Subject 15

CHAPTER 28 - Seth

As we walked to the bus stop, we smiled and laughed, and generally talked about nothing; in part, it was because we enjoyed it, and it was also to forget the disturbing dream. We talked about books, music, how boring theater was (after all, I didn't need to be taught how to act, and she just didn't care about acting), and transportation. "I mean," started Samantha, "why use the bus when you have-" I placed a finger on her lips, and whispered, "Sometimes, it is best to leave some things unsaid." I tapped her Mask, and she understood, but she whispered, "You think we're...?"

I gave a small smile, and took her hand in mine as we continued walking, replying, "Yes, we are, or at least I believe it is better to assume that we are than that we aren't. As I was acquiring my own," tapping my own Mask, "I figured out what they were doing. They could make you say things or do things you wouldn't normally do without them. They could change what you had done, and influence what you would do."

Samantha nodded, knowing that I was talking about my hunters, and she said, "Ok.... Come on tough guy, the bus stop is just a short ways away." I nodded, following her as she held on to my hand, but I asked, "Why are we not taking your car?" She looked over her shoulder and replied, "Because I wanted to take the bus today." I stared into her eyes as that mischievous smirk moved across her face, and I shrugged. A small smile grew on my own face, my Mask turning the forest green of amusement, and I gestured for her to lead on.

She turned away, still holding my hand, but asking, "Why do you wear a Mask if you know what they can do?"

"Just for that reason," I replied. "I wear a Mask because I know what they can do, and how to avoid them, but still to act normal... to blend in is the simple answer."

Samantha nodded, but said, "Well, keeping your Mask on that setting doesn't really help you, 'fit it,' but I guess it's better than nothing." She stopped at a bend in the road, saying, "We're here." Here was an understatement about our surroundings. We were at the intersection of two roads a little ways from her house, and though her house was visible, there wasn't much left to see. Just as Samantha had said that the place her house was standing on used to be fields, the area around it was that same kind of fields. Winter was coming to Texas, and because of that, all we saw was an empty, black field with some trampled yellow grass here and there.

I turned to Samantha, still holding her hand, then looked at her giant house, and I sighed. She knew something was wrong, and voiced her thoughts, "What is it?"

I shrugged, and I felt her hand leave mine and come to rest on my shoulder, and I said, "That's not a life I can ever have." I looked back to the field. I didn't have to say anything to communicate that something like this most likely awaited me. I looked into Samantha's eyes, putting my hands on her waist, her arms resting gently on my shoulders as I said, "Sam... you have to know that being with me.... Well, I don't want to hurt you, and I do feel attracted to you, but if you're in danger, I don't want-"

She cut me off by leaning in and pressing her lips against mine for just a second before whispering, "Admit it, tough guy: you're stuck with me."

I let out a small sigh and wrapped my arms around her. I said through a smile, "Ok Sam... I just don't want you getting hurt."

She laughed into my shoulder, pulling away but keeping hold of my hands as she said with a gleam in her eye, "Seth, it's going to take more than a push to bring me down."

I smiled and replied, "Ok then. Come on; the bus is here." Samantha looked at me curiously and asked, "Do you have enhanced hearing as well? I mean, how do you know it's coming?"

I chuckled and said, "Yes I do, but it doesn't take advanced hearing to know that the bus is coming," and I gently spun her around to view the big yellow bus turning into the road. She laughed and said, "Oh, alright then, tough guy!" I laughed with her and stepped into the bus with her when it came to a halt in front of us, and I felt like everything had fallen into place.

Little did I know that the day would be full of surprises.