76

12 2 4
                                    

TYLER

We've all stayed up until ten, hanging out in a bedroom before we go to bed. We leave an illuminated light on, lighting up the whole room. Jamie and I have cuddled on the bed, Grace sits at the edge of the other bed as Lillette braids her hair, and Levin sits on the floor.

"I see Jamie's knocked out cold." says Lillette, looking at Jamie as she braids Grace's hair. I turn to Jamie resting on my shoulder with his arm around my torso, fast asleep. I hold him close, brushing my fingers through his hair.

"Eh, he's had a rough thirty-six hours. Makes sense for him to sleep like a baby tonight," I say. Everyone giggles softly, until I notice Levin seems completely dazed and sad in thought. "You okay, Levin?"

He looks up at me surprised.

"Oh yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just... spacing out." he says. I nod, accepting that answer.

"Hey Lillette?" says Grace, with a smirk on her face.

"What?" she asks.

"Guess what lovebirds just got together?" says Grace. I giggle, rolling my eyes.

"Laura and Lim?" says Lillette with her eyes wide.

"Yep." says Grace.

"They got together?"

"Yep."

"Really? Oh that's  so  great!"  exclaims Lillette, happily.

"They can live out of denial now." I say. We all giggle.

"I wonder what Sawyer and Eli are doing right now." says Grace smirking.

"Probably the same old private stuff they do." says Lillette giggling. I smile at that, brushing Jamie's hair. We're all quiet for a while.

"Can I... ask you all a weird question?" says Levin. Oh, looks like something is bothering him.

"Aren't we all used to 'weird' by now?" says Lillette. All three of us smile, but Levin seems serious.

"Do any of you remember that woman Valerie?" he asks. All three of our smiles fade, when we stare at Levin, not expecting that question. I turn to Grace and Lillette.

"Shit, Valerie..." mutters Grace, briefly widening her eyes, as  if everything's coming back.

"Yeah of course. How could any of us not?" I say to Levin.

"I've just been... thinking about what happened lately, and I wanted to tell some people." says Levin.

"Yeah, yeah," says Grace nodding. "I remember more of the things she did to us, than her."

We all nod, suddenly getting upset.

"She basically made every one of our powers seem dangerous. She tested them in the most brutal ways..." says Lillette. We're all quiet for several seconds.

"Um, are all of us okay?" says Grace with a small laugh.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I've just been thinking about what happened too. Pyramids were awful." I say.

"They really were..." says Levin. Another few seconds pass.

"Well at least we're all out of there. It's in the past. We may have scrambled into another place like it but that's over too," says Grace. I nod at her smiling. "We should just be grateful for right now. We don't know what else could come ahead of us. So let's just live the moment as much as we can. Appreciate the life of an everyday human."

An Outsider's CallWhere stories live. Discover now