Chapter 42.

Meet Lorica.

Damien Reyes.

Time/Area: August 2nd, 2013. NYC

Our school bus stop, shockingly, was also just a normal bus stop.

Granted, I typically never took the city bus that came around, but it still made its way past this same street.

So why did I feel so…uncomfortable?

I glanced to my left at Jason, who was currently chatting it up with some college kid about…well…about what everyone talked about now. About what the weird middle aged group of people were talking about just ahead of us. About what the strange, probably homeless, dude was muttering to himself about to the right of them. About what the, literally countless, amounts of newly sprayed graffiti on the back of alleys were now portraying.

You guessed it; Monsters!

I just sighed, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I looked upon the only half full streets of Manhattan. Call it what you will, but the apocalypse was actually doing wonders for traffic. If I actually knew how to drive, we might’ve not been in the position of waiting on a late bus.

The bus isn’t late, Damien.

Okay, so Terry was right, it wasn’t late- but it felt like it was going to be.

“Maybe I’m just on edge,” I thought, averting my eyes upwards to what I could see of New York’s skyline.

People were already freaking out over the growing ‘interference cloud’ messing with stuff, but adding the confirmed reports of monsters and travel bans probably didn’t help much.

And with my added bonus of having Super Hearing, I got to hear all the stupid stuff humans were doing now because of this. They were just so…

Disgusting? I would agree.

No…they aren’t…we aren’t…

I groaned, berating myself for thinking like that.

I was setting myself apart from them…when the ‘them’ is exactly what I still was: Human.

Well, at least that was kind of true.

Just then, someone caught my eye.

I squinted forwards, trying to picture where I had seen this person before.

There was a woman standing with the group I mentioned earlier a couple yards ahead of me. She wore excessively huge shades and dawned an ‘I love Queens’ shirt.

Don’t you already possess…what was it, a girlfriend?

Why the heck was he so talkative right now?

“I think I know her,” I whispered, trying to search through my memory.

“Uhh, why are you staring at that random girl?” Jason nudged my shoulder, now finished with his discussion with the college dude.

I shrugged, scratching my head, “I don’t know,” I admitted, “Doesn’t she kind of look familiar?”

Jason matched my gaze, which really made me wish that I did know her, because if I actually didn’t and she noticed two weirdos staring at her… things would get awkward.

“Yeah…” Jason agreed, slowly nodding, “This might sound weird, but she kind of looks like Melissa…”

My eyes widened, which apparently proved to be the last straw for the lady as she began walking towards us.

Uh oh.

Jason gulped, “Why did you stare at her so weird, dude?” he muttered.

I coughed, about to say the same thing back to him before a high pitched shriek tore through the air.

“Little Damien?!!!” She yelled, an unforgettable grin spreading across her face as she took off the shades to reveal amber eyes.

The same eyes as her sister.

I smiled brightly, realizing who this was just as she reached us, “Lorica?”

She looked like a completely different person with the shades on.

Lorica Embers was riding the bus.

“O.M.G!” She shrieked, pulling me into a tight hug.

I laughed as she pulled away, “H-hi.” I coughed, ignoring the glances of confusion from Jason, “What uh..are you doing here?”

She smiled, “I’m taking the bus...duh.”

But then her expression dropped, instead morphing into a frown, “ By the way, I was…out of town when erm…I’m sorry. I wanted to tell Sarah too, but that was already after she left…”

I waved it off, “Thanks, but...yeah.”

Lorica nodded, and from the look in her eyes, I could already tell she wanted to ask many more questions about Sarah. She didn’t though, probably for my sake, and instead just settled with the nod.

Not that I blamed her: Lorica was…is… my sister’s best friend. She must’ve been devastated when she heard about Paris.

Lorica frowned apologetically, turning her attention to a very confused Jason,

“Oh,” She looked at him up and down; like she was sizing him up, “OH!”

Jason nervously glanced at me, shooting the ‘plz help’ look.

“You must be Jason!!!” She pointed at him, despite being two feet away, “Ever since I moved back to the mansion, Melissa will not stop talking about you.”

She mimicked her sibling’s voice, “It’s always Jason does this, or he is that.”

Jason went red, “O-oh… really?”

Lorica nodded again, but then frowned, signaling the beginning of the statement we both had heard enough times to last a lifetime,

“Also…I’m sorry about-”

“I-it’s fine,” Jason quickly shot, trying a smile, “Not like it was your fault.”

