The Mortal Fringe (10 page)

All I want to do is leave and go home,
but Jay did not show up at class today so it means he is there, I
don't want to talk to anyone. The only thing I can think of is
going to my next class.

It's too early to go in so I wait
sitting on a bench right next to the door. Some girls come around
and put up a poster about some party. They leave and since I have
nothing else to do, I give it a quick look. There's a university
party, they want to celebrate Christmas even though it is three
weeks away, well done girls. I instantly realize that I will be on
my bed that night, because I am the only person in the planet
stupid enough to meet only three people my own age during my first
year of university: an Immortal who is bond to take my soul, a
keeper that has to make sure it happens, and a free spirit of
nature that lives her life to a limit beyond my reasoning and that
just turned against me. Well done, Alex.

"Hey" There she is, the soul stealer,
talking in a shy voice. I look to the other side, even the thought
of keeping my eyes on her kills me.

"Go away" I know that it is so cliché
to tell her that but actually it's all I want.

"I can't."

I avoid looking at her but I want to.
I want to tell her how much I hate her, and Jay, and Constance for
everything they are doing. But that isn't true, not about Jay and
Her. Still, looking at Elizabeth is something I am not prepared to
do right now.

"Why not?" my harsh voice emphasizes
my mood.

"I have class too."

Oh, of course. Now I don't know what
to say, and her voice is sweet again, how can she do that? I don't
care right now. I need to keep my distance, so I randomly stand up
and go straight to a coffee machine that is nearby. I put some
money in the slot and then I choose randomly, I don't want anything
but I can't be that close to her. A beep tells me that my coffee is
ready. I take it out and go back to the bench, she is still here,
fixing her green eyes on me. I don't look at her, and doing my best
to keep my face from showing any emotion, I drink.

Bad move.

This must be the most terrible coffee
I have ever had. I just can't describe how bad it tastes, but
apparently my face does it perfectly for me. I realize I'm doing
funny faces when I hear Elizabeth laughing right next to me. I try
to be serious again and take small sips. It's terrible but it's the
only thing that keeps me from talking or looking at her.

Finally, the door opens and I can get
into the class. She follows me in and sits right next to me, again.
I look straight, and don't even move.

The class is less entertaining that I
remembered it, like if it had been ages since I last was here,
although many things have changed since then. I am completely
unable to concentrate, because to my own regret, the only thing I
can think of is how last night turned out. At least now the teacher
does not humiliate me in front of everyone, and thankfully
Elizabeth has not tried to talk to me.

When the time comes, I walk out and
try not to look back. I know that Elizabeth is right behind me, I
can feel her. But I won't turn, I walk away and with my music as my
only partner, I walk back home.

But someone puts a hand on my shoulder
and makes me stop.

"A word, Mr. Stills" it's
Constance.

"What?" I really don't want to talk to
her again today.

"Walk with me" She takes me to her
office. There's no one in. "Jay tells me that your dreams are
somewhat becoming real when you wake up."

I nod, not looking at her.

"That means that we are on the right
track, you will have to work harder of course, but it seems like we
will succeed."

That's enough.

"Stop this, right now!" I scream. She
looks at me, surprised. "It's my life we are talking about, not
some business, stop talking about how wonderful it is that your
dear immortal Elizabeth will successfully go past her birthday. I
won't do it, you know? How can you even think that someone will
turn in their own life, just like that?"

She looks at me for a second. Then she
puts her hand back on my shoulder and smiles.

"I told you I would take personal care
of you if Elizabeth was to fail her fate. Imagine what your poor
mother would go through, or your grandfather."

"Keep them out of this."

"You do it" she smiles again. "I'm
sure you will be a good, loving son."

I say nothing, I can't really say
much.

"We are done talking then. Don't mind
the dreams, it's just normal. It will get worse as the day
approaches. Now, get out."

She forces myself out of her office. I
stand still on the empty corridor for a couple of minutes. She has
made herself clear, if I don't do it, my family will pay for it,
that's something I can't allow to happen.

When I accept that there is no way out
from this, I turn and walk home. This time, nothing stops
me.

Jay is waiting for me, standing right
where I left him.

"So?"

"What?" I feel ambushed.

"What happened?"

"Jay, I went to class and came back.
That's all. I got stuff to do" I know that I should be nicer to him
but seeing him makes me think about Elizabeth joking about my
death, and about everything Constance just said. It makes me angry
and very uncomfortable.

He looks surprised and hurt, I know
that I should apologize, but I don't. Instead, I go straight to my
desk.

"Can I stay or shall I leave?" he
asks.

"Do whatever you want Jay" I'm so
sorry Jay, really sorry, but the words come out of my mouth and I
can't stop them.

I don't see him, but I know he remains
there for a couple of minutes and then he vanishes. This time he
does not appear on the street waiting for me, as I am used to. He
is just gone.

I take a long moment to breathe. This
is too hard to handle. I open my laptop, hoping to find something
that will make me think about anything but this. I check my email
inbox and I have two unread emails. Both from
«[email protected]» I click it.

Dear Alex,

This is really difficult for us to
understand. I created an email account because I'm told that it's
cheaper than phoning. How are you?

Mom.

