One Foot In

Chapter Seven – Moonstruck

A/N: Hi there. I’m actually 80% done on Nanowritmo as of this posting. I wanted to thank you all for sticking with this and not being put off by its roughness. I’m literally writing by the seat of my pants. I figure from the hit counter that about 33 souls are reading this and, believe me, all the times I’ve wanted to throw in the towel, I’ve thought about all of you and I’ve put fanny to seat and continued writing.

Hugs and many thanks,

April


That was quite a Thanksgiving. We stayed in bed and made love until we were both sore. The next morning, I woke up to him watching me with the sappiest look in his eyes.

He kissed me and then he said, “You know, where your father comes from things are a bit different from here.”

“Tell me.” I snickered.

“And they do things a bit differently, too.” I started to have a desire for caffeine, because I got the feeling I might want to be wide-awake for whatever was coming my way.

“Oh, yeah?” I said. “How’s that?”

“Well for one thing, there is no casual sex.” He smiled that worried smile he sometimes got.

“How nice! So does that mean we are engaged?” I said it, I swear, with sarcasm.

“That’s good! You catch on quickly!” And he grabbed me and started kissing me right at that little spot on my neck where I am most vulnerable.

The sneaky bastard! I pushed him back away from me. “You’re not joking? By having sex, we are something like betrothed?”

He leaned on one hand on his side. “It makes perfect sense in cultures where there is no birth control. You have sex, it means that you are planning to stay around for awhile.”

“That was entrapment yesterday!” Leo looked hurt. Well, damn him!

“You said you wanted me. I took that at face value.”

“I do. I just… there is no chance of my getting pregnant right now.” I smiled at him.

“Oh.” He weakly smiled back. The waves of disappointment spilling from him were almost palpable.

“It’s a Norplant. It’s effective for another two years. But I can have it removed anytime.” Did I tell you he was one of those sensitive guys? I mean sure, it was fine for him to be sneaky, devious and/or manipulative, but let me just tell him that pregnancy is out of the question…

“Leo? What is it? What’s wrong with casual sex? Other than it’s not done that way in the Old Country?”

“ase ase you hadn’t noticed? I’m cursed. Not exactly prime—“

“You think I’d let that bother me?”

“And Thor could return at any moment…”

“So, you’re making hay while the sun shines?”

He got up and threw on an old threadbare robe. He went into the kitchen and started boiling water for coffee. I threw on a clean tee shirt of his and followed him. I put my hand up around his shoulders. Was he tense! How could anyone be so tense after all that sex we just had?

“I care about you. It’s just that I’m getting over a relationship right now and…”

“I’m convenient?”

Didn’t I already have this conversation not too long ago? Oh yeah, with the big guy.

“I’m very attracted to you. I’ve felt something right from the start.” I was massaging his muscles but they felt like steel.

He turned around and put his hands around my waist. “You just don’t understand how much I want you. I thought when you found out what I was that I wouldn’t have a chance.” He cradled his hands on my face and kissed me. “You are so special and I love you.”

Whoa! Back it up. How long did it take Josh and me to fall in love? And then to decide to live together? And then seven years to figure out that it wasn’t working? So, if, and it’s a very big if, if you are going to fall in love and get married should it be based on emotions that are as slow moving as molasses in January or should it be based on all fee feelings buzzing around like midges in one’s head, heart and groins like they were now.

He made the coffee. Note-- he doesn’t drink coffee. He went out and bought Starbucks coffee beans, coffee grinder and French press just so I could have my fix. Shouldn’t that be enough to marry a guy for? I sipped from the mug of pure, black liquid heaven. He was so good.

“I need to take a bath.”

“You can use my tub. I’ll scrub your back.”

“Thanks, another time, maybe. Hey, this coffee’s great.”

“Oh, I’m glad.” He didn’t just wear his heart on his sleeve. It was like Times Square all done up in Neon and Digital wizardry. Blinking on and off in 20 foot high letters was ‘Why don’t you want to MARRY ME NOW!’ And I didn’t have the answer.

“I had a great time, Leo.” I kissed him chastend hnd headed to the door, wearing nothing more than his tee shirt.

