Loveless Ages

Chapter Ten

We go to a car rental place and Xander gets a sleek black car similar to the one he has back home. We drive to what Saige’s house and arrive there at six thirty.

“This is it.” Xander says. “Let’s hope we haven’t hit a dead end.” We are in a residential neighborhood. It is a lot busier than the residential neighborhoods in Schlutonia. Children run excitedly through the streets and adults sit on their porches and talk to each other. I’ve never seen a place so filled with life, laughter and emotion. Saige’s house bright blue on the outside. It has a front lawn and a porch. We walk over to her house.

“What do we say?” I ask nervously. Josh knocks on the door and it swings open a minute later. A pretty woman with long straight brown hair and hazel eyes stands in the doorframe.

“Hi.” She says. “Can I help you?”

“Hi Saige.” Xander says.

“Do I know you?” She looks confused.

“Well not personally. But you did volunteer at this group home I lived in once.” Xander tells her. She shakes her head.

“That’s impossible. The only group home I ever volunteered in was…” She trails off. “No way.” Her eyes become wide. “You’re from Schlutonia?”

“Yes.” Xander says. She looks around cautiously.

“What… how?”

“We snuck out.” Xander says. “Illegally.”

“Why?” She asks. “And why did you come here?”

“Because you’re the only person here from Schlutonia. That we know of.” Xander explains. She looks at us and then nods her head.

“Come in.” She steps aside. We walk into her house. It is a warm and homely place. She invites us to sit at the dinning room table with her and she brings us all a cup of tea.

“It was dangerous what you did.” She says. “Sneaking out of Schlutonia. You may not know because you’re so young but they aren’t very tolerant over there.”

“Oh we know.” I say.

“What’re your names?” She asks.

“I’m Malinda.” I say.

“Josh.”

“Xander.”

“Malinda, Josh, and Xander.” She says. “I’ve never heard of anyone leaving Schlutonia. Besides me that is.”

“Yeah. It isn’t a common thing.” Josh says.

“Do you need a place to stay?” She asks. “I have a few rooms upstairs that you can use for a little while…”

“Thanks for the offer but that isn’t why we’re here.” Xander says.

“Oh?” Saige sets her teacup down.

“We wanted to ask you if you know anything about the-” The sound of someone unlocking the front door makes Xander stop talking.

“Oh.” Saige says. A man walks in with a small child in his arms and a larger child who can walk. Two girls. He comes into the dinning room.

“Hello there.” He says. “I didn’t know we were having company. I’m Joseph.”

“Wait…” Xander begins. He looks at Saige and then at Joseph.

“This is my husband.” Saige says. “And my two kids. The small one is Liliosa and the bigger one is Harper.”

“Your husband?” I say with shock in my voice. “And children?”

“I’m going to go upstairs and change.” Joseph announces. Harper runs into the living room and Joseph hands the baby to his wife. When Joseph is out of earshot Xander speaks.

“How is this possible?” He asks. “Schlutonians don’t feel love.”

“Yeah. I learned about the whole love thing when I got here.” She says. “And I couldn’t feel it. I was confused and upset. And I felt different. It was my senior year of high school.”

“Yeah, and?” Xander says impatiently.

“Do you guys know about the injection?” She asks.

“Yes. That’s why we’re here.” I say anxiously.

“Well I found out about it.” She says. “And I found a man who worked with the trade between Schlutonia and The Republic. He was a higher-level man who knew all the secrets and such. And he introduced me to a scientist who knew the cure.” She says. She takes a sip of her tea.

“Wait.” Josh says. “So you’re cured?” She nods her head.

“Yes.” Saige says. “I’m cured.”