Imaginer

40 - Where There are New Living Quarters

40

         When we finally made it out into the streets, I realized we were far from the bus stop I had originally gotten off at.

         Where am I? I thought frantically. It was even more essential that I stick to my bothersome GPS, now.

         “Hey, kid? What’s your name?”

         The boy fixed me with a suspicious look. “What’s it to ya?”

         I shrugged indifferently. “Thought I’d call you by your actual name instead of ‘kid’,” I said.

         He continued to squint at me until I threw my hands into the air, an irritated “never mind” on my lips.

         “Sam. My name is Samuel. But everyone calls me Sardine.”

         I blinked. “Sardine?”

         “Yes. Y’know that game called Sardines? Where one person hides and everyone else tries to find him?”

         I smiled in spite of the annoyance I felt towards him. “Clever name.”

         Sam—Sardine Sam grinned at me. “It fits, too,” he said proudly.

         “So who in your game of Sardines has found you?” I asked, starting to walk towards the nearest bus stop.

         “Only June but she…” He trailed off, swearing. “June!” he cried, smacking his forehead. “I completely forgot to meet up with her after we split.” His panic was short-lived. He turned to me angrily. “It’s your fault! You dragged me along after you while you went blabbering on and on about Jacob-ee.”

         “My fault? My fault?” I growled, raising my eyebrows at him. “If you were truly concentrated on meeting up with June, you wouldn’t have kept trying to interrupt my calls. If I remember correctly, it was me that made you lead us out of those alleys.”

         His voice took on a defensive tone. “Well how do you know I wasn’t trying to meet up with June while you were forcing me to show you the way out?” His aggression petered out as we stared at each other. “Fine. You win.”

         I shook my head. “It doesn’t really matter who’s right or wrong,” I mumbled. I looked at the bus stop then at Sam. It didn’t feel right to ditch him. It made me feel like I was using him or something. And he looked small and worried, standing there gnawing away at his lip. “Look, Sam, Sardine. Do you want me to come with you to find June?” I felt silly offering to accompany him. This kid knew these streets well, that much was clear. I was the one that needed to be accompanied.

         I was relieved and saved from having to beg him to let me tag along when he said yes.

         “All rightie, then,” I said trying to drum up a little enthusiasm in the suddenly dead air. “Where did you agree to meet up with June?” I was assuming that June was the Illusionist that had been accompanying him on the bus. If Jacoby’s meagre store of knowledge was true, June had to be a highly skilled Illusionist. Her timing had only been a little bit off, and she’d even managed to hold her illusion for minutes.

         I hadn’t noticed how quiet Sam had become. I glanced at him and found his eyes trained on my face. “What?” I said.

         “Nothing,” he said in a quiet voice. He no longer looked small nor worried, but like a kid who knew exactly how to survive on his own…and exactly what to do to find out what he wanted.