“Cindy? You are half naked.”

“Um, yeah. See ya!” and I went across the hall to the peace, quiet and relative sanity of Sadie’s apartment.

I say relative sanity because Sadie or Saree as she was called in the other place had a boyfriend. Alar. Now, just like marriage between Elfish and Humans is considered sort of a dorky idea, Elfish and Folk don’t get together because their unions don’t produce offspring at all. Sadie and Alar said they would adopt, bless them. And so, I get back to her place and find her door locked and the sound of a bed banging against the wall. Gees. My cousin and Mr. Rodent-- At least he bathed often (water rat?) and Sadie thought he had a great sense of humor.

I headed for the television. Lest you come to the conclusion that I am a couch potato, let me explain. Something in my life got lost a couple of weeks ago. Well, lost or broken. Either way, I felt a little like a wind-up toy when the key was gone. I didn’t give a damn. I had enough in the bank to take it easy for a little while if I was careful. In fact, one word to Leo and I’d probably never need remove butt from sofa for the rest of my life. Bonbons anyone?

I summoned a demon. I got my family rescued. I got Thor killed or something worse. Deal with it? No way. I headed to the couch and turned on the television. Without thinking I headed to Channel 7. I looked at the kitchen clock. Yep. There he was. Josh making love to a redheaded amnesiac who doesn’t realize that she’s really his wife and mother to their three kids… She thinks she’s a hooker and he keeps hoping she’ll remember her past all on her own.

It’s the soaps and Josh was making more money in a week that he had in his entire career leading up to this gig.

I felt the couch sag as someone sat next to me.

“Cindy, you’re crying.” Nice observation, Leo. He put his arm around me.

“How you’d get in here?”

“Sadie gave me the key. She gives everyone a copy in case hers gets lost-- Hey, I’ve seen that guy. We had to get rid of him last week. Is that Josh?”

I nodded my head.

Leo continued, “He’s taller in real life.”

“Yeah, he is.” Leo snuck a bit closer and put my head on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

“What for.” Commercial break came and I looked at him.

“I was being needy.”

“You were being honest. It’s been a long time since you were in a relationship? Right?”

“Yes.”

“Meanwhile, a month ago I was planning to spend my life with that guy.” I pointed at the television, even though it was still a commercial break and the latest incarnation of Mr. Clean was giving housewives around the country wet panties.

Leo kissed me and I responded, a little.

“Do you know how jealous I get?” he asked, his voice getting a bit thick.

I looked at Leo. He’s not a big guy. Josh could take him any day. I felt embarrassed, what was this machismo time? So what if Jcoulcould take him?

“Yeah?”

“I assume this was taped a while back?” Red panic flared.

“Oh God. What did you do to him? Leo, this isn’t funny. What happened?”

“I’m sorry I mentioned it.”

“LEO.”

“He came around here wanting to see you. Well, you weren’t in very good shape. Something about your dealing with the demons or losing Thor, or, or… I don’t know. But… Saree, Sadie told him that you had the ‘flu and to take a hike. He got nasty with her so I came over.”

“You didn’t hurt him. You couldn’t have hurt him! Josh can handle himself.” Tears were filling my eyes and I hadn’t felt this scared since, since.

“He’s only human, Cindy.”

“Oh Fuck.” I pushed him. Only human! I’m human, well my mom was. I went in my room to get dressed.

“I didn’t hurt him. I mean, nothing that would last.”

“Fuck you!”

“He was being rude to Sadie. I couldn’t let that go.”

I threw on a pair of panties and my jeans over them. I found a pair of running shoes and slipped them on without socks.

“Leo Rosen, and that’s not even your name because you’re not even Jewish, you better tell me everything that happened right now or I move back in with him.” Whether that was my real plan or not, I’m not saying other than to admit I wasn’t thinking very clearly.

“I threw him down the stairs. When he left he was limping a bit. That’s all.” He blurted it all out in one breath.

“Aing ing else?”

He looked at me steadily, “Yes. He deserved it. And if Thor had been here, he wouldn’t have been able to walk out of this place.

