The Green Ones

Episode 4, Part 1

Everything looks brighter on a full stomach and after a full night’s sleep. The ever-present clouds remind me the rainy season is only half spent, but such things won’t matter in the academy. Thirty-two hours after last seeing Centavo, it feels like Olin and I have already begun our new lives.

“I like your new parents.” Neca drops the comment while gazing skyward.

The two of us are waiting for Olin and Zorrah to exit the house listed on my new citizen records as home. “They’re not my parents.”

“Hey, take it when you can. They’ve already given you an allowance.”

“Centavo left that money for our uniforms.”

Neca nods, looking from the sky to his feet. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“I’m sorry,” I place a hand on his shoulder. “I know the old man was like a father to you.”

Neca feigns a smile. “He’s gone, not dead. Besides, he left some cryptic directions. I think I could find him,” he breathes deeply, “if I decide to leave.”

It’s my turn to gaze at the sky. “You think you will? I mean, just pack up and leave with no idea what’s out there waiting for you?”

“Sounds kind of romantic doesn’t it?”

“Romantic?” I scoff. “That wasn’t the first word to come to mind, no.”

“And what was that?”

“What?”

“The first word to pop into your ever-churning mind?”

“Reckless. Idiotic. Dangerous. Headless. Axnohtic.”

Neca whistles through his teeth.

“You asked.”

“That was more than the first word.”

“I’m a multi-tasker,” I smile.

“So disparaging words come to you all at once?”

“Yep.”

Olin and Zorrah finally emerge from the ground level apartment. Zorrah is waving good-bye to my phony parents, an entire mango clutched in her teeth. The fruit hides half her face. She bites off a chunk as Olin greets Neca.

“Where to now, sis?”

I start walking. “Well, obviously the three of us have had breakfast.” I look at Neca. “You?”

“Oh, I’m not too hungry yet.”

We exchange a smirk. We’re both wondering how a girl as tiny as Zorrah could finish off so much fruit without getting sick.

Zorrah continues to munch and slurp away at her face-sized mango, missing my subtle hint.

I clear my throat. “You bring any for our guest?”

“Huh?” She lowers the fruit. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She wipes her mouth with her sleeve, looking from me to Olin to Neca. “It’s just that, I’ve never even touched a whole one before. I still can’t believe your new parents gave it to me.”

“They’re not my parents!” I stamp my bare foot on the pavement.

“Sorry. Umm…” she holds the fruit out. “Anyone have a knife?”

Olin flicks his pocket knife open.

Zorrah snatches it from his hand, slices the fruit in half and expertly carves the uneaten half into a checkerboard on one side while still attached to the skin on the other. She does all this while walking.

“Wow, remind me not to turn my back on you in the kitchen.”

“I like knives. You can do quite a lot in the lab with a good knife.” She smiles shyly, offering the cubed half of mango to Neca.

“You’re too kind,” he receives it with a wink.

Zorrah is directly behind me. I can’t see her face, but I’m sure it’s brighter than the mango skin.

“I suppose there’s still enough time before my fight for such a lavish indulgence. It might just give me that winning edge.”

Mention of the fight extinguishes any and all peace I’ve felt since waking up that morning.

“You gonna watch the fight?” Neca asks the whole group, but he’s looking at me. He must sense my tension.

“I’m going to stop the fight,” I fix him with my gaze.

“Not this again,” Neca shakes his head. “I made a deal with Yetic. A deal that saved your butt, by the way.”

“We could have figured it out without Yetic. Besides, things have changed since then.”

Neca raises a brow. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“You were healthy then.”

“I’m healthy now.”

“Look, I know we can’t reveal the truth of what happened, but you’re not strong enough to fight.”

“Sure I am.” Neca darts out in front of us and jogs backward as we continue toward the market. He nods at me. “You’re strong enough to fight. Zorrah’s strong enough to fight.”

“I meant to win.”

Neca opens his eyes wide, as if this is a revelation. “Aha, well, winning. I don’t have to win. I only promised to fight.”

I shake my head. “Yetic won’t settle for winning. He’s bitter. He wants to hurt you.”

“This may surprise you, Calli Bluehair, but I’ve been hurt before. The last time was by you.” He rubs his jaw on the spot where I waylaid him in the cave a few days earlier.

“This isn’t a joke. You could die!”

“You mean a few years ahead of schedule?”

“Yes!”

“All the more reason to enjoy life while I can. Like right now, I’m going to enjoy this mango that my new best friend, Zorrah, was kind enough to share with me.” He bites off a cube and gives Zorrah another wink.

I open my mouth to argue, then decide to pout.

“If you don’t want to watch, you don’t have to.” Still jogging backward, he bites off another cube of mango, chews and swallows. “I’m sorry to expose you to the ugly truth.”

“What truth is that?”

“Everybody dies, Calli. Even immortals.”

“Not everyone will die today.”

“True.” He scratches his chin, as if deep in thought.

“And most don’t embrace it with such gusto,” I continue to build my case.

“True again.” He chews another cube. “That’s why there’s only one Nightmare Neca.” He shoves the rest of the mango in his mouth at once, juice and pulp squishing out the corners. He chokes out the words, “Race you to the market. Loser buys the next mango.”

Before I can express how ridiculous he looks, he’s gone. Olin and Zorrah nearly knock me down as they race after him. I huff. I’m not settling for some second rate uniform just because I gotta buy mangos around. I know I’m faster than Olin. Even with a head start, those suckers don’t stand a chance.