Avani Earthborn |:|TEL-1|:| ✔

SEVENTEEN

"What? Stop giving me fake news, Cole."

Cole nervously played with the hem of his sleeve.

"It's true."

Avani's jaw dropped. "How is that even possible? I mean, everyone who...who's like us..."

All Cole did was shake his head. "Avani, there's a lot more that you won't understand."

"Well of course I wouldn't!" Avani said. "You wouldn't even tell me anything!"

Cole narrowed his eyes.

"Sorry...I shouldn't have.... It's just really frustrating."

Don't question the dead...Don't question the dead...It's not like he's going to tell you anything even if you did...

"Avani, it's more complicated than just 'Oh! I can't tell you anything because I don't want to and that I'm dead!' It's law."

Avani looked at Cole crazily. "Law? What do you mean 'law'?"

Cole looked down and cursed under his breath in what seemed like a different language.

Avani raised an eyebrow.

He turned away and started walking down the streets.

"Cole? Hey Cole! Where're you going?"

Cole looked back and gave Avani a small smile.

Before he disappeared forever.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Avani had lost the only living thing that understood her.

Now she had nothing again.

She had no one again.

Avani walked down the streets, back to her old home.

She knocked on the door, waiting to be met with an angry Mateo, punching Avani in the face. She prepared for the worst.

"Hello?"

Avani looked up and saw a woman around the age of fifty.

"Um, hi...Does Avery and Mateo live here?"

"Oh, they...moved out."

Avani pulled her eyebrows together. "What do you mean 'moved out'?"

"They...kind of just disappeared." The woman rubbed her arm and chewed on her lips.

Something's fishy...

Avani nodded. "Thanks, I'm gonna keep going now."

"Um," the woman said before Avani turned around. "Do you mind me asking...where are you heading to?"

Avani narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe this situation that I'm in concerns you in any way."

Avani whipped around and walked away.

She hung her head low. It seemed like no one wanted her.

Then she tripped on something.

She rubbed the knee she fell on and snatched up the rock that she stumbled over.

A sticky note was stuck on it.

You have failed to protect yourself, but you've also let someone die. There will be consequences.

Avani's heart sank.

What did this mean?

That someone was after her?