"Rose and Dream," I whisper. "Don't say a word. Just listen."
Dream's sweat mixes with my oozing skin. It doesn't take long for her eyes to water. But I'm supposed to look into Rose's eyes.
"I won because I had a Queen. The Queen represents the most powerful piece on the chessboard. She can do whatever she wants. It would be nice to be a King, but there's an order to the world. Even a pawn can be a Queen. Got it?" That's all it says to say so I wait. Rose nods and reaches in her tiny purse, then hands me two tickets.
"Say nothing about this ever." I say.
Dream runs and they don't look back.
My stomach hurts. C'mon come out and laugh. Littlechungus88, gregdastallion, sevenate9, c'mon… Someone come out. All I get is a chill through my legs and a burning sensation from the sun that I wish could melt away guilt. The cards are real. I toss the gloves aside. My hand is down to the skeleton now. You're not a bad person, you're just doing it for a cure.
Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip.
In the silence of the corner, the flip of the card is loud and clear.
"That incident will make the girls even closer than they were. In fact, the two would never separate if Rose didn't head to Division's Castle to train to become the most dangerous woman there's ever been in hopes of becoming a Queen one day," the notecard says. That's better.
Flip. Flip.
My stomach twitches and my throat clogs. This one is too far. The kid has a chance to not be like me; a bum with a weakness who would obey some note cards left on his doorstep for a cure.
He can actually enjoy amusement parks.
But I am a bum with a weakness who would obey some note cards left on his doorstep for a cure. I walk towards the exit of the park.
It's still not too late. I could still not do this last part, if I don't want to.
But why is it fair that the whole world gets to enjoy the sun except me?
I walk toward the entry/exit of the park. Cautious of my melting skin I try to stay in the shade of those flying or skywalking above me. I'm close to the exit and I haven't heard the words I'm supposed to hear yet. If I don't hear them it's not my fault. Maybe I can still get the prize, if I don't do the last bit. I mean didn't I technically kill a man? Surely that counts for--
"If it's not good it's not done." A child's voice says and I understand it to be Velli. Yes, him and his family look as they're described. There's no need to rush the end of his life as he knows it. I take my time walking over to them.
They're a black family in identical long blue t-shirts with green lettering that matches their shorts; "Happy Chosen Day, Velli.". I suppose Velli picked the colors I hear that's a common way to celebrate when you're about to receive powers.
The Dad I've seen before from TV, he's saved some lives, fought some bad guys, nothing incredible but I'm sure he's wealthy off of it. He has a sharp, low haircut and muscles that would make any shirt look too tight on him but he's slender enough that you know you can't outrun him. His calf muscles remind me of boulders.
His wife I don't recognize, she's pretty but not as extraordinary as him. Just pretty, which is weird for the hero types. She's slim and smiles like a mother and not a model. She might even have a little gray in her short curly hair. His type usually picks out someone elite for fun or to make better kids.
Velli's a small kid who's probably around 6. He's got food on his face and hair and he looks like he's just had the best time of his life
"If it's not good, it's not done." Velli repeats, with a smile that's almost contagious.
"No, velli." His Dad says , smiling as well. "That just means if a situation isn't good, that the Rainbringer isn't done working yet. Not that we can't leave a theme park."
"Didn't you have a good time, Velli?" His mom ask. Less happy and more concerned.
"No, I did." The child says. "I just want to stay and go to one more place. Just one more." He raises one finger.
I shake my head in disbelief that the notecards are still so accurate and do the final deed.
"Hey, I never used these tickets to the Mirror Maze, do you want them? There's no lines, last I checked."
Velli nods at me with a large smile.
"The Rainbringer's plan. If it's not good, it's not done," the kid says, turning back to his Dad.
"Oh, is it your Chosen Day as well? Are you going to get some powers from Uel? You have to take them, then," I say.
"Oh, that's very sweet of you, sir," the mom says, stepping in. "We might have time, we have a teleporter booked for about 30 minutes out but the lines for all the good rides were so long today. We knew we wouldn't have time for another."
"The Maze is an exclusive of the park that you must buy an extra ticket for so its line shouldn't be long at all."
The father looks to Velli.
"That's a lot for one day. I think we should save some for another day when we come back," the father says.
"Please! We have to, and it's my Chosen Day, and who knows when we'll come back. We have to and… and…"
Dad's not buying his riveting argument.
The mother bumps the Dad with her hip, smiles, and wraps her arm tenderly around his waist and nuzzles her head in his chest.
"C'mon, Charlie, it's his Chosen Day," she says, and he's defeated. "If it's not good it's not done."
The Dad sighs like a man in love and focuses on me.
"Thank you, sir," Dad says and extends his hand to shake.
By accident, I thrust out my hand that's now just bones. I jerk it back into my pocket. Wait actually… I push it back out with hope. Velli leans forward and stares.
"Sorry. It's my weakness; my body melts if I'm in the sun too long."
That's right everybody!
I'm a freak!
Go ahead, flip out!
Take the tickets and glare like you hate me for being born worse than you.
You're all jerks who deserve this. That's it, you pissed someone off. That explains why you're getting this. You deserve this.
The Dad shakes my fleshless hand.
"No problem at all, son. You helped us. But do you need any help carrying anything to your car?"
I just hand them the tickets and walk away. I think I'm supposed to say something else but I can't.
Flip Flip
Where's the last card? Something bumps into me. There's a scream behind me again. What's the last notecard say? I had to read it wrong. Why would someone plan this?
"Uel's gift is a once in a lifetime opportunity and demands that both the mom and dad must be present and active to receive powers. Velli's dad will be unable to make it because of the events in the maze. Furthermore, the events in the maze will change Velli's life forever. He will develop a weakness just as you have. Until this moment it is the best day of Velli's life."
That's how life goes, though. Someone gets cured and someone gets cursed every day in everything… and whoever's cursed just never knows why. But it's just a prank though, none of that is going to happen.
An indescribable man stands in front of my car.