Chris
The hairs on my arms stood up when I heard the child… Of course, I wanted to teleport down there and push myself in. Sick of being the one that had to wait. Even so, I couldn't rush in there and take the chance of spooking them. I couldn't risk it.
Salena and I were walking into the valley after spending twenty minutes going all the way around. I told her that I didn't want to miss Caleb. When we got to the entrance, he came out running...
"What were you doing in there all alone?! Where is Jamal?" I yelled.
"I heard the cry, but I couldn't find anything. He's probably looking for me. Come, let's go…." Caleb pulled me by the arm… "Jamal will be worried sick… It was just some weird creature… And Sirius is going down. The next patrol would be here soon…." Caleb was rambling. Juliet was with me up on the ridge. Whoever was in the valley was with a child… A child… And Juliet might be back. Why would she flee Earth with a child… Why would she flee En-gannim with a child? Why would she come here? My mind was going nuts. Scared that something worse had happened to her after I last saw her? Who would she be hiding from?
I was almost sure that Juliet and Caleb had met, but he didn't know who she was. On the way home, Caleb was acting even stranger. He pulled out an imaginary gun and held it out like in an old Western movie. If nothing confirmed it, that was the proof. Whoever was in the valley had pulled a gun on him. I paused, thinking. Why would they bring a firearm… It was like the worst protection against us… How would they know? Then I remembered… It was probably a dart gun. I chuckled.
But other than that, Caleb's countenance had fallen. He met a guy. I had wondered if it might be Charlene and Miné. But there was someone with Juliet, and Caleb wasn't happy about it… And he was in a hurry. Something was wrong.
At home, he went into his room and called an early night. From being excited about going hunting to that… I couldn't just ignore it. "Caleb, I need to talk to you." I pulled back the curtain that was his door. It really wasn't any privacy, and me opening it was wrong. The room was empty. Frustrated, I walked around, checking out the window.
"Crap…"
Ira came to stand in the doorway.
"Leave the boy! He's probably making arrangements with that girl. They're probably finding a place to have sex right now."
My face contorted. Yeah, with his mother… "He's only fifteen! Why is everything about sex for you? Or are we going to fight about the succession again?"
Ira scoffed. "Men of fifteen have had sex before." He lifted his hands in the air.
"Yes, but you actually have to woo a girl to do it on Earth."
My father rolled his eyes. "That is why the Earth is like it is... Too many hang-ups. And the last time I checked, it wasn't at all what Earth is like… Juliet being the model standard of propriety… When are you going to face it…. It's you."
"I'm not going after him, Ira..."
He let it go and left me alone. Why, Juliet, do you not trust me? Why not come to me? It had to be Ira. I should have gotten my own house when Caleb turned thirteen. I sighed. I had to live with Ira till I was a hundred. The fact that I had a child was out of the norm.
***
Juliet
I couldn't find anything to eat that day. When I returned to the cave, I had to leave again to make it back to the city gates. I didn't want Michael to suffer anymore… He was weary and hungry. I could grab anything on the planet, kill it, and suck on it; it was like heaven. Everything I brought human-wise was limited. My dad had sent us stuff for the first few weeks. My gut churned, thinking about Michael suffering again… At all… In any way. But it would be worse if I made him feel like less of a man. We needed to finish our mission… I had to take a chance. It was going to happen the following day. If I died, it was okay. Chris would have to protect Michael. I had been stupid. Not coming alone... Do some recon and let them beam me back and forth… Thought about another plan…
I rushed to the city to meet up with Elias. I was desperately waiting inside the gate. It was easy, and it didn't take long before he came and stood around.
Coming back from my vanished state around a corner, I called out to him. "Pssst! Hey boy!" His eyes darted my way. "I seriously need help. Can you give me some food?"
He smiled when he saw me. "Yeah, he told me… So you are a Riphath? Are there Riphaths on other planets? That's why you're hiding? How did you end up here?"
"That is a very long story. Can I tell you later? Let's get something to eat, and I'll take you with me… Hey, are we going to see your dad there?"
