ve said that before.  What do you mean?"

    "Once I show you, you''ll know that I''m being serious about the monster!"

    "Show me what?"

    I looked around us to find the perfect item to show off my ability.  "I can move things with my mind,"  I said.  The words felt weird coming out of my mouth.  No one but my family knew.  Now that I told Enzo, there was no going back.  He was in on the secret.

    He blinked several times. "What?"

    "Take a look," I grinned.  I was kind of exciting to show off to someone outside of my family; like a mini audience.  "I''ll use the book!"  Enzo had left the book laying on the ground, so I willed it to come to me.  Effortlessly, it rose, drifted through the air, and landed softly in my hands.   I beamed at him proudly.  "You see?  It''s as simple as that!"

    Instead of a look of admiration or awe, Enzo took a step away from me, his face full of concern.

    "What?"  I asked.  Why wasn''t he thrilled at my powers?

    "Zuza..."  He said hardly above a whisper.  "There''s nothing in your hands."

 Chapter 14

    I scoffed at him.  The book was there.  Right in my hands.

    "Don''t be dumb," I said.  "Look!"  I shook the book in his face.  He stepped away from me, his annoyingly large eyes filled with pity.

    "Don''t look at me like that," I said sharply.   His expression reminded me of Madi.  She felt bad for me sometimes; she just didn''t understand.  She was just jealous that I was special.  Maybe Enzo was also jealous.  Maybe telling him was a bad idea.

    "No Zuza, you look."  His voice quivered.  He walked over to where the book once was, bent down, and stood back up.  He was holding his hands out, but there was nothing in them.

    "There''s nothing there," I said stubbornly.  "Stop making fun of me."

    Enzo shook his head defensively.  "I''m not!  You''re the one not holding anything in your hands.  Feel the book in my  hands!"

    I pulled the book close to me, almost afraid that it would disappear from my grasp.  I closed my eyes.  Why was he acting like this?  I shouldn''t have trusted him.

    "Zuza," he pleaded.  "Please.  Feel the book."

    I blindly held out my hand and it was met with the smooth leather of the book''s spine.  I recoiled in shock.  I opened my eyes, and Enzo was holding the book.  I looked down at my own hands.

    They were empty.

    "How did you do that?"  I demanded.

    "I didn''t do anything, I just picked up the book off of the ground."

    My face suddenly felt hot.  "What are you saying?"

    Enzo was on the verge of tears again.  "... You didn''t do anything Zuza."

    My throat swelled with fear and embarrassment.  Hot tears pushed to escape.

    "Do you think-"  I couldn''t finish the question.  I turned and ran from him, rushing away from the river.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I sprinted home, ignoring his voice calling after me.

    **************

    I burst through the door of my home where my parents were seated in our small living room.

    "Zuzanna?"  My mother stood in surprise.  "What''s wrong?"  I pushed past her and ran upstairs to my room.

    "Zuza?!" My father called.  I slammed the door and sank against it.  I let my tears flow freely down my face and my vision quickly blurred.  I heard a knock at my door.

    "Zuza?"  My mother said on the other side of the door.  "Did something happen at Hirsh and Baila''s?  Is Hirsh alright?"

    "Why didn''t you-" A sob caught in my throat.  It hurt to push it down.  "...There''s something wrong with me."

    I could hear my mother start to cry.

    "We shouldn''t have let her go by herself," She said quietly to my father, but I could still hear it.  Why were they acting like this?  It was over.  I knew.

    "WHY DOES IT MATTER?" I screamed.  "I''m not gifted... I''m just... insane?  Seeing things that aren''t there.  And no one-"  I cried again, burying my face in my hands.

    "Zuza..." My father''s voice cracked.  "You''re our special girl.  Hirsh thought it best if we just let you... We thought you would grow out of it after a time."

    Pain welled in my chest.  Hirsh knew too?  How many people knew that there was something wrong with my brain?  No wonder I always had an escort; my family didn''t want me running around talking like a crazy person.  Someone always needed to watch over me...

    My family was ashamed of me.

    "Open the door, Zuza." My mother said.  She wiggled the door handle.

    I didn''t move.

    My head swam with emotions.  I grabbed my head and cowered against the door.  I felt as if my room was about to swallow me in shadows, leaving nothing left.  Nothing left to remind my parents of their embarrassment of me.

    I sighed. "No. Please leave me alone."

 Chapter 15

    I sat alone in the dark.

    The clouds sailed across the moon, splattering  odd shadows into my room.  I got up from the floor and went to close the curtain, but stopped when I saw the top of a head bob within the branches of the tree outside my window.  Enzo, now more comfortable in climbing up the tree, sat across from me.

