Program: Superhuman *ON HOLD*

Chapter 10: Program: Superhuman

"What if Mom comes home before we do and needs to get inside?" Arden asked.

I stared at the keys in my hand, then to the doormat at my feet. Bending down, I slipped the object under the mat, then stood again.

"Do you really think she'll find it?" my brother asked.

"Uncle Forge said that's what they used to do as kids." I shrugged. "Besides, what choice do we have?"

He sighed insecurely. "Let's just hope we come back before she does."

The two of us walked outside the fence after giving one last pet to Sammy, who whined once seeing us leave. Then we continued down the road.

"So what's this all about?" Arden prodded. "You said you'd explain."

I looked at the ground for a few moments, lost in thought, before finally saying, "Well... I guess it all started when we first went to the bookstore..."

After that, the story spilled out of me. My first rescue from the Silhouette, my talk with Macy, me recognizing the Silhouette as Caspar when he saved me for a second time, and finally my talk with Junior. The only thing I left out of the explanation was Junior's confession for liking me. I felt too uncomfortable to bring that up. And if I hadn't believed it when first hearing it, who's to say that Arden would have?

When I finally finished, my brother and I were already on the bus, close to the downtown area.

"Wow..." was all he said.

I thought that he would make some big exclamation of how I had kept it all from him. But all I received was silence. Not a word. Until, finally, when we got off the bus in the downtown area, he said:

"You seriously think that Caspar's the Silhouette?"

I recognized his tone: he was making fun of me. So I set my jaw straight, stared him in the eye and answered, "No. I know he's the Silhouette."

"Aaaand you think you blew a hole in the ceiling?"

"Just shut up and follow me."

He kept his words back from then on. I could tell he still didn't believe me. It hurt a little that my brother thought I had made all this up. I mean, come on! How could he seriously think this was a joke? We were going to the bookstore right now! That would seem proof enough, but his expression was still doubtful.

I led the way throughout the dark alley-like streets until finally seeing the sign that read "Cedar Street." Arden followed me as I walked along the sidewalk until finally coming to number 33, where The Last Novel sat. Inside, everything was the same as it had been the first time we came. The only difference was that I saw Macy sitting on Caspar's desk, her legs crossed. He still typed away on his computer, though, while Gale leaned both hands on the desk, listening intently to what Macy had to say.

"Still think he's the Silhouette?" Arden asked.

"Only one way to find out," I responded.

With a deep breath, I opened the door and the two of us entered. Silence descended over the group. All eyes turned to us. But, then, I realized all eyes turned to me. I didn't give any thought to what I did next.

"What is going on?" I asked.

No one answered. Instead, Gale leaned back and crossed her arms. Seemingly to no one, she said "Forge! They're here."

My eyes narrowed at her. But then they moved to the spiral staircase at the back when I heard someone clanking down them. I instantly recognized the leather jacket with fake fur, the worn jeans and hiking boots, the light brown hair and dark brown eyes.