“And I really think you need to get him out of your system.” And he walked out the door!

Leo had a spine after all. I looked over to Sadie’s room. Her door was open and she and Alar were watching me.

“Everything all right, Cinders? We heard a little something going on.”

Alar smiled. I deliberately used my normal sight with him. He had that goofy well-laid look that a man gets when he’s been to paradise and back. His arm was around her in a possessive semi-hug.

“Nothing. I just need to get some fresh air.” As soon as I said it, I knew I was right. I hadn’t been outside in weeks.

“I’ll come with you.” She was already half-dressed.

Alar bobbed his head, “See you later, honeypot.”

Sadie smiled, “That’s right, sugarbear.”

The door closed behind him. “Not that I don’t mind your company, cousin.” I liked calling her my cousin. “But am I under house arrest or something?”

“Something.” She smiled and took my arm in hers.

I’d have to say the nicest thing about our local Starbucks was that it didn’t get crowded. Office workers ran in and they ran out. Around 4 PM was rush hour while people tried to find the energy to make it to the end of the day. I knew how they felt. I’d had more temp jobs than I ever wanted to think about. The artificial smiles that you plaster on your face as you prove you have a brain and you are reliable and you can do it. Yes, you don’t give a shit about the job, or the people or the politics, but you don’t let them know that. No! You are part of the team, and by the end of your stint they are asking you to head down to the Personnel Office to fill in an application (of course without telling the agency) because you are their kind of person. So, yes, you’ve proved your ability to make people think you’re good, when all you really are good at is putting on a show. Pay for a temp and get a live Improv performance. That’s theatre!

Sadie and I sat in the overlarge armchairs that made us feel like we were in a civilized, socialized place instead of the heart of ruthless corporation dominion. Sadie liked the Café Macchiato, I went for whatever had lots of whipped cream. I wiped a bit off of my nose.

“So, where do I begin, Cinders?” Sadie was perhaps the one person in the Universe I trusted.

“Why did you set up Josh? That pubic hair wasn’t there, somehow you made me see it.” Not wanting to sound accusatory or pissed, I tried to keep my voice neutral.

Sadie took my hands in hers. “The bastard had been cheating on you. I could see it every time I looked at him, but I couldn’t explain without saying who and what I was. After your father decided that we would try, yet again, to make things right, going so far as too put you and your mom through thinking he was dead, well. Things were getting complicated and I just thought…

“Sadie, you’ve got to back it up a bit. It doesn’t make sense. You’ve known me since college. Our being roommates, well, that wasn’t accidental.”

“When I found out about Uncle having a family I wanted to get to know you. I forced him to tell me everything and then when you got old enough to go to college, of course, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. Anyhow, I sort of enjoyed taking classes and pretending I was a girl.”

I looked at her. She still looked like a girl. “How old are you?”

“That’s not really a fair question, it’s different here.”

“Right, Thor was over 300 years old and he was human. How old are the bunch of you? What kind of time frames are we talking about? Centuries? Millenium?”

Sadie looked around the coffeehouse. It was still empty, though the lunchtime crowd should be around shortly.

“Centuries. Your Dad and Leo are the same generation, both about a hundred years old. I’m fifty something, I suppose.”

I stared at her. “What’s the life expectancy?”

She tried to act casually. “Hmm. About 400-500 years.”

My mouth was open. Fortunately, being winttherthere were no flies.

“Mind you. In the other place there aren’t any seasons, so it’s hard to track time. No one pays much mind to those things. It really was like Shangri-La, until your grandfather screwed up.”

“Okay, what did he do?”

She sighed and took a bit of her bear claw pastry, “About forty years ago, I was just a girl mind you, there was a big celebration. Your Grandfather Tal brought all of us together. He had something to show us. Now he’d never gotten on with the Faerae, it was a longtime feud and nobody cared much, but this Mage had come to him with a box. He told us that within the box was a way to vanquish our enemies. I remember Leo coming forward—“

“Why does he call himself Leo?”

“Don’t interrupt, Cinders. I’ll explain everything eventually.”

