Human Spines

Dumaine and Chartres-III

Emmeline

        I've leaped off the table and am running away. Not because I'm scared or upset or mentally ill, but because I'm curious and excited and a little bit shocked. I can't feel my face, I'm sprinting so hard but I'm pretty sure I'm smiling like the psychopath the boy probably thinks I am. But he stayed with me, which means something. I just have to figure out what.

        I run, leap, twirl, sprint, until I'm at a large park. I don't slow down until I'm two feet from the edge of a peaceful pond overflowing with ducks. Dropping down into the grass, I look around, waiting.

        Woman. Sunglasses. Duck. Bike. Duck.

        He has to have more than one soul, or else he wouldn't be helping me.

        Grass. Bridge. Duck. Light post.

        And if I'm wrong and he stayed with me for a different reason, he won't follow me after what I just did. But I could be wrong about that too; I've never talked to a boy his age before.

        Tree. Man. Duck. Camera. Dog. Duck.

        Boy.

        "What the heck was that?!" He flings up his hands, eyes wide in embarrassment and voice breathless. "That was seriously not cool, back there! I was just lucky no one saw you were pointing at me!"

        "So they can't see you?" I deduce.

        "Yes. Wait. What? No!" He collapses beside me stuffing his accordion case between us. "I'm not invisible if that's what you're asking. And why would shouting that I have multiple souls be helpful? It's not a complement!" His nostrils flare in irritation.

        "So you don't deny having several souls? But you do still claim visibility?" I stretch my legs out in front of me, leaning on my hands.

        "Of course I don't have more than one soul! Or well, I am a soul, people don't have souls, they are souls," he huffs. "And you saw yourself that the waiter looked right at me when I ordered my drink. So tell me what's going on!"

        "I saw no such thing. The Demon was in me. I warned you about it earlier." I nearly let loose a string of laughter, never realizing he may not have figured it out, but the uneasy gray his face has drained to stops me.

         "Emmeline." His eyes grip onto mine so I can't look away. His voice falls calm and quiet as he speaks. "I'm going to help to you, but I need you to start at the very beginning, and talk slow enough for me to understand you. Okay?"

        "You pronounced my name wrong. It's Emma-line not Emma-leen. And my last name is Jefferson."

        "But you said–"

        "I didn't say anything the moment after it possessed me mid-word. You were talking to one of the Demons. What else did it tell you?"

        He hugs his arms, from either fear or the slight chill in the air. "You-it-said it was going to punish you for misbehaving."

        "Oh, that's all?" I shrug, playing it off to keep from frightening him. I don't know what Father will do to me and I don't care right now. I've found someone who believes me. Someone who wants to help.

        Now I just have to let him. I match his blue eyes to my green ones and loosen the screws that keep all my memories from breaking loose. No turning back now.

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