Some Thing Called Myself (Complete)

XXIX: something to bury

Ch. 29: Something to Bury

Mara rushed upstairs behind Tai. The duo left the dark corridor and stepped into a strong slice of moonlight that felt almost unnatural. Mara's eyebrows arched up as she took in her surroundings.

If the HQ looked like an old rusty cage during the day, during the night, it felt like something out of a fairy tale. Old lamp posts skirted the patio, but small pale lights danced inside the hexagonal glasses instead of the normal, electrical lanterns Mara expected to see. They changed from a soft yellow to mellow blue, light green, and white, making the dew collecting on the grass glimmer like tiny diamonds. So late at night, everything should look and feel more alive, but it didn't. The leaves in the Kerana tree swayed to a gentle breeze, but when the wind reached Mara, it brought an intense scent of rotting flesh.

"Things are getting really worse really fast," Tai said. They offered Mara a tiny smile. "But if we get a few more seeds like the one you brought from the river, we'll have a brand new Sentinel. I'm glad you came home when you did." They nudged her with their elbow and narrowed their eyes. "You're our savior now; we're all counting on you."

"Right. No pressure, huh." Mara slipped her hands into her pockets. They were as cold as ice cubes. "Do you think we can make it?"

For a long while, Tai didn't answer. Instead of words, they offered her a smile.

The two of them crossed the patio in silence, accompanied by nothing but the sound of tree branches dancing in the wind and the eventual cat hunting in the dark.

"Wait." A crease formed between Mara's eyebrows. "Are we taking the elevator? I thought we were going to see Nastácia."

"And we are." Tai chuckled. "She's right there."

Mara and Tai reached the tree, and as they walked around it, two shadows took shape in the dark. They appeared to be just one at first, connected at the top, but as Mara got closer, the shapes split up, and one of them stretched upward as if getting up. Finally, something sparked in the shadows, casting a beautiful shade of purple on the two faces.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here," Nastácia said with a smile. She wore a beautiful summer dress and flip-flops, while the woman beside her carried the same knitted cardigan and light brown dress pants she always did. Nastácia raised the arm holding the purple flame, and the small orb of light floated overhead, casting a stronger light on the scene.

"I wasn't expecting to see anyone here tonight," Granny said with a lazy smile. "What are you doing out of your beds?" Her eyes widened, getting as big as a frog's or a wolf's. "Did you forget how dangerous this place can be when there's no one looking?"

A shiver crossed Mara's back.

"We came to see Tácia." Tai scratched their head. "Sorry to interrupt your date night."   

Date...night? Mara looked from old Nastácia to Granny; a smile tugged at her lips. "Oh, I see. You two, huh?" She pointed at their hands in turn. "No ring? Can I be your flower girl when the time comes?"

"Sorry, darling, but our wedding didn't involve a ring." Nastácia chuckled. "But it's good to tell that to somebody new. Nobody had that kind of reaction for the good part of sixteen flesh years."

"And Mara had the same reaction twice," Granny added with a breathless laugh.

"She did!" Nastácia joined the laugh and pushed her graying box braids behind her shoulder. The laughter died out with a comfortable rumble, and she sighed. "But something tells me you two didn't come here to reminisce. Tell me what it is that you want, kids."