Who Wants to be Batman?

Tam: What Happened?

Don't think too hard.

Just blank out. Think about killing people. Maybe... Keefe. NO. Can't do that. AGH.

I slap myself in the face, maybe a little too hard, because now my left cheek is stinging. Darn it. Can't stop thinking about Keefe. I'm supposed to hate him! It doesn't work this way! Three quarters of me still feels like strangling him. The other quarter wants nothing more than to keep him alive a little longer.

"Are you okay?" Linh comes over and pats me on the shoulder, and takes my nice little dark corner. I hadn't realized I'd completely spaced out.

"Yes." I glare at her, but quickly regret it. She looks hurt.

"No. You're not. You don't want to talk about it?"

No. I never do, do I?"

"No, but.... Never mind." She walks away, and I put my hands in my face. 

This has never happened before. I want to end this all right now. 

I know I can't, but it can't hurt to think. The three quarters is starting to shrink. 

No. Hold onto the three quarters. I can't keep going on like this. 

The shadows around me grow and shrink.  

"Hey, Tam?"

"What."

"Fitz invited us to play Base Quest with the whole group, and I said yes. I hope that's okay."

"I guess." I need something else to think about.

We walk out of our house, and light leap to Everglen. 

***

"Ha! I call Foster on my team! And we will beat all your butts!" 

Fitz answers, "Nah, I want Sophie on my team."

"I think I'll be on Fitz's team, sorry Keefe." Sophie skips over to Fitz, who grins. Keefe looks sad. I walk over to him. Hey, Keefe, I shadow whisper. He looks a bit frightened. I am awesome at Base Quest.

"Okay," Keefe nods at me. "I'll have Bangs Boy on my team."

"That means you get Linh too you know." 

"I know," Keefe smiles at Linh, who smiles back. I clench my fists. What is wrong with me? 

"We need a name." Keefe pulls me back to the bright reality. 

"The Shadow People."

"No," Linh looks thoughtful. "How about the Sea Cats?"

"I know! How about The Cool Elven People Who Will Totally Beat the Other People's Butts!" No one argues with Keefe. "Well, there we have it!" Keefe beams at the both of us and says, "I've been playing with Fitz and Biana since we were way shorter, and Foster for a few years. I know their moves. With Foster and Fitz, you gotta keep your mind blank." 

How do I do that?

"With Biana, well she just manifested her abilities. Just be on your toes with her. I think that's it. Oh, and Linh, I want you to create havock when you get close to the base. Dex, you can guard the base. I'll distract Foster."

"No, I want to distract Sophie," Dex says. "I don't want to be just standing around."

"Nah, I'm better at distracting people," Keefe answers, winking. 

Fitz walks over to us, looking like he wants to start. 

We set off, Dex choosing the base, Keefe off to find Sophie (why does this make me annoyed?), and Linh and I sprint off, looking for the other team's base. 

"Remember, blank your mind," Linh whispers to me. I nod. We turn a corner, half hoping we can find the base, half hoping this lasts forever. For different reasons of course.