The Copperhead's Choice

Chapter 37

 David shakes her awake. "Hey." He says quietly. "Sit up and eat." She does sit up. But she doesn't take the food he offers her. All four of them are here, minding their own business, Star and Stella talking to each other, David and Daniel sitting with Ebony.

"I don't want to." She sighs.

"Do it anyway." Nothing David sighs. "Do I need to feed you? I'll do it." He picks the spoon up out of the bowl of soup.

"No." Ebony takes it.

"Good! Eat it please."

"Hmm. Okay." Everyone watches her in silence until she hands the bowl back. "Happy?"

"What's wrong?" David sighs.

"Nothing."

"You're happier than when they weren't here." Stella looks curious.

"Because I'm with the one's that make me happy." Ebony smiles.

"What was wrong?"

"I got reminded of my friends bad decisions. Okay, just my friend."

"Which friend?"

"Just one of them." Ebony frowns.

"Okay." David nods. "Now that you're better, Why the heck did you-" Then he stops. He smells Ebony's sleeve. "You smell like my house."

"I do?" She smiles, smelling her sleeve. "I can't tell." She shrugs.

"That's fine. I can and that's all that matters."

"All that matters? You mean you don't mind that I left you?"

"I do actually. What the heck were you thinking? Why wouldn't you take us? You said-"

"Yes." Ebony interrupts, sitting up straighter. "I know I said that I would take you. I'm going to take you next time. Don't worry, I talked to Frost, and told him I was going to." Uncle. Uncle frost.

"Who is Frost?" David asks, narrowing his eyes.

"My uncle. I talked-"

"Your uncle?" David frowns.

"Yes. That's who I was with. my Uncles, my dad and my father... and Holden, but he's not important."

"So. you found your family. That's good I guess." David sighs.

"Why is that not good thing, David?" The door swings open and Star trys to walk out. "Star, get back over there and sit down." She does. The door stays open. "Shut the door Daniel." Daniel frowns, but shuts it anyway. "Anyway, why is that a good thing?"

"Well... that means you and I..." He looks guiltily at her, then his brother. "We won't get to go back to the human world."

"Not necessarily... What that mean. But kind of. Is that a problem?"

"Not really. It just means I won't get to see my... never mind."

"Okay. Anyway, I haven't figured out when we're going to go. But it will not be right this second. Oh, by the way. Star, Stella, do you like glitter?"

"I love glitter." Stella smiles. "As long as it's not on me or anywhere close to me."

"Okay, that's fine. Can you stand it being on you for a short time?"

"Yes." Star nods.

"Great! No problems then. And that's it. Anything you want to ask me?"

"Yes. Why sis you leave us?" Daniel asks.

"Oh yeah." She sighs. "The way I was leaving, I couldn't bring all of you with me."

"And how were you leaving?"

"I jumped out of a window."

"Oh. Yeah. That is maybe a good thing you didn't take us."

"yeah. That's what I thought too." Ebony smiles, thinking about all of them jumping out a window. "Anything else?"

"Tell us what time we are leaving, so we will be ready."

"Let's think." She lays back on the bad, taping her fingers on the bad next to her. "I think I'll-"

"You think?" David interrupts.

"Yes. I think. I think I'll take you out one at a time. I'll go last. How do you feel about being alone with my family, David and Daniel?" She sits up to listen.

"Uhh..." Daniel looks at her, uncomfortable. "I would rather not. I mean, I've met you. But I don't know much about you or your family, at all. And I definitely don't know your family."

"Fair. I'll have to think about it. David?"

"Ebony. I trust you." He says after thinking about it. "I trust you. If you think it is safe for me to be alone with your family, then I will go. If we are going to do that, let me go first. Then my brother."

"Let me think about it. Good ideas." She lays back down, looking at the ceiling. "Have you met yet?" She gestures to Star and Stella.

"Not properly, no." David shrugs.

"Go." She waves toward them.

"Go?" Daniel asks.

"Go. Go talk. So, I can think."

"But Ebony!" Daniel protests.

"Fine." David says at the same time. He starts pulling Daniel.

"No. I don't wanna go!"

"Come on."

"No! I don't want to!"

"Why?" David waits.

"I don't know, I just don't want to." Daniel pouts. David looks at Ebony and starts tugging his brother. "What's with the sudden tugging, Brother?" Daniel resists the pull. "I don't want to."

"Oh?" Ebony sits up. She's smiling that dangerous smile. "Does it matter what you do or no not want to do?"

"Well-"

"Come on, Daniel." David pulls even harder.

"Stop, David! I don't want to!"

"Go sit down." Ebony seeps smiling, pointing to the other side of the room. Daniel stops resisting and sits down over there quickly. "Good." David follows his brother. Ebony lies back down, closing her eyes and thinking about what she'll do next. The twins watch her, trying to figure out if she's asleep or not.

All of them except David. He knows she's asleep now. "Of all the things you could have done! You imbecile! What were you thinking?" David jumps up and stares accusingly at Daniel, who looks confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Of all the..." David repeats, pacing back and forth in front of the beds.