"Maybe why?"
"I'll go in my vanished state. Use my ability, just in case."
He ushered me into a door and told me to take a seat. I sat down on a clay stool. It was weird that there was no wood on Zoreah. Everything was plastered.
"I'll be right here… don't leave." He was talking into thin air. And really, where was I gonna go.
I felt a bit awkward when Jamal came out of the room sweaty. He paused, eyes wide. His eyes darted back to his room, and Selena walked out naked.
"Noice."
The boy didn't even flinch.
"Sheesh, what the hell are you doing here," Jamal asked.
"It doesn't matter… I need food. I'm hungry."
Jamal seemed confused, and I was as well. Elias was acting strange. He was on edge, and his back was stiff. "Okay, take what you want."
Selena turned around and went back to the room. She was dressed by the time she came out and was leaving. Jamal followed her, saying, "We will be right back."
The whole situation was strange. The boy hurried and went to the kitchen. He filled a satchel with food, hung it over my head, and gave me something they kept water in.
"You don't know what this means to me. I'm so glad I met you." I lifted an arm and softly touched his cheek.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure?"
"That guy in the cave. Your… friend… He your lover too?"
I nodded regarding him. "Is that why you're irritated tonight? You liked me?" He was blushing again, and it put me on edge. He had Jamal's blue eyes… He was tall like his father… But his hair was dark… I shook myself. Every boy I walked past could be Caleb. I didn't see Chris with anyone, and the City was enormous.
"Oh, sweetie, no. That could never happen. There are so many girls here. You could have Selena? Really, why would you not?"
Elias shrugged but didn't answer.
We heard Jamal come back up the stairs, and I disappeared. The boy was exasperated, swearing. Or what I thought was a swear word. Flinging his arm in the air, he stormed past Jamal and bumped into Selena. "Hey!" They shrugged and came indoors, and I left before Jamal could close the curtain.
***
Caleb
"You know I find a girl that actually catches my attention… means something, and then… she's…. she's… with someone else," I yelled, coming back into our house.
Chris and Ira looked up from what they were busy with... I almost said something I shouldn't but stopped myself just in time.
"Selena and Jamal were just here… They said you were acting strange. Wanting food?"
I turned to Ira… "Yeah…" I sputtered. "I needed it for that… girl I met."
Ira stood closer. "What do you mean? You wanted to give her something… for what?"
My eyes darted to the floor. What the hell. I was in over my head. Never had to lie… ever… Accept about my dad's teleporting and Rodrigo… About reading. Books and Ahasuerus… Okay, fine, there was a lot of lying…
"Thought I could convince her… to sleep with me." Great, Caleb, change the subject.
Chris choked and coughed.
"Like dad always say… be nice to a girl…."
"Your father is an idiot… WE don't pay women to sleep with us here… And why are you so upset? You can still have her. They will have a night, and then you can have a night." Ira said. "If you like, I can help you."
"No!" I said loudly. "She said no!" I lowered my voice and pouted for effect, sitting down. She did say no, though…
My dad laughed. "I would love to meet this girl… Come on, you got to show us... Where is she? Or bring her here. Tell her the king wants to see her." Ira was very keen on the idea.
"No!" I said a little too loud. That would be the last thing she would want. "I can't… She took all Jamal's food and left."
They burst out laughing. "You were going to pay for sex and didn't get any?" Chris tried to speak while laughing.
"It's not paying… It's trading." I spat out.
My dad kept snickering, but Ira was irritated. "I don't like this girl!" Chris roared again, holding onto his stomach. "She puts you in a mood. Tells you to come out for sex and then… eats your food!" Ira mumbled, walking away.
I went to my room and fell on the bed in a huff. "Pay for sex? Who pays for sex?"
***
Chris
I had a good laugh on Caleb's behalf, knowing the crap Juliet was getting up to. What were the chances that she and Caleb would meet? Maybe it wasn't a coincidence. My bout of laughter was gone when the thought settled.
