Young Writers Society

She stared at him for a second.

Then she exclaimed, eyes wide with awe, "That's amazing!"

She fell back into silence as she marveled at her brother, a thought coming to her a few seconds into her staring.

"That means we're three and three," she pointed. "Three nonhumans, and three humans! You, me and Damascus are all nonhumans, and Boris, James and Edward - even though he's not born yet - are all humans."

He grinned. "Yep! Except maybe James. He looked like a human, but then again, so do you. And he was an alien." He chuckled a little at the memory. "Damascus scared me so much, I remember. I feel bad, now. I think he was just as scared of me as I was of him."

"He's leading a double life," Lionel said to Cuán, shaking his head. "Here we were thinking he was just some lonely bastard but apparently he's got family that didn't up and die on him like all the rest of us."

"We're a special family," Schadel bragged, sitting up in her seat and shifting to get more comfortable. "We all got magically transported to woods in the middle of nowhere and decided to become honorary siblings. We haven't seen each other since then, but Engel's still my brother."

"That would be after my family up and died like the rest of you," Kratzer added.

"Magically transported...how? Did you just...like, wake up somewhere or what?" Cuán asked with a frown.

"Kind of," Schadel answered. She looked over at Cuán, shifting again in her seat. "One minute, I was in my brother's apartment, and the next I was in the forest with Engel and our other siblings."

She thought for a moment.

"It was very chaotic," she added. "I pretended I was a guy, Engel thought Damascus was going to eat him, Edward thought I kidnapped him, and Damascus caused the great bathroom panic."

She hesitated.

"...part one," she finished.

"Damascus is a demon," Kratzer explained. "I was like, eleven, and I stumbled into this forest and ran into him in his true form. When we got to the campsite--yes, there was just one there--Schadel was there, and a dude, and we thought her name was John for a while. Anyways, we all made this swear that we'd be family for each other, since most of us were lacking in that department."

"The bathroom scare?" Lionel asked. Kratzer shook his head.

"Don't ask. Anyways. That's the story."

"You plannin' on staying, Schadel?" Cuán inquired.

"I think I have to," she said. She glanced around the room - there was still no sign of another rift. "The rift brought me here instead of the administration, and I don't have a way to get back. I have to wait for someone to realize I'm missing and come looking for me."

"You can stay at my house," Kratzer said. "We've still got an extra room." They wouldn't, soon, but right now the family still consisted of two. "If you don't mind the dog, that is. She's still young and a bit rambunctious but she's a sweetheart nonetheless."

"She's straight out of Hell," Lionel differed. "She's nice to him and Genette. That's about it."

"I like dogs," Schadel said, a smile dancing on her lips again. "I like all sorts of animals! I'm just not sure if they always like me. Animals are smart - they can tell things regular people can't, and some of them don't like those things."

She perked up.

"But I'd love to stay at your house, Engel!" she exclaimed. "I want to meet your dog and Genette, whoever that is!"

"Whoever that is?" Cuán laughed. "Schadel, lass, our boy just got married six months back. Even has got a baby on the way."

Kratzer smiled and glanced down, somewhat abashed.

"He's livin' the home life now. Pets, family, he's even building a crib," Lionel added. "His house is nice, though. Better than Cuán's."

She gasped.

"You're a dad?" she asked, eyes somehow widening even more. Another gasp left her. "Does that mean I get to be an aunt? I want to be an aunt! Blanx doesn't have any kids, and he likes Rekune, so I don't think I'll ever be one."

She let a content sigh as she rested her elbows on the table and placed her head in her hands.

"I bet you'll make a great dad," she said. "You'd be just like all of my books say dads are like - you'll show your kid how to do cool things, give them advice, and, if they're a girl, you'll take them to father-daughter dances!"

She paused, thought for a moment, and then added, "...I've always wanted to go to one of those..."

Kratzer grinned. "I'll do my best. And I'm sure, ah..." What was his name? It'd been so long. "Um...It starts with a 'B.' Blink? Banks? I bet he could take you. He's like your dad, right?"

"Either way, you'll make a great aunt, I'm certain. Maybe the administration can let you come back and visit?" It'd be nice, to have her be able to come. Cobble together some strange little family between his comrades and his sworn sister and brothers and the woman who was now his wife.

She shook her head.

"Blanx is my brother," she corrected. It was an important distinction to make. "I don’t have a dad."

She paused.

"But I'd love to visit, if the others let me!" she happily concluded.

"Well, who needs a dad when you have a brother like that?" Kratzer asked, patting her on the shoulder. "And you're welcome any time you want to come. There'll always be a place for you here."

He tipped his head back, finishing the rest of his beer and putting money down on the bar. "Come on, I'll show you the place." He glanced back at his comrades. "I'll see you two later. No raiding the nest until I'm back."

"Yeah, yeah," Lionel waved a hand dismissively. "See ya."

She chugged down the last bit of her root beer before following Engel out of the bar, making sure to wave at his two friends as they went their separate ways.

"I can't wait to meet your wife," she said. "What was your wedding like? Was it pretty? I've been planning my wedding, even though I don't know who I'll be marrying. All of the girls near the store talk about wanting to get married, and what it's like to fall in love."

She faltered.

"...But I don’t know if I'll ever be able to have a wedding," she admitted. "Reapers don't mind, but humans wouldn't like me if I got married."