X-Marks: Stealing Shadows

Brother

I had a few short weeks. A few weeks comfort that lingered long after they had passed. It wouldn't be like this forever. Not for me and not for any of us. We had a way out and a way to end this all. I wore a wore a grin like I had a new charm.

"There's something different about you," Nan said to me in her cushioned chair that faced the dim autumn sun.

"You think so?" I said from the dish washing bucket.

"I know so," she said, her eyes still closed, "You've been given a love charm, haven't you?"

I laughed and nearly dropped my dish from laughing so hard. I was far from receiving a love charm and absolutely not by anyone here.

I walked to Nan's chair and rested my head on hers. It was the same way she hugged me when I first arrived at camp and I had nightmares of the center.

Nan pinched my cheek with her thumb.

"Whatever you got there," she said, "Keep it with all you've got."

I took nan by her hand.

"You ready? You've been up longer than usual," I said.

Nan looked up at me, her lids flickered back shut.

"Suppose you're right," she said.

I helped her from the kitchen and into her bed. I made sure a cup of water was there for when she woke and gave a last hug.

I stepped from the kitchen into the balcony. The balcony was empty except for the echo of steps from the stairs. I ignored whoever was there and instead looked at the familar small space in the far end of the wall.

Each day I was closer to an escape, and each day I knew I was close to getting Buggy to come with us. Just one more chance to explain to him how much he meant to me and the others, then I knew I could convince him. Buggy was the type to leave, but he always came back. Always.

The steps grew closer and frantic. Whoever was on the stairs was fast. I was still lost in my thoughts when a figure rushed around the corner and towards me.

It was Evee. She was short of breath with hands on top of their shaking knees, and tried to force words through but couldn't make them.

"What's wrong?" I said and reached for her back to help her breathe.

"It's - it's the elders," Evee said.

"What about the elders?"

"They're having a meeting," she said and stood straight.

"You didn't have to run all the way up here. I would have made it, eventually."

Evee shook her head

"No. No, it's different," Evee said.

I let go of her back and looked into her frightened brown eyes.

"Evee, what's going on?" I said and stood back.

"I was with Alger," Evee said, "When some men came in and took him. No one's seen him since. Now the elders are having meeting out in the -"

"Who? Who did they take Evee?" I said, a whisper short of shouting.

"Buggy," she said, "They took Buggy."

The earth was like running water. It pulled me under a cold blanket.

Buggy, I still had so much to tell him.

Without another word, Evee and I rushed back to the stairs. We had to find him and quick, and for more reasons than Evee or anyone would ever believe.