One of Nine

CHAPTER 3

"And your conclusion is?"

"I think we will get along wonderfully," he said, grinning wildly. "Before I can trust you, I need to ask you something." His words didn't sound like they were coming from someone who had half a bottle of whiskey in their system. He sounded too coherent for someone who should be passed out on the floor.

"Trust me? Why?"

"You'll potentially find out if you answer in a way that I like."

"Okay," I replied, still a little tentative as I sat down.

"Why did you lie about where you're from?"

Mierda. I looked at him, trying to figure if I could trust him. His posture was calm, unthreatening as he leaned back on one hand, one leg crossed over the other, rolling his cigarette between his teeth. I took a deep breath.

"How did you know?" I asked him.

"Your earrings. They're Ehixian, yeah?"

I sighed. "You've got a good eye, but I could've just gotten it from a visit to Ehix."

"No. Your earring set is like the locals from Ehix that I know."

He was right. In Ehix, different families and social groups use earrings to identify themselves. Each family has a specific stone and casing combination. Those earrings are the first ones on your right ear. Then it's common for friends to make earrings that match and wear them on their left ears. When you get married, you and your spouse add the family earring of the others onto your right ear and if you have children you add a black stone for each child you have. The parents choose which earring will be used for their children. The right ear is reserved for the family and the left is reserved for friends. I had one earring on my right ear and four on my left.

I shrugged, accepting defeat. "You're right, I am from Ehix."

"Okay-"

"But, my life is in Emerisle. The way I see it I am as much an Emerislean as I am an Ehixan."

"So why don't you live in Ehix anymore?"

I shook my head and sighed. I mull over what I am going to say before I answer. "Sometimes burying the past is the only way to get away from it."

"So why keep the earrings on?" He stared at me as he took another drag from the cigarette.

I shrugged again. "The people that these earrings represent have nothing to do with why I left."

Junius looked at me long and hard before he nodded. "I won't press any further, thank you for being honest with me. Now that I know I can trust you, can you do me a favor?"

"It depends on what it is," I replied

He chuckled. "Hold onto that will you?" He gestured to the bottle of pills.

I turned the bottle over in my hand. "Is there a reason you-"

"Please," Junius interrupted. "Just take them without asking why. I've had hard times and I don't want to repeat them here, in a place that's already fucked up enough."

I nodded, understanding why he wants me to hold onto them. "You can trust me."

"The sick bastards that brought us here must think they're funny giving me those. At least they gave me these," he chuckled darkly, holding up the cigarette. "Do you want one?"

I shook my head. "I'm okay, thank you. I should be getting to bed. Thank you Junius."

"You're welcome." Junius got up from the window seat and sprawled out on the bed as I walked towards the door. Just before I was about to shut it he said, "Opal?"