“Well, he’s not Jewish.”

“Duh! Do you want to hear this story or sidetrack me?”

“I was just wondering.”

“We all chose names close to whatever we had. Leo went and got a baby book from a bookstore and we sat around figuring them out. Your family is White Moon Clan. But your dad liked the name William so he chose it, and you got to be Cynthia, which I believe is another name for the Moon Goddess. Leo was part of the Rosy Lion Clan. My Father was the head of the Golden Angel Clan; Sadie is Princess and is like Saree, my old name.

“Okay, satisfied?” I nodded and spooned some whipped cream. “Well, about forty years ago, Leo tried to stop your Grandfather. Leo and your dad were best friends, practically brothers and both very inquisitive. Leo recognized the Demon Box from one of his parchments, but he didn’t succeed. The box was opened and suddenly we were under attack.”

Sadie went silent and I looked at her. She was looking back at me with tears in her eyes. “We all lost a lot that day. Tal, his wife and their children and grandchildren and…”

“I’ve lost you.” I said shaking my head in confusion.

“Your father and Leo already had families and they all died. I was too young. But Leo was with your dad and me. He got the three of us out before we could be killed.” Sadie was staring off into space. “There were about five different clans there, your Grandfather was very important, and to the best of my knowledge only the three of us escaped.”

“Are you okay? You don’t have to continue.” Sadie sniffed a bit and shook her head and we both just sat and sipped our designer coffees.

She looked so distant and strange. “I lost my family, too.”

“Oh, Sadie. I’m sorry.” I leaned over and held her hand.

“It’s just been the three of us tog together exiled all these years. I’ve been happy with Adar, and your father had you and your mom. Leo waited a long time because of the curse and then, well… This place isn’t our home and I don’t think you can be too harsh about us wanting to make things right again.”

“You’re right.” I didn’t know how things were ever going to be right though. My Grandfather had used what we would think was a doomsday device-- something which effectively knocked out both sides.

Still, it seemed obvious that we needed more information. Yes, it was dangerous to head back there, but we needed to know how many demons were left. How did they get there? And what about that Mage? Was it a muff-up or was it deliberate on his part that the Elfish should be ruined.

I couldn’t say that I felt much better with this information. I was no closer in my understanding of my relationship with Leo.

“So, Sadie, this mind-control thing. I feel like I’ve been in limbo for two weeks. I am under some sort of house arrest?”

“Would Thor have wanted for you to go through all of that to rescue us only for you to get captured?”

“I guess not.”

“Yet you were acting crazy, trying to get back to him. You were fighting us, and believe me, I’ve never seen anyone fight like that. Who did you train with, Bruce Lee?”

“Why don’t you come to the Dojo with me some time? Really, it’s not talent, ability or skill, just hard work and practice.”

“I think Leo might enjoy taking you.”

“Leo, what am I going to do with him?”

“He got permission from your father to—“

“What’s up with that?”

“Your father was pretty upset that he would even think in those terms about you. Although it does make sense.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He couldn’t marry me, I’m a blood relative. He’s only related to you through marriage.”

“And I’m a half-breed.”

“So, he was willing to be involved with a human, and you’re definitely a step up.”

“Is it all about blood, Sadie?”

“I think you knetteetter.”

I wish I knew better. I thought back to that first day we had met. He’d been very attentive and now I understood that my showing up so unexpectedly, the unacknowledged daur ofr of his friend, would have intrigued him. And once he found out my parentage, well, was I like a ticket to power. Imagine the union! Sure get me pregnant and our two clans would be united! Great. Except there were no lands to go back to. Were there? Okay, they got out while they could and they didn’t know what would face them when they got back.

“So Sadie, how doknowknow that the last summoning didn’t achieve our objective? Maybe our lands are free? Has anyone gone back there to contact Lu or try to find Thor?”

She shook her head. “Too risky. From what I could see whatever you summoned was a lot stronger than anything that had been called up before.”

“But I made it or him promise not to hurt anyone.”

“That’s nice, Cinders.”

“Don’t patronize me.” I wasn’t too annoyed with her, she always acted like my older sister and I was used to it.

