Page 121 of Shattered Omega

I’d spent a lot of time memorising banana split instructions. I could recite them in my sleep because banana splits were what you ate when a family was put back together. That’s what... Someone had said once.

I thought maybe it meant the payments were paid.

The debts were finally clear.

And I’d been waiting a long time for my Ransom banana split.

“Heh.” That sounded wrong. Shatter shot me a funny look as she drizzled an obscene amount of chocolate over one of them.

This was perfect. Better than perfect. I had a family to take care of. A pack that was mine.

So I settled down, passing one to Ransom, Dusk, Shatter, and I.

But I took my first bite only to realise I’d definitely never had a banana split before in my life.

Well… Shit.

That didn’t…

I frowned. That couldn’t be right.

Right?

I blinked, shadows lurking from distant memories. They were blurry and faceless. Always smaller. Always needing to be cared for.

My heart tripped, fist closing around my throat, and for a moment I reached out, trying to make them focus, but a chasm opened beneath me and I reeled back.

No… I think… I would break.

I already had once, for this.

And now I had Dusk, and Ransom, and Shatter—they had faces. And it also seemed right that when I died, I would see everyone’s face. And then… I swallowed…

And they would tell me,

They were happy I didn’t break

Over memories

When I was the one

With more to make.

I cocked my head, the faintest smile fighting my frown.

Yup…

I nodded slowly, squeezing Shatter’s hand that had somehow found its way into mine. That sounded good.

It was an absolute truth already lodging deep into everything I knew to be right in the world. I dug my spoon into my banana split and took another bite. (Turns out I didn’t like bananas either, which seemed like a stupid thing not to have figured out by now.)

FORTY-FOUR

RANSOM

“I… failed my classes?” Shatter’s voice was weak. “I’ve never failed a class in my life.”

“How do you know that?” I asked curiously, placing my arm around her as I sat at her side.

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