When Jamal came in, I was scared that Caleb would go with her… They would disappear, and that was why she was there… To take him. I wanted to bolt out of there. Jamal had pushed me down and ran for me. I didn't care that she took Caleb with her… I just wanted to go with. When Caleb came back, I was relieved. It had to stop. I was going into the valley that next day, come hell or high water.
***
It was the middle of the night.
"The alarm." I ran past Caleb's room. "Boy, you coming? There's a beast near the city."
I was so scared for Juliet out there. There were no raiders or rapists… But there were monsters. Caleb came out drowsy. But he was thinking the exact same thing. "What direction?" He seemed panicked.
"To the west, come we got to go."
We ran down the road as fast as we could, meeting up with Selena and Jamal waiting. The gate came into view. A sand monster rushed in and out of the ground. It tried to pass and fight with the few hunters there. I was relieved that it was close to the city and far away from the gorge.
Caleb also seemed relieved. "Stay here and watch… You need to learn…." He nodded. It lifted the one Riphath into the air. The guy teleported and eloquently landed on his feet. We all manifested, took our armor from some young recruits, and joined up with the others.
It was hours before we drove it out further away from the city. They had thick skins and were almost impenetrable. We never saw them coming. Few and far between over the years I had been there. When it pulled back and rested on its tail, it was as large as a three-story building and as fat and heavy as that same building. The only way to make it leave was to tire it out until it conceded and retreated… Just like a werewolf on a full moon.
It took a hundred of us to make it burrow down for the last time. We were tired and panting. The three of us grouped up to catch our breath. I was still talking to General Sung when I turned to ensure Caleb was fine. He wasn't where I had left him. It was still very dark as I searched the crowd. I cursed… He had gone after Juliet.
A cry came from far out of the city. A chill ran down my spine. It was Juliet. That cry she would give for Marcus… A child screamed and called out to her mother. It was so loud that we all heard it. The next sound was the monster's screeching coming out of the sand. We all stood motionless, staring into the distance.
***
Caleb
When my father turned his back, and it seemed that the monster was tiring out, I started walking on my way to the gorge, regardless of whether it was wrong. I needed to know that they were okay. That it had not gone into the canyon before coming for the city.
I heard screaming. I ran so fast… I had never run like that. It felt like I was being carried by something else, like when my dad had me in his arms, teleporting and coming out far from where I had started. I had manifested. That cry had pulled me out, and I was already there when the sand monster went back into the ground. The girl had dodged, slipped, and went over the edge, her hand hanging on by her fingertips. My legs glided through the sand as I jumped to grab onto her in time. I had caught her other arm by the elbow, and her hand gripped mine so tightly. The baby clutched onto her mother. The girl was desperately trying to hold onto her baby and me. Her eyes darted down to the bottom of the gorge. It was a long way to fall. Her grip was slipping. My heart was pounding. I had lost my manifestation. It was skin on skin.
"Listen to me. I'm going to hand you the baby. You will take her. I will disappear and fall. Nothing will happen to me… Nod, to tell me you understand me."
My head obeyed, but I doubted her words. Was she lying? Would she die?
"I can't… I will lift you up."
Our hands slipped a little more until we were at each other's wrists. Her eyes darted to our sweaty skin, and she used all her strength to push the baby up. I grabbed her around the waist with my other free arm. She was going nuts for her mom. Nuts in general. Why was she not in human form… Was that why they were there? Why did they not teleport?
I glanced down again to see if she would let go… But she wasn't a girl anymore… She was another creature. It took me a moment… Chris had told me what the differences were… She was a vampire… My mom was a vampire… But this girl's features were different. Her eyes were white and not black. Teeth filled her whole mouth like a dog.
"Juliet…?" Her eyes jerked up. She changed back to human and frowned. "How do you… Caleb… What?"
"Mom?" The mixture of emotions that played over her features proved it.
The baby in my arms didn't want to sit still. "Can't I put her down?"
"No! She will run, and I can't control her. You have to take her to Chris. Where is he?" I glanced back over my shoulder at the sandstorm on its way… "She needs him. She's your sister… Her name is Sammy." My eyes took in the screaming child. I had a sister.