Sadie finished her drink. “I tell you what. Lets go over to the drug store and pick up new nail polish. I feel a major pedicure session coming on.”

Yes, that was about the level I was operating at as well, Girly girl makeover time. I gave her a hug and we strolled over, arm in arm to the drugstore.

We were about halfway through painting our nails when Leo politely knocked on the door. Sadie yelled, “Come in,” and he ducked his head in.

“What are you two girls up to?” I immediately noted that he was in a much better mood.

“Pedicures,” grinned Sadie.

“Ah, yes, the placing of colorful toxic chemicals on your toenails.”

“Oh, yeah.” Sadie wiggled her toes happily.

Um, Cindy, I was wondering if you’d like to go with me to dinner and the movies tonight.” Ah yes, if the cave man approach didn’t work, let’s try the romantic way.

“Well, I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to ruin my pedicure.”

“Good thing we invested in the quick drying polish then.” Sadie nudged me in the ribs. I barely managed not to giggle.

“Okay, what time do you want to go?”

“Depends on the movie.” He went over to his apartment and returned with a newspaper. I had to admit, I still was in the “I don’t care about anything” mode. Including seeing what new polystyrene offerings Tinsel Town had.

Since yesterday, so much had come back into focus. I guess my father had eased up on the mind control, if that had indeed been my problem.

He sat down next to me and gave me a little kiss. It was a tentative one, sort of like, he knew he’d gone too far too fast and now it was “do not pass go, do not collect $200”. Maybe Thor had been the brainy one after all in refusing to have sex with me. I was beginning to realize just how messed up I was.

It was starting to get dark outside.

I got dressed in my corduroys with a sateen top and heavy sweater. I was comfortable and warm. We pic picked an action flick that we both agreed would mindless and fun. The neighborhood was good for all sorts of restaurants upscale to reasonable and I was pleased that he was taking me to one of the pricier places, which served Thai food.

Where we used to be pretty comfortable with each other sitting on the couch and eating ice cream, being in a restaurant on a date had a certain artificial, uncomfortable feel. He sipped his water and I couldn’t help but notice that his taste ran to plaids and Dockers and nothing else. Clotheshorse he wasn’t.

We politely skirted politics, weather and any topic that could be seen as remotely controversial. Finally out of desperation I said it.

“We need to talk about us. It’s sitting there like an elephant in the dining room.”

He smiled and looked scared. “Fine, Cindy. I’m sorry that I injured your no good boyfriend and I’m glad that you decided not to punish me by going back to him.”

“I’m very fond of you, Leo, but please you got to understand…”

That’s when we heard the sirens. Now you really have to understand, sirens go off in New York City all the time. Ambulances go by, fire trucks; it’s no big deal. But this seemed not right. There were too many vehicles, like a procession. We looked at each other and got up to look through the plate glass window at the front of the place. I got this sicken feeling in my stomach, fire trucks, police cars and ambulances were all converging and heading onto the street where our building was.

I looked at Leo. “You don’t think?”

“Cindy, we got to get away from here.”

“No, why? We have to see if they are all right?”

He shook his head, “Think about it. If it’s an invasion from the other realm, the others will have dispersed by now.”

“How?”

“We always kept watch. If something came through the basement, we would all leave via the fire escape. We all had safe places and an emergency bag packed, as well as a place we could contact each other. And if the attack came from the outside of the building, say if those hunters found your father…”

I was out the door and he was chasing after me. He grabbed me by the arms and swung me around to face him. He was strong, stronger than any human could be and I felt my arms bruising under his grip.

“Let me go there.”

He shook his head, “That’s not the plan, Cindy. I know you haven’t attended any meetings and don’t know. However, heading towards trouble is NOT the plan. Getting away to safety is.”

He took me back inside the restaurant where my sweater, jacket and bag were.

“With all that hoohah out there, what do you think is happening, Leo? Does it mean that humahumans can see it?”

“Exactly. Our people will get away, either by going back to the other place or running from there. Everyone will be safe—you need to believe that.”

“So what do we do now?”