Lorica coughed, now understanding the fact that we didn’t really want to talk about it.

Instead, she took a different approach, “Yeah,” She stretched her arms to one side of her body, “..still though, you guys have some real steel in you, huh?”

We both laughed at that, happy for the shift in topics.

Her voice pitched again, “So where are you headed guys?” She asked, “I’m off to the Bronx!”

“Umm,” I started, nodding towards Jason, “We’re going to St.George...what’s in the Bronx?”

“I’m doing an interview with one of the three witnesses on the news!” She replied, “It’s actually for Melissa- she’s really into this whole ‘apocalypse’ thing, and I think I can somehow count this as service hours if I say it’s for Ember.”

Lorica animated her hands to look like a figure darting off down the street,

“Then I have to go help my dad receive his shipment of bombs or something.”

I slowly nodded, reminding myself that this was my sister’s college roommate and not a toddler, “Yeah, that’s actually why we’re going to Staten Island,” I explained,

“Not for bombs, but the Zombie Squ- I mean uh… our group is trying to find out more stuff about the apocalypse.”

Lorica tilted her head, pulling back on her shades despite the less than sunny atmosphere,

“Oh, and I take it Melissa is a part of this group?”

I nodded.

She sighed, “That explains it.” she twirled on her toes at the sound of a bus engine, “Here comes the bus!”

I nodded, watching as the verdant green vehicle screeched to a stop in front of the sidewalk.

Lorica started towards the door, both of us following her,

“I’m uh…glad,” Lorica briefly turned back to face me and Jason, clearing her throat,

“I wish the circumstances could be better…but I’m glad Melissa is making some real friends.”

She paused at the double doors of the bus, laughing at Jason, “As well as a…significant other.”

Jason blushed as she continued, laughing at his reactions as we stepped into the interior of the vehicle, “Just keep out of trouble, you two,” she poked Jason and me with her index finger, “I’ll probably be seeing y'all a lot more now…”

Jason coughed, “Oh?”

“Yeah,” Lorica shrugged, “You know, since I’m kinda sorta kicked out of college life for a bit.” She elbowed Jason playfully, mimicking the behavior of close friends despite knowing only him for literally two minutes, “Don’t worry, I’ll stay out of your way..haha.”

I smiled, elbowing Jason with Lorica as he practically drowned in embarrassment,

“Th-thanks.” He muttered.

The bus was just as green inside as it was from its exterior, the only variety being the silver metallic floor plates lining the aisle and the black handlebars protruding from the roof. A digital sign that displayed our current location was placed above every other window, the word ‘Draxon’ illuminating each one in flashing orange letters.

Lorica, being who she was, paid for all three of us to get on despite our collective financial status. She sat up front while we sat in the back- Jason taking the window seat while I took the aisle.

After a couple of minutes, we felt the bus start to move, the sound of the brake release signaling the start to our expedition.

“Okay, I texted the group chat,” Jason nudged me, “Told them we’ll be back late.”

I nodded, feeling Jason’s text vibrate in my pocket,

“Pretty cool we ran into Lorica..” I said, leaning back in the seat.

Jason leaned his head against the back cushion, “Yeah…she’s…not like your sister.”

I laughed at that, “You thought she would be?” I quizzed.

Jason ran a hand through his wavy hair, “Well I don’t know,” He admitted, “The two are best friends, and Sarah just always seems so calm…”

“Yeah, I get it,” I agreed, leaning a little into the aisle. Lorica was playing with the plastic lenses of her shades, “She’s definitely weird.”

Jason smiled absently, “Yeah…weird.”

Then Jason’s voice went up in volume, his shoulders tightening as he prepared to ask whatever embarrassing question he was thinking of,

“What do you think Melissa says about me?”

I blinked at Jason, falling back into the seat, “You want to know what I think?”

He nodded, clearly getting worked up about this.

“This dude is so paranoid,” I rolled my eyes.

“Well?” He awaited my response.

I smirked, clearing my throat before increasing the pitch in my voice,

“He’s sooo dreamy,” I mimicked Melissa, playfully grabbing Jason’s shoulders before shaking his entire body around, “I think about him all the time, and I think he does the same-”

My totally accurate interpretation was interrupted by Jason’s palm. He pushed me back against my side of the seat, glaring at me,

“Whatever..” he huffed.

I struggled to contain my shameless laughter,

“When the world isn’t ending,” I promised myself, “We’re all going to go on a double date.”

That way me and Selina could mess with Jason for a lifetime.

