The Boy with Words for Skin

Chapter 15: Trimble's Grocers

After talking to The Voice, I told Kit that I was going to lay down. She just nodded and said we could get groceries the next day. I went to my room and laid down.

Boy had told me I was just like our parents, and so had The Voice. The thought dug into my gut. I didn't want to be like that. I wasn't going to be like that anymore.

I decided that I would start to really put Boy's needs first. I would earn back his trust. I had to. Not only would the guilt eat me alive if I didn't, but I wanted something better for my brother. There was little that could be done to give him a better life, but I would do what I could.

The only thing was that I wasn't sure if my brother would forgive me.

I didn't have the nerve to talk to him the rest of the day. He slept in the bathroom that night, and the next morning he wasn't at breakfast, which was weird because he never missed a meal. He didn't have to eat, no. It was more of a social thing for him. Something he loved.

After I'd finished eating, I went upstairs to grab my coat so Kit and I could go into town. But before heading back downstairs, I steadied myself and went to the upstairs bathroom door. Of course, it was closed. I held up a fist to knock, but my muscles locked up and I couldn't do it. I lowered my hand and leaned in close to the door.

"Boy?" I said. I didn't expect a response. "Boy?" My voice was so soft there was no way he heard me. "Boy," I managed a little louder. "I'm going to the store with Kit."

I pressed one ear against the door and plugged the other. Nothing. Not even movement. He had to be in there, though.

"I'll be back soon." It was all I could manage right then.

I waited a few seconds. Nothing. He was still upset with me. I didn't blame him.

When I was halfway down the stairs, Kit rushed over and looked up at me. "Words! Hurry up! You have to see this!"

That's when I heard the screams. My heart jerked and my blood ran cold.

She rushed up the stairs to me. "Come on!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me down the stairs, across the front hallway, and into the parlor.

A beam of light sliced through the air in quick, smooth arcs. A handful of the others screamed as it came near them. They ducked and jumped to avoid it. I had no idea what was going on. Was the light hurting them? Where was the light coming from? What were we supposed to do to stop it?

It took a second for me to realize that the others weren't screaming because they were scared—they were playing, laughing. As I calmed down, I realized that the way the light moved wasn't violent. It was all a game.

I held up a hand in front of my eyes and squinted. It was hard to tell what the light was coming from, but when I did see, my mouth fell open.

It was The Boy with Light Bulb Skin. The beam of light shot out of one of his fingers, much brighter than any flashlight I'd ever seen.

"Light?" I said. My questions jumbled in my mouth. All I could manage was, "Wow!"

Light turned to me and smiled even wider. "Cool, huh?" The beam from his finger faded away. The others groaned. "No! No! Watch this, guys!" He closed his eyes and plugged his nose. His cheeks puffed out and all of a sudden, the little glass discs popped with light at random all over his body like thousands of tiny camera flashes.

Everyone shouted in excitement, even me.

"Dang!" Z said in admiration.

Even D-rip was smiling. "Awesome!"