    "Hi Zuza," he said timidly.  I ignored him.  He had come by my house everyday for almost two weeks, trying to get me to come outside.  The first few days, he kept apologizing and would carry on conversations with me even though I never said anything.  After the first week, he kind of gave up trying to get me to talk and now just sat up in the tree and read.  I don''t think my family knew he was doing it.  But I wouldn''t really know anything.  I had hardly left my room and refused to speak to my family.  Every time I thought about them, anger rushed through my body.  Anger, and then sadness.  Hopeless, consuming sadness.

    I laid down on the bed, my back facing him.  Enzo had brought a new book with him.  He was a fast reader; I sort of envied him for that.

    "I brought a new book," he said.  That''s weird.  I thought he was smarter than to try and talk to me.

    "Do you mind if I read some of it to you?  I think you might like it."

    I didn''t bother responding, but he went ahead and read it aloud anyway.  What a pain.  Just leave me alone.

    I listened to him as he read me the story of a girl who had found herself in a new, strange world after falling down a rabbit hole.  In the world, there were strange plants, and animals that spoke like humans and wore fancy clothes.

    "That''s stupid," I mumbled.  My throat was dry and scratchy.  It was the first time I had spoken in days.

    "What?" he asked.

    My hands clenched in annoyance.  "I said that''s stupid," I snapped, sitting up to glare at him.  "Don''t you have better things to do than read this dumb book to me?"

    Enzo''s chin quivered, but he didn''t cry.  Instead, he looked angry.  I''d never seen him angry before.

    "Look, I''m just trying to be a good friend.  You don''t have to be a jerk about it."  He said.

    "Why do you even bother coming here?  Who said I wanted to be your friend?"  I burrowed down underneath my blankets, turning away from him.

    After a few minutes of silence, I figured he gave up and went home.  Good, maybe he got the hint  and will stop coming

    "I know it''s not me you''re mad at,"  He said.  My heart pounded in my chest.  "I didn''t mean to hurt you Zuza, and I know your family and Hirsh didn''t mean to either.  They did what they thought was best because they love you."This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Tears started to roll down onto my pillow.  Stupid tears. Stupid Enzo.  Stupid family. The pounding in my chest started to hurt and I dug further into my bed, trying to escape the pain.

    "You don''t have to be my friend, Zuza, but I''ll still be yours."

    ******************************

    A few days had passed since Enzo read the book to me, and a small part of me missed his company.  I was still in no state to talk to my family.  I couldn''t bring myself to forgive them.  What do you say to people who have lied to you all most of your life?  People who you were supposed to trust more than anyone else? I remember that I was five when I first thought that I had special powers.  For almost ten years, I had been lied to and told I was special.

    I wasn''t special.  I was just a freak.  Could I really blame my family for wanting to keep me hidden from the rest of the world?  I still couldn''t answer that question, but it pained me every time I thought about it.

    It would have just been better if I was never born.  Then maybe Madi would have more friends.  My parents wouldn''t be so embarrassed of me.  I don''t do the Community any good.  I''m just the  village idiot.

    A knock at my door pulled me from my despairing thoughts.   The door creaked open and Madi popped her head into my room.  I cursed myself for forgetting to lock the door earlier.

    "I brought you some lunch," She said sweetly.  She had been acting so nice to me the last couple of weeks, it was annoying.  It just seemed so fake.  She set the bowl of soup and apple on my dresser, then stood awkwardly in front of me.

    "I saw Clovis today..." She said.  Good for you.  Why should I care?

    "He said he misses seeing you around," Madi continued.  "He said whenever you want, he''d love to take us for a drive in  one of the Community cars.  That''d be pretty cool, right?"

    I shrugged and stared at the floor.  She stayed for a moment more, before giving up and leaving my room.  I wondered what excuse she made up to Clovis when he asked where I was.  She obviously couldn''t tell him the truth.  She probably just lied and said that I wasn''t feeling well.  I guess she wasn''t wrong.  I didn''t have much of an appetite; some parts of my body were starting to get boney and I often felt lightheaded.  I had a few spoonful''s of the soup, but ended up setting it up on top of the dresser to get cold.

    I laid back on my bed, ready to settle into a nap when I heard frantic knocking on my window.

    I grumbled to myself.  Of all the times for Enzo to come by, he had to do it when I wanted to sleep?

    I grabbed my pillow and threw it at the window.

    "Zuza, Please listen!"  He sounded distraught.  My interest was piqued enough to sit up and look at him.

