The Curse of Water

Chapter 18- Befriending the Scums of the Earth

Chapter Eighteen – Befriending the Scums of the Earth

My alarm beeps Saturday morning and I feel more nervous than ever. For once in my life I am happy to let the beauty team in, and even ordered a specially flattering outfit from the Rafaelli's. It gives me wide shoulders and the illusion of a taller frame. Adam and his family are in some ways real geniuses. It's too bad I haven't seen him since the Tournament...though really at this point I have too many personal things that I would talk about and don't feel like opening up to someone who wouldn't do the same to me. This is why I especially like spending time with James. He's always honest and open, with no taboos or embarrassing subjects to avoid. He even offered to come and stay with me right after the...um...prophecy incident, but considering that Apollo usually rolls his eyes at the mention of his name it was not a good idea to let them be in a room together.

The clock moves at a snails pace for the entire day until I finally find it appropriate to leave. Of course I'm giving myself an hour to complete a 20 minute drive but still, I'll just drive under the speed limit or something.

Of course even with every major road avoided, and driving like an old lady, I still showed up half an hour early. James was luckily home, and happy to see me. It's not a bad little setup he has here either. It's his first place, a small bachelor that he, even with his waiter job, should be able to furnish and maintain.

“So the couch converts to a bed, but I usually don't bother.” He says, finishing up the tour around his messy little home.

“I like it.” I smile and nod as a huge truck drives by. “The noise doesn't keep you up at night?”

“Oh no,” He laughs. “ My brother and his wife also live with us, so with their baby crying I got used to noise. Plus I shared a room with two siblings growing up, that also toughened me up.”

“Right.” I grab a chip from a bag he offers. “Wait a minute. Why was your brother living with you? Didn't he get assigned a house?”

James sighs and sits on the arm of the couch.

“Well, yeah, but see the problem was that both him and his wife just had mental powers. If a mental power is discovered a doctor must note it when he gives his stamp for approval at registration. See, until recently, I didn't even think that there were any decent doctors out there. Anyway, as you very well know, the life here is a big beauty contest, even when you're just going for small, menial labour positions. You're better off having no powers and looking at least somewhat decent than being the hottest person out there with a mental power. We have a special mark on our ID cards, that you need to show to get a job. They pay us less and employers don't get the same tax breaks after us, so it's harder to find one too.”

“Wow...well at least you don't have to wear anything on your sleeves.” I blurt out stupidly, remembering the pages of history.

“On our sleeves?” James raises an eyebrow.

“Um...yeah...at least you don't have to walk around displaying that you're someone with a mental power.” At times like these I wish it would be acceptable behaviour to punch myself in the mouth. What am I saying? It still sounds like it's some horrible infectious disease just by how these powers are regarded. And Gershon is no different than any other merciless dictator who ever “cleansed their kingdom”, which further confirms the fact that I made a good decision in coming here today.”

“Right...” He shrugs and continues. “So he was doing okay until he got married. Of course they didn't want to maintain two houses so they moved into the one bedroom one with higher utilities. The store where she worked closed down, then she got pregnant and couldn't really work, and he had to get his tonsils removed, and as that's not a cosmetic procedure it costs way more. So they couldn't keep paying the utilities on their place and they got kicked out.”