I can't avoid laughing for a couple of
minutes. That's the first time she uses a computer without my help.
I think about her typing with her clumsy fingers to write those two
lines, and I can't avoid remembering everything she has ever done
for me. If I ever doubted about what I must do, now it's clear for
me; she will suffer no more.

Hey Mom,

It's not cheaper, it's free. Are
you using my computer? Be careful with it. How are you guys doing?
Is grandpa doing alright? I can't wait to see you.

I miss you both,

Alex

Then I click on the other unread
email, which shows a great increase in experience because it has
some files attached. The email doesn't say much, just that they
miss me and that they bought a new TV because the old one broke
down. Then I look at the files attached, and I start laughing
again. My dear mother has had a ceremony to show everyone in our
neighborhood the Super Bowl tickets, she took pictures posing with
them, and as far as I can see, everyone was invited to join the
party. I wish that looking great on a picture holding two tickets
was the worst of my nightmares.

I don't reply to that email, but I
download the picture of my mother and look at it for some minutes.
I miss her, but as everyone always says, you never stop needing
your mum, so I guess that's normal. I look at the emails again and
I feel a smile on my face.

Thanks mom.

A knock on the door brings me back to
reality. I stand up and suddenly I remember that Jay isn't here. I
walk to the door and before I can open it, there's another
knock.

When I open it I see a very beautiful
woman, wearing a grey jacket, black trousers and dark glasses. She
is smiling but she looks very intimidating.

"Hi, um, hello" I say, like if I had
forgotten how to talk.

"Hello" she says with a perfectly
British accent. "I'm Jessica's mother. You must be the American
student."

"Jessica?" I hope it doesn't sound
disrespectful, but I have no idea of who that is.

She smiles and hands me a
paper.

"Yes, she lives right next door to
you. We recently moved here and I am opening a pub near the
university, we hope for it to be a great family business. Maybe you
have seen her putting on some advertising around the
university?"

The Christmas party girl. The suitcase
girl that plays the violin, I remember now.

"Oh yes, yes."

"So, I just came here to invite
everyone over for the Christmas party. Take the flyer, first round
will be on the house. "

"Oh, thanks" I don't know what I
should say "But um… I really don't think I will be going, sorry"
I'm certainly not in the mood for any parties.

"Just think about it, I wouldn't want
to force my costumers to come!" that must be the worst joke I've
heard in my life. Well no, the worst was way worse than that, and
it came from Elizabeth, whom I actually care about.

She leaves with the same smile on her
face. She walks by the door next to me and two seconds later, she
gets into the elevator. Probably she went to visit her daughter
before she came here. After all, mine is the last room on the
corridor and probably she only came here out of pity.

I am back on my chair. I keep
looking around and, strangely enough, I realize I miss Jay. My eyes
come across the book I bought for the essay. It is still on my bed
table. I don't have anything else to do for today, not even the
stupid essay, so I sit down on my bed and take the book. I turn the
pages until I get to the index and I find what I'm looking for
faster than I expected,
The Keepers.

CHAPTER 15

Just like everyone needs someone in
their life, Immortals need a Keeper in theirs. An Immortal soul is
perhaps one of the most powerful elements in our world, and
therefore it has to be protected until it reaches the final step of
its growth. However, it is the duty of the Keeper to ensure the
Immortal's survival. They are born at the exact same moment, they
belong together, and so, when the soul is mature, they become one
again, and the Keeper, is no more.

Protection of the Immortal soul is
the only reason for the Keeper's existence, especially during the
last steps of the soul's millennia, when The Mortal Fringe is more
dangerous than ever.

Keepers are known for having great
intellect and being quick thinkers. It is usual for a Keeper to act
compulsively, for it is not in their nature to give time to
thinking, they are doers.

Strength, valor, honesty, and
loyalty are essential in any Keeper, and there is no doubt that
should their protégée be in danger, they would surrender their own
life to prevent the Immortal soul from being harmed, or
destroyed.

Their physical appearance usually
changes when the Millennia of their Immortal protégée approaches,
that is thought to happen as a way of protection towards the
importance of the occasion.

As powerful as they can be, a
Keeper is no different from a mortal human when they are not near
their protégée for only the gift of long life persist in such
event. Just like Immortals and Leaders, their psychic abilities,
from mind reading to persuasion are their most dangerous weapon,
for if you control someone's mind, you can control
everything.

I put the book down and I realize that
Jay is still not here. I have some questions I would like to
ask.

Is he really part of
Elizabeth?

What is all that about a Physical
change?

What is
The Mortal Fringe?

I don't want to think today, not
anymore. I change my clothes and put on something comfortable, then
I put my headphones on again, and I leave the room with my music
already taking my thoughts away.

Running used to relax me back home,
now I only look around and I keep hoping that I won't bump into
Elizabeth. Ever since I woke up this morning I feel lonelier than
ever, there is no doubt that some things are not meant to change; I
was alone when I came, and here I am again, alone. Deep inside, I
really think I deserve this.

I am jogging again, something that I
hadn't done since the accident, and my music is as loud as
possible. I can't even hear the woman shouting out loud standing
right next to me, I only see her mouthing.

Then, a familiar song
plays.

We'd go down to the
river

And into the river we'd
dive

Oh down to the river we'd
ride

That was playing that day, the day. I
have been trying to keep the thought away, but those lines bring
the memory back, and I can see the lights, hear the screams, and
feel what I felt.