Page 199 of Seer Prophet

“You should take a shower,” Frankie urged me.

I looked at myself, realized I was wearing combat clothes from the beach, that I probably had sand inside my underwear and shirt and bra, and in my hair. I tried to think back on how long I’d been sitting there, drinking the occasional beer and eating food when someone handed me a bowl with rice and veggies in it.

I was still thinking about it, when someone knocked on the door again.

They knocked hard that time.

I could feel him there. Something told me, this time, I wasn’t going to be able to just wish him away. I had my light shielded, just like I had pretty much since I’d gotten there, but I knew that wouldn’t help me, either.

That time, he scarcely bothered with Angie at all when she answered the door.

I heard him say something to her, something I couldn’t make out, then he raised his voice.

“Alyson!” His voice came out harsh, close to a command, but I felt the grief there still. He put light in his voice, enough that I felt myself tense where I sat on the couch. “Alyson! Come out here. Now. Or I’m coming in.”

He didn’t have to tell me he meant it.

I could feel he meant it.

I saw Jaden frown, right before he started to regain his feet.

That time, I got up before he did.

They all froze when they saw me stand, staring at me. Even Sasquatch looked over, without pausing his game, so that his animated avatar got pummeled by the zombies he’d been fighting onscreen. I stared, weirdly fascinated when the bulging-eyed creatures began chewing on the avatar’s body parts.

Then I blinked, looking back at the rest of them.

I stood there, fighting for equilibrium.

Eventually, I met Jaden’s gaze.

“It’s okay. I should go.” I looked around at all of them.

Frankie, who sat next to Sasquatch on the couch, looking like a kid where she huddled next to the Samoan’s big form. Jaden, with his long hair and wiry frame from being on the ship and probably from working crazy hours with Dante and the rest of the comp-nerds. Angie, where she stood by the door, watching me with a worried expression on her face.

“Thanks,” I said. I wasn’t sure what else to say.

“If he’s an asshole, come back,” Frankie said.

She’d paused her player, and it stood in a strange waiting pose, swaying slightly as the game waited for her to return.

“Seriously.” Her dark eyes mirrored that seriousness. “You can stay with us anytime, Allie. As long as you want.”

Sasquatch nodded, his brown eyes holding sympathy as he looked at me.

“Like, anytime, Allie-potali,” he said, gripping the game console in one hand as he frowned towards the door. “He seems like a dick, seriously,” he added, his voice lower. “A real steroid pounder. A push-em-around-rottie fuckwad. You can come live with us.”

I nodded, fighting to smile, and just nodded again.

“Thanks,” I said.

Then, not sure what else to say, I turned and walked towards the door.

I felt like I’d mostly landed back in my body, even if I didn’t exactly feel normal. I didn’t feel like I had in the cafeteria with Jon and Wreg, where I had no idea where I was, what I was doing, or even what was happening. I knew why I was leaving, who was at the door, even if I struggled to make myself feel anything about any of it.

The thought of dealing with Revik right then made me feel sick.

I was really fucking tired, though.

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