Lucky and the Killer ✔

Burning Silver

Lilly pushed at the green beads on her plate. They were similar to peas, but she just couldn't get over how they tasted more like peaches. Peaches shouldn't be green, she thought to herself. Across from her, Lucky and King sat silently—trying not to look at one another with red faces. Lucky's hair remained silver at the ends. They hadn't changed back from when she flared up at Zee. At the end of the table was Bella, Felix, and Sarah. Beside her, was Zee.

"It's um, good to see you all again," Lilly said with as much of a smile as she could muster beneath the awkwardness in the room.

"Oh, yes," Bella smiled. She'd always been good at taking cues. "How have you been? We're so glad to have you here."

"Thanks," Lilly coughed. "I've been good."

"Good," Bella smiled, pierced some food with her fork, and the room fell flat again.

"Lucky," Lilly said across the table, "can we...talk?"

Lucky lifted her head and met Lilly's eyes. She nodded her head and the two pushed themselves from their seats and walked to the door. Lilly went first, and Lucky followed—until the door shut on the table of confused faces.

"Sorry," Lilly winced. "I just thought you might want to get out of there."

"Thank God," Lucky sighed.

"Sorry about Zee too," Lilly said. "He shouldn't have went off on you like that."

"Don't apologize for him," Lucky said. "Thanks, though, but he's my brother. I'm used to him doing stupid stuff."

"Haha, yeah, I guess," she said.

"It really is good to see you again. Sorry I had to meet you again like that. Wasn't the best hello was it?" Lucky said.

"Haha, I've had worse."

"Wow, really?"

"Mhm," Lilly whispered as they walked. "God, I think they're eavesdropping now."

Lucky turned her head slightly over her shoulder to see the doors they'd just shut were now cracked—a slice of buttery light filling the hallway behind them.

"Haha," she laughed, "I see that."

"Anywhere more private we can go?" Lilly asked as she popped a piece of gum in her mouth and began to chew.

"I think I know a place," Lucky said. "Let's go this way." "Okay," Lilly giggled and popped the gum.

They sauntered around the maze-like hallways until they were outside in the cool evening air. Lilly loved being outside. Their sky was so different from hers, and it made her very aware that she wasn't even on Earth. The stars in the sky even seemed brighter there. Moonlight hit the trees and bounced down onto the leaves and the ground around them.

"Alright," Lucky smiled, "we probably have...what...five minutes before King and Zee's heads start to pop out of the windows. Whatcha think?"

"Haha," Lilly laughed, "you're probably right. I did...want to ask you about something."

"Shoot," Lucky said as she pulled a tall piece of grass from the ground and twirled it in between her fingers. Everything seemed so quiet outside that it was hard to believe all of the turmoil brewing just inside of her head. Not long ago, there were dead bodies all along that ground. How could peace and chaos kiss so often?

Lilly pulled her cellphone from her pocket and held it in her sweaty hand. She hadn't gotten any more messages from Cedric—she'd guessed they wouldn't reach in another world. Still, her breathing had definitely gotten worse.