After a couple of minutes, Jason spoke again, “So,” he said, “if Lorica is taking the witness in the Bronx, and we’re taking Henry, what about the third one?”

I shrugged, “Melissa will probably call us if the group gets something.”

After the first hour, Jason had fallen asleep.

I didn’t seem to be able to, so instead I rolled up my sleeve.

Wincing, I dragged my nail in a small line across my arm, watching in slight boredom as I bled.

I took a deep breath, squinting at the line of blood and concentrating.

Flash!

The cut was gone.

Now that everything seemed to be calm for a minute, I found myself able to think on what I would actually say to Henry.

What if he like…tried to attack us again?

I cut myself again,

Flash!

No, he wouldn’t do that. Not if he knew what was good for him, anyways.

Flash!

But I was curious. Even after knowing the guy for most of my life, I hadn’t ever been close to where he lived.

On my fourth cut, Jason stirred,

“Th-that’s a really creepy thing to wake up to…” He yawned, nodding towards my arm as I healed it.

Flash!

I scratched my head, letting my sleeve drop,

“Uh, sorry…” I apologized, “Hey, you ever wonder if I could heal other people?”

Jason frowned, “Isn’t that what you did to me when..you know…you ate my soul or whatever?”

I shook my head, still feeling guilty about that, “N-no, that was...something else.”

He just sighed, “Your powers are too complicated.”

I rolled my eyes, laughing, “Yeah, yeah whatever..you’re just jealous.”

“Can’t argue with that one,” Jason raised his hands in surrender.

-

Once we had finally arrived, it was starting to get dark, moonlight barely skinning the sky as the bus came to a stop.

“Alright boys!” The bus driver yelled from the front, “This is you!”

We both got up, realizing that no one else was on the bus as we walked down the aisle. I knew Lorica had already gotten off at some point, but it was still weird being the only ones on a NYC bus.

“Thanks!” I said to the man, Jason echoing my words as we hit the sidewalk.

“You boys be careful now!” He ordered, “Crazy fellas out and about nowadays..”

We told him okay, watching as the doors slid closed,

“What a boring bus ride..” Jason breathed, the bus now speeding down the street.

We had been dropped off on the border of Staten island, and a railing that overlooked the Harbor now stood behind us.

A cool Sunday breeze washed over us as me and Jason marveled at the sight.

Water stretched out in three directions, boats and ferries both leaving and pulling into docks.

There weren't many ships or people out now, but the emptiness kind of made it look better.

The quiet but constant rush of tides, the vastness of the waters, the reflection of the rising moon, and the occasional sound of ferry bells ringing…it was cool. It was calm.

I mentally willed myself to remember these sounds, so I could listen to them whenever. (One of the perks of super hearing: I could basically tune into any song or sound I wanted to.)

“I could get used to this..” Jason whispered, grabbing the metal rails and looking around.

I took it all in, pointing across the harbor at Manhattan,

“There’s your building.”

I nodded towards the black skyscraper in the distance, the word COLE inscribed onto it in a column formation.

He laughed, “And there’s Selina’s..and I think that one’s Melissa’s.”

My smile grew wider, “And there’s Liberty Island-”

Hello.

Once I pointed to it however, I immediately frowned, a brief headache passing over me.

“T-they closed it, right?” I asked, noticing the lack of ferries docked there.

Jason frowned as well, “I think so… because of everything that’s going on..”

The more I looked at the island, the more wrong something felt about it. I couldn’t put my finger one what exactly, but it just didn’t feel right.

“Terry, did you say something?” I thought.

No? Although…I thought I…nevermind, it was probably nothing.

I shook it off, putting that to the side for now.

I was just glad that, if there was something wrong with it, the island had closed.

We stayed there for a couple more minutes, pointing at various landmarks in the distance before we heard a clock tower ring in the distance.

“Oh crap!” Jason exclaimed, turning around, “We aren’t here to look at stuff, we gotta go!”

I laughed as Jason frantically pulled out the folded file from his pocket.

“What’s his address?” I asked, leaning against the railing.

Jason coughed, scanning the document with his eyes,

“412 Jersey Street…10301.” He answered, “Let’s go.”

I shook my head as I followed Jason away from the sight, “Hey, wait up!”

“Then stop being so slow!” Jason laughed, breaking into a jog towards the nearest street sign.

Before bolting after him, I paused, turning my head back to the harbor slightly.

…

…

…

It was probably nothing.