Juliet winced, and her face contorted in pain… "I can't, Caleb. Promise me you won't tell him."
"What! Why?"
We heard Chris coming back from his teleportation behind me… Juliet disappeared. She was gone. My mother was there. Sammy had calmed down a little bit, peeking up at me. "Ca… lip." I held her and stroked her head.
My dad wasn't the problem… It was the stampede I felt. A hundred Riphaths had followed my father, and we could hear them before seeing them. They stopped dead in their tracks, eyes wide. Everyone was disconcerted to see a child outside of the city. Their gazes darted from me to Chris.
"Caleb! You… manifested." Jamal said.
Selena came forward. "What happened?"
"What? Oh yeah." My arms were hairy. I was higher off the ground, my feet big with black toenails. I touched my face. I had manifested again. Too late. I was too late to pick them both up. I pushed Sammy into my father's arms.
He was bewildered and indignant. "What's wrong with you? She was happy with you?"
I turned back again, irritated at myself, feeling the transformation for the first time. I walked to the cliff's edge and sank down onto my knees as a person. Angry at myself… for not being able to control it.
"Get out of here!" Chris ordered everyone to leave. He was screaming. I was stunned. I had not seen him like that in a long time. He came and stood next to me when everyone was gone... His hand rested on my shoulder.
"What's going on, Caleb? You've been acting really weird the last few days. Did you lose her… mother?"
"Mommy!" The girl complained, stretching out her arms. Chris rubbed his thumb over her forehead, and she slept, falling onto his shoulder. She turned to human form.
I found it difficult to catch my breath. I swallowed hard after a while. A few tears rolled down my cheek as I manifested back and forth… I bit my bottom lip, wanting to say something so bad. Make all hundred hunters come back and find my hurt mother. They wouldn't do anything to her. Why could I not say? Chris had been waiting for so long.
"Caleb!"
"What!" I yelled so loud that Chris took a step back, his brow furrowed.
"Leave me alone! I'm thinking."
I jumped up. Chris turned me around. "Just wait for a second!" His hand gripped my arm.
***
Chris
Caleb was standing with a child in his arms. It was a little girl. When they turned, he pushed her into mine. She was a little crazy but a Riphath. Her eyes met mine, and she said… "Daddy." I quickly ran my thumb over her head just to make sure. Gooseflesh covered my arms and legs that it had worked... She was mine. In her human form, I did a double-take. She had my brown beady eyes and that sad mouth and brown hair. I immediately knew what Ira had been keeping from me… It didn't happen six years ago… It happened! I left, and Juliet was pregnant. I could have stayed… "Sammy."
Such a mixture of emotions ran through me. Caleb had manifested. For Juliet. To help her. To save her. I was getting sick of it. I didn't understand why Juliet was hiding. She couldn't think that Ira would really kill her… My next thought was that Sammy was the reason. Juliet didn't want Ira to know they were there at all. Caleb was distraught, peering down into the valley. On his knees… He knew. He just found out. And he wasn't saying. Anger was fueling him. He was tired. Just as sick of all the lies as I was. Ira and Silvanus would know in the next few minutes… Jamal and Selena didn't go. They would never leave me, and they had seen it all. Jamal had already put two and two together. We stood staring at each other.
***
Juliet
After I could let go of Sammy, the pain was immediately better. I opened my hand and disappeared. I didn't want to see Chris, not like that. All I had to do was fall. I wondered. If I succeeded in committing suicide that day. Would my ability have come to save me? As always, I didn't feel pain when I landed. Supernaturally, the ground made me stop, and I lay there. Eyes watching their star come up. Our star. Sirius. I could hear them, and I listened to Chris's voice... I missed him so much. Caleb didn't understand. I couldn't believe it was Caleb… That he was so big. He was almost Carl's size at his age... And pretty. Like his daddy.
I came back so that Michael could find me. Glad that Sammy was where she belonged. Chris made her quiet. Rubbed his thumb over her forehead. He knew, and the peace that came with that was priceless. It was better for everyone.