“Cherry.”
“Seriously?” Lisa blurted.
Gage glowered at her. “You’re seriously annoying.”
Lisa grinned at him. “I don’t have siblings to pick on so I get River’s.”
“Whatever,” he replied with a roll of his eyes.
“Do you like her?” I asked Gage.
He shrugged, but his skin was becoming more flushed and now his neck had begun to look like he had a sunburn. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing again. “I barely know her,” he mumbled.
I thrust Bailey into his arms. “Remember birth control.”
“I uh… I…” he sputtered.
“I know you’re only fourteen, but the time will come, and when it does, remember the diaper from this morning.”
“I stink!” Bailey declared and Gage winced.
Gage’s mouth shut when Bailey placed a sticky, caramel-coated hand against his cheek. I grabbed a napkin from a nearby table and wiped at the caramel coating he’d left on my cheek.
Then again, if Gage were anything like me, I wouldn’t have to worry about him having sex for years to come. However, I still wasn’t going to take any chances. Gage was cute and extremely responsible, but accidents could happen, and he wasn’t as tied down as I was right now.
Most guys weren’t exactly clamoring to date a girl with a deadbeat mom and two brothers to raise, but Gage could break free of that and do something more with his life. I’d never allow him to volunteer, I couldn’t handle not being able to see him again, but with his kind and prideful nature, he’d make a great Guard.
I may not have much of a dating life, but I wouldn’t have changed one thing. My brothers were my world. Besides, I’d had little time for the boys who had been interested in me and the few dates I’d been on had been awkward. I knew fishing and changing diapers; I was the least sexy conversationalist in the world.
Not to mention, I’d always kept myself at a distance from men. What if I accidentally had golden-white sparks dance over my hands, or caught his clothes on fire, or had a vision in front of him? I couldn’t risk any of those things; it would be far too dangerous if someone were to find out about me. At the end of all my first—and last—dates, I’d found myself on my doorstep watching as the boys and men all but ran away from me. I’d usually end up biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud at their hasty retreats.
Walking through the crowd, we passed the band as the open grilling pit drew us onward. “Hello!” Mrs. Loud greeted us with a smile and a wave as she lifted one of the large stripers and flipped it over. I wasn’t sure, but it looked like the one I’d brought her earlier today. Next to the fish, some mussels, crabs, and lobsters were also on the grill. “What would you kids like?”
“I’ll take some lobster,” I replied and held out one of the plates on the table.
For the past month, everyone had been gathering special supplies for this day. There was no trading for food today. People volunteered to bring the supplies, others volunteered to help cook and run the games. Mrs. Loud handed me a lobster tail before turning and dishing out food to the others. We walked over to a clear patch of grass on the football field and settled in to eat.
When we were done, I gathered the plates and brought them back to the grilling pit. Two large tubs, one of warm water and soap, and one of just warm water had been set up at the end of the table containing the plates and silverware. I washed everything, rinsed it in the tub of warm water, dried them, and stacked them neatly back on the table.
“It was delicious, Mrs. Loud,” I told her.
Preoccupied with dishing out more food, she didn’t look at me when she replied, “Thank you, dear.”
I was almost back to the others when a flyer was thrust into my hand. A hollow feeling filled my stomach, but I looked down at the paper and read the words on it.We are looking for someone who has unusual abilities. This person may be able to see things they shouldn’t, have telekinesis, or perhaps possess other abilities beyond the normal human scope. If you know of someone like this, or possess such abilities, please come speak with us. Age does not matter. You will be rewarded. We require your help!
I stopped feeling the warmth of the May afternoon as my blood ran cold and my legs wobbled. I glanced at the Guard who had handed me the paper, but she had already turned away. Besides, it didn’t matter; the Guards weren’t the ones searching for a human with abilities. The government was.
CHAPTER 5
River
My gaze drifted past the Guard to the woman still standing by the truck. An older gentleman with gray hair cut close against his skull now stood beside her. The style of his hair emphasized his high cheekbones, square jaw, and compressed lips. These older military personnel were the ones who had been members of the military before the war started and the only ones who came back for Volunteer Day.
Keeping the paper, I walked back to where Lisa and Gage sat on the lawn. They each had a flier in hand. When I approached, they lowered their fliers quickly and tried to hide them. They gave up and brought them out again when they spotted the matching flier in my hand.
“It’s the same one as last year,” I whispered when I settled onto the lawn.
“Why are they looking for people like this?” Gage demanded.
