Three Wishes: This didn't go as planned!

Boston

The next morning, I poked my head out the front door, looking around for the fake census people.  There was no sign of them.  I walked around the garden, trying to clear my head. 

Jeanie came out when the sun was brushing the underside of the trees. 

"You're up early."  She teased.

"I usually am."  I replied.  "Yesterday was a fluke."

"Hah."  She replied, leaning against a birch.  She looked so cool, there.  Her long, thin self like a snake wrapped around the trunk.  

"Where do you want to go?"  I asked her.  "We went to Ireland, yesterday.  I've always wanted to go there, just for the, peace I suppose.  But what about you?  Where do you want to go?"

"Me?"  Her cheeks were a bit pink, like someone had pinched them. 

"Yeah."

"No one's ever thought of letting me use the fruits of their gifts."

"Well."  I replied.  "I'm not just anyone, am I?" 

She laughed in earnest, then.

"Where do I want to go..."  She mused.  "I've been using Kate's laptop.  Everything is so different now.  I'd like to check up on Boston, I think."  She smiled, ears turning red. 

"What, did you have a boyfriend back in Boston?"

"A girl never tells."  Jeanie replied airily and went inside.

I snorted, pretending I didn't care that Jeanie had a past with other men. 

We went after breakfast.  Just Jeanie and I-- Kate didn't want to come.  Chris had left with Jake late last night.  Honestly, Jake and Kate were getting along better now that they'd been healed, but that hadn't made Kate happy to see her son go.  

So Jeanie went before me through the door.  It purred when it saw me, and I startled a little. 

"It's made to like you, after all."  Jeanie said, peering back through the doorway at me.  

"Right."  I stepped through.  It still buzzed a little on my skin.

Closing the door gingerly, I looked around at the tall brick buildings.

"Aw,"  Jeanie said.  "What a charming neighborhood."  She grinned, light on her feet.

The sidewalk had cushy moss peering up from the cracks.  Rose bushes in beds beside the road hid any blossoms, only displaying their thorns.  It was chilly, and I pulled my coat closer before I saw Jeanie shivering. 

She hadn't seemed to notice, yet. Her teeth had yet to chatter, but she rubbed her red hands together thoughtlessly.

I took off my coat and drooped it over her shoulders, looking away quickly when she glanced back at me. 

"Thank you."  She said.  "I knew how cold it can get here, I should have worn more than a sweater."

I shrugged, rubbing my face. 

She sighed, and pulled the coat closer.  

We walked to a more central street, which Jeanie somehow recognized.  

"Oh," She said, "We're west of the beach."

"Do you want to go?"

"Yes."

So we went down that busy street.  I kept a hold of Jeanie's hand so we wouldn't lose each other in the crowd.  The road dipped below floor level, under another street.  I'd never seen anything like that.  Jeanie laughed when I mentioned it. 

When we came out of the tunnel-street, we were in a large square.  There was some sort of celebration going on.  A crowd. Banners.  Jeanie and I ducked into a cafe to wait for it to pass. 

"I think we're lost, anyways."  She said, rubbing her hands together, as we sat down in a booth.  "Might as well get in from the cold."

I nodded.

"You're awfully quiet."

"No, I'm just still tired from yesterday's drive."

"O-kay."  She laughed nonsensically. 

We ordered hot chocolate and watched the crowd from behind glass.  Perhaps it wasn't a celebration-- a protest, maybe?  The people sure seemed amped up.

I got up and went to the bathroom, leaving Jeanie leaning against the glass, looking subdued.

When I came back, she was gone.

I looked at the waitress.  "Did you see where my--"

"Where your date went?"  She asked. 

"Yeah, roughly speaking."

"She left."  The waitress pointed with her chin to outside.  "You must have been a great date."  She sarcasmed, and went back to her work.

I felt for my phone, then realized Jeanie didn't have one.

Going outside, I stood on the edge of the crowd.  Surely she'd return to the cafe once she'd seen what she'd wanted to.  But what if she couldn't find her way back?  What if she didn't want to come back at all?

I bounced on my toes, searching the crowd with my eyes.  There-- was that Jeanie?  She had Jeanie's brown curls and lithe frame.  Her distant face was desperate as she pushed through the crowd, as if she too were looking for someone.

I began to push through the crowd as well, trying to make my way towards her.  It was foolish, I knew.  But I had to know if it was her.

Then there was an ear-drum shattering bang, and the air rippled forcefully.

The sea of people shrieked and piled into one another.   Light flashed as another explosion went off.  I ran forward. The girl who looked like Jeanie had doubled over onto the ground.  Was she just hiding from the explosives, or--?  I tried to get closer, but I was running against the tides of people.   

I got another glimpse of her.  She was definitely bleeding.  There was another bang from across the square.  She disappeared as the crowd spooked.

Shoving and elbowing onward, I stumbled in her direction.  She was to my left, now.  I barreled sideways. 

I nearly tripped over her.  It was Jeanie.  Blood traced its way from her chin to cheekbone.  She held her guts in with her hands. 

"Abel."  She smiled at me.  "I guess we're not going to the beach."