The Invisible Planet

Part 38: Fun

Two weeks had passed. Takka's voice was still fresh in Angeline's mind, warning her away from Shay.

If she really did love him, Marius would kill them. Hadn't she been responsible for enough death?

He stood at the front of the village crowd, face hidden beneath his red cloak, outlining the ways they had succeeded and failed at conserving resources. The others still didn't know that their lives depended on what he was saying.

She stood just up the hill, leaning against the corner of Aster's house with a decent view of the crowd. She wondered if telling them would even help.

"We are approaching Summer," said Shay. "It's going to get quite hot, and it will stay that way for some time. While we adhere to the standardized star dates, I'm sure you've noticed there's a difference in our seasons. Serenia's revolution around Azuri's sun takes over twelve times longer than Midelian's. Summer here will last for the next four years. When it's not hot, it's going to be raining. I understand you're used to climate control technology, but we haven't got that here. Dekita will teach whoever wants to learn to weave fabric and create your own clothes. With these skills, you can help each other prepare for what's to come."

As he spoke, wisps of black smoke crept along the ground behind him. Angeline frowned in concern. If the sight of Takka had frightened her, she worried how he would affect the others.

"It is voluntary, of course," Shay continued, "but I recommend learning. The more of you who possess this knowledge, the easier things are going to be. We will provide you with the tools necessary to—"

Gasps went through the crowd as the darkness beneath his hood suddenly faded, revealing his eyes and his face.

"He's a demon!" someone cried.

Shay reached up in confusion to check his hood as Takka's black smoke gathered behind him.

Screams were heard and several of the survivors began to run.

"Takka!" Shay snapped as he turned.

The pale Guardian smirked as he materialized. "Yes?"

Shay guestured to the panicking crowd as he glared. "Have you gone mad?"

"Not at all. Have you?" Takka responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Do you have any idea how hard it'll be to gain their trust back?" asked Shay.

Takka shrugged. "They're not all running."

About half of the villagers still stood warily, though several of them had given extra space to the two Guardians. Among those remaining were Mikal, Marita, and Aster, along with Niko and his mother.

Shay looked back at them, pausing as he locked eyes with Angeline.

She quickly looked away.

"Thank you for not running," he said to the others in a low voice. "Meeting adjourned. I apologize for the chaos."

"Learn to live a little," Takka scolded. "I'll have you know, I'm officially more terrifying than you are, so your little pouting routine needs to stop."

"What are you talking about?"

"Shay?" Floragrine, a pretty Midelianite with perfectly curled light brown hair and sparkling green eyes, was among those who had stayed.

"Yes, Flora," he answered.

"Could you help me with the well again?" she asked. "It's just so heavy, and you're so strong."

The burning in her chest caught Angeline off guard. Was that spoiled dingbat actually flirting with him? She glared as he followed the impish wretch to the well. Couldn't the malicious hellion have asked Takka?

"Jealous, much?"

She turned her glare on the black-eyed Guardian now standing beside her. "No," she said, knowing full well it was a lie. She wasn't used to that sting. Suppressing it was much harder than it should've been. Even fear was easier to control than this stubborn vitriol, searing through her insides like acid.

She pushed her focus to her breathing, but it was still there, a bitter bile in the back of her throat.

"If it's any consolation, she wasn't remotely interested in him until she saw his face," said Takka.

"How is that consolation?"

"It means she's shallow. Shay doesn't fall for the shallow ones, no matter how fun and easy they are."

Angeline crossed her arms. "Why are you telling me this?"

He shrugged. "Why does anyone do anything?"

"Motive."

"Correct."

"Then what's yours?"

He shrugged again, lifting his hands to accentuate the gesture as he walked back toward the village center with a mischievous grin. "Fun."