    "What do you want?"  I asked.

    "It''s about Hirsh, he''s-"

    "I don''t care," I said.  "Leave me alone."

    Enzo banged on the window in frustration.  "Zuza, he''s got the sickness."  My stomach flipped when I heard his words.  The sickness?

    Enzo''s eyes puddled with tears.  "He''s going to die soon.  Please, Zuza.  Please come see him."

    Blood rushed to my head as I tried to make sense of his words.  "What?"  I said feebly.

    "He''s not going to last long.  This could be your last chance to see him."

    I frantically opened the window and prepared to step out onto the branch, but I stopped abruptly.

    "Wait. What if you''re just saying this to get me outside?"

    Enzo grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to the tree.  "I''m not messing around."  His eyes gleamed fiercely through his tears.  "Please."

    I nodded and followed him down the tree.  Once on the ground, we raced to Hirsh, dread filling me with every step I took.

 Chapter 16

    The door to Hirsh''s room seemed much larger and more foreboding than I remembered.  I gripped the doorknob, but couldn''t bring myself to open it.  My body feels like lead.

    "I want to see him alone, okay?"  I said, voice trembling.  Truth be told, I didn''t want Enzo to see me cry.

    Enzo nodded, "Okay."

    I forced myself to swing the door open and stepped inside.  An abnormal darkness filled the room, despite the open window letting in sunlight.  A knot had formed in my stomach, but now I felt inexplicitly on edge.  Hirsh was lying on his back, eyes closed, and taking shallow breaths.  I crept towards him, my body starting to shake impulsively.

    "H-hirsh?"  I sputtered.  I wasn''t sure if he could even hear me.  His skin was pale; almost translucent. It was as if all the light and life of him was slowly draining away.  I wanted to reach out and hug him, but he was so frail, I was afraid that I might break him.  Cautiously, I stretched out my hand to touch his arm.

    "Do not touch me, child," said a cold, calm voice.  It wasn''t Hirsh''s voice; it whispered to me, alluring and deep.  I froze, rooted to the floor.  I opened my mouth to cry out, but words failed me.

    "I have been waiting for you," said the strange voice.  Though Hirsh''s mouth didn''t move, I knew the voice was coming from him.

    "... Why?"  I managed.

    Hirsh''s eyes suddenly opened, revealing them to be bloodshot with a jagged, black ring around each iris.  He first started blankly at the ceiling, then sat up briskly and turned his head slowly towards me.  I watched in horror as his eyes were completely consumed in black, transforming them into lifeless marbles.  Hirsh gave me a ghoulish smile that shot fear jolting through my veins.  This isn''t Hirsh.

    "I expect you''ve been wondering where I''ve been," the voice continued.  "I haven''t left this home, ever since that boy brought me here."

    My thoughts  buzzed, trying to make sense of everything.  Enzo... he brought the creature here.

    "Do not fret child, he was unaware of what he was doing.  He''s immune; that is what makes him the perfect transportation, though I gain no energy from him."  I shook my head, trying to dispel the nightmare in front of me.

    "This community is splendid!"  The voice said, cheerfully.  "I will surely enjoy my time here... that is, until everyone dies and he carries me to the next community... and then the next one..."  Hirsh''s deathly grin remained fixed on me.

    "Wh-"  I couldn''t bring myself to speak, my mind was quickly becoming useless mush.

    "I would have expected you to be more talkative than this," the creature in Hirsh said, almost sounding disappointed.  "But you have isolated yourself, it seems.  That is the first step; the normal  humans think you are mad.  Then you start to believe them...  then they cut you off from the world until your power is worthless.  Until you are worthless.  Humans can be quite horrible, can''t they?  It is a shame that that is usually the fate of your people, but make no mistake, I have no pity for you.  Because of the Peripherals, my kind has been reduced to such abysmal numbers." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "What are you?"  I asked.  "... What am I?"

    "You and I are not so different, but I do not have the time to explain it to you now.  You see, once this host dies, I will have to find a new one.  Until I find a suitable host, we cannot communicate effectively.  Just like in the garden, if you recall."

    My heart pounded.  "The scream.  That was you.... "

    "For now, I can only speak to you if I am in a host.  "We''ve spoken before, though you were unaware of it."

    "When?" I panicked.  When would I have  spoken to such an awful creature before?

    "Come now, child.  When was there a time when you heard a voice when no one else did?"

    "The wall."  My hands shook, though this time in anger.  "Outside the wall.  You were there."  How could I have been so stupid?  If Enzo wasn''t brought into the community, none of this would have happened.  But he could have died if he wasn''t taken in.  Would the creature had died along with him?

