“You're in love,” Caleb said as he walked into Nick's room, where a fifteen year old Nick was pulling on a shirt.
“Sorry?” Nick said, turning around to give the eight year old an odd look.
“You're in love,” Caleb repeated slowly, as if he was talking to a toddler.
Nick chuckled, “No I'm not.”
“Yeah you are,” Caleb said. “And it's my sister.”
“What's your sister?”
Caleb smiled sweetly, “The girl you're in love with.”
Nick chuckled, “You’re crazy.”
Caleb frowned, “No, I'm not.”
“Yeah you are. What makes you think I'm in love with Alex?” Nick asked as he sat on his bed.
Caleb leaned against the wall, “Cause you are... and you were jealous.”
Nick scoffed, “I was not jealous of Tyler.”
Caleb smirked, “I never said you were jealous of Tyler.”
Nick groaned and glared at Caleb, “I'm not in love.”
Caleb gave Nick a look, the same look Alex gives people when she knows they're lying and, after a moment, Nick sighed, “I hate the two of you.”
Caleb laughed, “Um... yeah... no you don't.”
Nick tossed a pillow at the younger boy and playfully glared at him, “Hush, kid,” he mumbled.
Caleb kept smiling as he threw the pillow back and sat next to Nick on the bed, “Are you going to tell her?”
Nick snorted, “Yeah, right.”
Caleb frowned, “But you're in love with her.”
“I'm not in love with her,” Nick said. “It's just a crush. I'm fifteen. I'm not in love.”
Caleb raised an eyebrow, “Right...” he mumbled.
Nick laughed and lightly pushed Caleb, “Change the subject kid.”
Caleb rolled his eyes and sighed, “When's your next mission?”
* * *
“Bring me back!” Caleb yelled as he punched two Monsters.
“No,” the Nameless growled.
“Let me go!” Caleb yelled.
“Why would we do that?” a blond woman asked.
“Veronica,” Caleb growled as he gave the woman a glare. “Let me go. You don't take children as prisoners.”
Veronica giggled, “Anything goes, especially to get someone with a mind like yours,” she said. “Where's the girl?” she asked the Nameless.
“We couldn't get her,” the Nameless said. “She fought back and those three boys helped her.”
“I want the girl,” Veronica screeched, sounding like a child as she stomped her foot and crossed her arms.
“And I want to go home,” Caleb yelled in the same tone.
“Shut up,” the Nameless growled.
Caleb spit on the Nameless, who smacked him.
“Don't hit him,” Veronica shrieked. “Do it again and I'll kill you.”
The Nameless recoiled and Caleb laughed, “Man, she's got you whipped,” he said, smirking.
Veronica giggled like a little girl, “Yes I do,” she said, snapping her fingers. “Bring me supplies and tools. Little Caleb needs to get to work.”
YOU ARE READING
The Fall of Hope
Science FictionNovella It's been thirty years since Teracon Industries took over and enslaved most of the population while the Rebels have been living on the Outskirts, fighting, training and scavenging. Five years after Teracon took over, the next generation of c...
