Devour

Chapter 17 - Errol

It takes at least three little visits to convince the kids to go to sleep. None of them will rest until they've hugged Pasch and told him happy birthday again. And then they want food again and then Cora talks to them and she won't let me tell them to shut and go to sleep. Ah whatever. Eventually they are all out or at least in their rooms leaving us alone. Well, Pasch is still playing music loudly enough, 'you want to dance' or something along those lines by Whitney Houston.

"So----what did you think went on there today?" I ask, leaning against my room door to politely talk to Cora who was in her room laying out her bug out to catch the kid's clothes.

"I don't know. I was going to ask you you're the one who reads minds," she says, shrugging and coming out talk.

"Like I said at the time ----she was a little----I don't know---like a touch off. You've met the other parents. Emma's parents want her home obviously but they can't wait to meet who she is-----it's like Pasch's mum already thought she knew who he was," I say.

"Yeah, her word choices were just weird," Cora says, frowning, "Like----I don't know what. I don't blame Pasch for getting uneasy."

"That occur to you too----he picked up on the vibe very quickly for someone who wasn't reading her mind?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"You think he might be telepathic----just with her?" she offers.

"None of us know how this stuff works---do we? I'm not saying he understands it himself----I am saying one person knew exactly what was going on in that room and that person Bri Wakley----she knows what upset her kid----she knew what she was talking about---and five will get you ten she knows why he's supposedly more psychic than anyone ever tested yet he can't apparently do anything," I say.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Ah----I was thinking we capture and interrogate her while Beale and Nathan watch the kids, so no I'm guessing not," I say, disappointed.

"You just want Beale to torture Nathan----"

"And the children would be the perfect people to help him do it!!!!"

"No, we are not, not doing that. It would be wrong we don't kidnap and interrogate people because we're curious," Cora says, trying not to grin.

"Okay what's your idea then----you little shit----" I laugh when I realize she had the same idea.

"You and I meet with her on the pretense that we want to clear up Pasch's behavior. He always has oppositional defiance tendencies on and on, I ask probing questions so you can search her mind----no actual kidnapping," Cora says, grinning.

"You're stupid."

"You're stupid."

I will admit I was thinking about kissing her; I often do it's a hobby I don't have many, but I was not anticipating her kissing me first.

I do hold onto her and let her kiss me, kissing her back with my ruined face and enjoying how warm and close her thoughts are.

"This a bad idea."

"Yeah it is."

We stand there just looking at each other our faces so close. We probably won't be assigned together after the kids and if anyone had an inkling we liked each other we'd never see each other again. This way we get to see each other. And we both know it. Slowly, I release her from my arms and she takes her hand from my face.

"Okay, life sucks."

"Yeah it does."

We both turn to go back to our rooms, but just stand at the doors looking in, but not turning around to each other like we so want to. I want to tug her into my arms and my room and kiss her and forget everything. But we can't do that. What hurts is, I know she wants it too.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"The barn's on fire."

"WHAT???"

"What are those shits trying to distract me from?" I ask, walking directly upstairs while Cora goes to ring the fire people. I have no intention of going anywhere near the fire to save that stupid cow.

"Doorstop's in the back pasture," Nel telekinetically stopping all her siblings from running outside into the blaze to save it.

" Thing one) hasn't living with me taught ANY of you not to go anywhere near fire?"

Like three of them: "Why?????"

"Skipping it because it's late, Thing two) who started it and what were you trying to distract me from?" I ask, folding my arms.