    "Very good," the voice purred, causing me to cringe.  I stepped away from Hirsh''s body, grateful that I could move again.  This wasn''t Hirsh anymore.  This was a monster.

    "You may find me again once another person is one the brink of death.  I''ll be waiting until then."

    "What about Hirsh?"  I asked, though I feared I already knew the answer.

    "Hmm," the voice chuckled.  "It is too late for him now."  A black cloud enveloped Hirsh''s body, swirling and thrashing around him.  He gasped for air one last time, then fell back onto the bed, limp and broken.  The black cloud formed into the creature''s lithe, deformed body and it stood before me.  It screamed, making my head ring.  I covered my ears, but I knew it was of no use.  I felt the blood start to trickle down my face as the creature rushed past me and through the window.  Its screech still pounded in my mind and I desperately cried out for help.  Two hands grabbed me  around the waist and I was lowered to the floor.  Enzo''s face blended into everything else around me; it was all a colored blur, but I could feel him shake my shoulders violently.

    "Zuza!  Zuza, what happened?!"  His voice sounded sluggish and distant.

    Because of me, Hirsh is dead.

    I killed him.

 Chapter 17

    Enzo pulled me out into the hallway and helped me down to the floor.  My hearing and sight was starting to return and I could hear Balia weeping in Hirsh''s room.

    What  have I done?

    Enzo had calmed down some and was wiping the blood off of my face.  "You''re bleeding again," he stated. "Like in the garden." He looked at me, his large eyes were hard to read.  Was he angry? Scared? I couldn''t bear to look at him any longer and I finally broke down into tears.

    "Sorry," I sobbed.  "I''m sorry."

    "Why?"  He squeezed my shoulders.  "What happened to Hirsh, Zuza?"  His voice was tight. Please don''t cry.

    I shook my head, trying to dispel what I had just witnessed.  How could I explain what had happened? I just wanted to cower in the corner and fade away.  I should have never come here. I should have never found Enzo outside the wall. Don''t think that, I scolded myself.  I don''t mean that.  But I couldn''t deny that because of me, the creature was running loose in the community; a creature that sucked the life out of its host and moved like a ghost.  I now knew the truth of the sickness and what it did to the communities, but who would believe me?

    "Come with me."  Enzo took my hands and pulled me up.  I tried to resist, but felt too weak and exhausted to fight him.  He lead me out of the house and towards the river where I had revealed what I once thought were my powers to him.

    "Why are you taking me here?" I demanded in between sobs.  "I don''t want to be here!" I yanked my arm from out of his hand, but Enzo pulled me into a tight embrace.  After what felt like forever, I managed to silence my cries and compose myself. After I had stopped crying, Enzo let go of me.   I followed him over the river where we stood at the edge of the water. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    "I didn''t know him very long," Enzo said quietly, "But Hirsh was important to me..." he stuffed his hands into his pockets and nuzzled his face into his scarf.  His eyes were full of sorrow. His eyes were always sad.

    "Enzo..."

    "Look, I know something is not right about any of this.  I could hear you speaking in Hirsh''s room- it was like you were frightened of something in the room with you... and then your ears-" He stopped and picked up a smooth rock at his feet.  He fidgeted with it for a moment, then threw it into the water. "Please tell me what''s going on."

    I took in a deep breath.  "You wouldn''t believe me," I mumbled.

    "You don''t know that," Enzo said sternly.   "You said your ears bled after seeing that creature in the garden-"

    "-Yeah, but I just see things that aren''t really there, remember?  So why listen to the crazy girl?"

    Enzo furrowed his brow.  "No. Your reaction with the blood isn''t normal."

    I cringed at the word ''normal'' and felt myself tense up.  Enzo noticed my reaction and help up his hands defensively. "I didn''t mean it like that!  I''m not saying you''re not normal..."  His expression softened.  "Look, Zuza. I''m not an idiot and you''re not either.  Whatever it entails, you saw the creature again, didn''t you?"

    I clenched my jaw, unsure of what to say to him.  "... Would you believe me if I said I did?"

    "There''s no other explanation for your behavior, is there?  Did it do something to Hirsh?"

    Tears quickly rushed to the surface again.  Why do we have to talk about this now?  I nodded my head, afraid that I''d cry again if I spoke.

    Enzo looked around like he was afraid someone one was spying on us.  He stepped closer to me before whispering, "Did it kill him?"

    I nodded again.

    "How?"

    I swallowed the lump in my throat that threatened to bring back the tears.  "The creature. It''s the sickness."