The Dealers

Chapter 27 - Lena

As I sat on the couch and stared at Noah's familiar face, he somehow looked like someone I didn't even recognize. I struggled between wanting him to leave and not wanting him to go. The things he told me could not possible be real, could it?

How far fetched was everything he was trying to convince me of?

Yes, I had become a pessimist over the years in some regards but, that had also helped me become a realist. There was a big part of me that was struggling to find some logic in Noah's words.

I sure as hell wasn't blind. I saw what was right in front of me and still couldn't believe it. Despite what I witnessed right there in my living room, I failed to believe.

From Nora and her stupid pixie-cut, to this outright insane story about what he did for a living, as much as I hated to think that I was being played, what other logical explanation could there be?

"Say something..." Noah begged after at least twenty minutes of silence.

Ignoring the numbness in my limbs as I sat in the same position, afraid to move a muscle. Everything raced through my mind but, nothing made sense. I knew that Noah wanted answers but I couldn't give him any.

Finally shiftings slightly, I leaned back against the couch and crossed my arms over my chest. In deep thought, I bit my lip as I tried desperately to convince myself I wasn't crazy and that I wasn't the victim of some sick joke.

It was then that I finally looked up at him since he tried to slit his wrists and burn himself alive. He was the same Noah but, there was something else behind his eyes now.

Relief?

Why would he be relieved unless he was actually telling the truth?

I had so many questions. Even though they all sounded ludicrous in my head, I desperately wanted to know the answers. Still, I found it hard to open my mouth and speak. Once I did, I would be acknowledging that the crazy—downright committable things—Noah said were actually real.

"Say anything, Lena..." Noah said again after some time, "—seriously, anything."

I wrinkled my nose because even saying such crazy things out loud made me uncomfortable.

"Are you even human?" I spat out and immediately, felt ridiculous.

I held my hand over my face to hide the embarrassment I felt rushing over me but Noah only reached out and lowered my hand with his. He didn't laugh and his face was completely serious.

"Anatomically," Noah shrugged, "I'm completely human. I was born human and I'll die human. I can still get sick but I can't be hurt by manmade things—like that knife. I'm immune to most natural elements as well—like the flame."

I took in all that he was telling me and for the first time, it didn't feel like he was guarded. It no longer felt like he was hiding something from me and that terrified me even more.

Noah's guard was finally down completely and I was shocked at what it revealed. I hadn't expected him to be hiding something so unfathomable.

"But the knife and the fire," I clarified," that was definitely not normal."

No shrugged his shoulder, "I guess you could say there's a little more to me."

"—more?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow at him but felt myself relax somewhat into the couch.

The initial edge of the conversation was starting to taper off.

"When I turned eighteen, " Noah explained, "I agreed to this life. From that moment, I became...more."