“Head to the movies and then find a hotel together. We can go to the pre-arranged meeting place tomorrow and see if everyone is alright.”

“I can’t sit through a flick right now!”

“Safety in numbers, Cindy. We don’t know what is walking around.”

“Could it be hunting us, is that what you mean?”

He nodded. I looked down and my food and pushed it away. It was one thing to know there was another world where demons hunted down people for tasti-snacks, it was another thing to understand that they could cross over and start hunting here. Innocent people in the Big Apple seemed to count more that the common folk. I was shocked at my racism, but my loyalties had been with the human race until just a few weeks ago.

Leo looked so serious and scared. I held hands with him and felt the tremor he was hiding.

“I’d feel better if I went to see what was going on.” Please let him agree.

“Your lack of common sense is appalling, Cindy.” At that mo I w I wanted to hit him “We “Well, it’s a good thing you found out before I became your wife!” I didn’t move, but sitting there the tears came to my eyes.

“I’ve been living this existence longer than you. I know what the score is, and you are green, very green.”

He signaled the waiter for our bill.

“If I had listened to Thor, he might still be with us.” I said quietly, blinking back the tears, “but dad and Sadie might be dead.” Trade offs, always trade offs. He squeezed my hand.

“I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. I’m scared, okay? We knew we weren’t safe here, but after a few decades, one gets comfortable. One begins to hope.”

“Like my father taking a human wife? And then dumping her when he changes his mind about things.”

“We’ll be late for the movie. Let’s go,” he said tersely.

I followed him, blowing my nose on the napkin which I had stolen from the restaurant. It was only a block to the movie house and still the sirens were going. It reminded of the Trade Center disaster, but then nothing could ever be that bad. Right?

There was a surreal quality to the evening. We got popcorn, Raisinettes and soda although neither one of us had any intention of eating. It was like we were whistling in the dark, comforting ourselves that when the movie was over life would return to normal. But somehow, I thought this place might never be the same.

The movie was stupid, insipid, whatever, I wasn’t watching. I didn’t know if I loved Leo or hated him. All the time people were trying to save me from myself, preventing me from following my instincts. Did they really know that much more? Sitting in this theatre, hiding like children from the boogeyman was insane!

I shot a look at my companion. There were tears trickling down his face and he was holding tight to my hand. Why was he so much more afraid than me?

Suddenly, I heard something, someone was yelling our names. People were turning around in the theatre and hushing, threatening to call the manager. Leo heard too and we quickly got up and headed out.

Sadie was there, dressed in her nightgown under her full length shearing coat. Leo looked surprised to see her.

“Hey, 7:30 showing, you discussed it in front of me.” She smiled. We went off into a corner of the lobby.

“What happened, Sadie?”

“There’s a new portal.”

“What?” Leo shook her, “No.”

“There’s no other explanation. They were all outside the building. They had it surrounded. I’m sure they got everyone out through the basement.”

“And you?”

“I was grocery shopping. Well, more like munchies shopping.” I was at the end of the block when I heard them.”

“Them?”

“Hunters from the Demon realm. Okay, I smelt them before I saw or heard them. The wind has been blowing strangely,” she amended

Leo walked to the entrance of the lobby, stuck his head out and sniffed.

“I dt smt smell them before, but now, they are all over.”

“It’s on the news, too. I saw it on a storefront television. They are being explained as a wolf pack that somehow got loose in the city. Humans, eh, confront them with the supernatural and they come up with their own likely explanation.”

“Since they found the building—“ Leo began.

“Then they have our scent.” Sadie concluded.

“Subway?”

“Wait a second!” They both turned to me. “What’s happening to the innocent bystanders in this? If we are being followed and we take the subway…”

They both looked at me as if I were an idiot.

“Cinders—“

“Cindy, I’ll explain on the platform.” This was getting to be a bad habit. Outranked and outnumbered, I was loaded onto the C train headed for Brooklyn. Fortunately, there was a train in the station and off we went.

“Okay, Leo, you said you’d explain.”

“We need to take a boat, they can’t track us over water.”

“This is stupid.”

“Cinders, I’m sorry that I got you mixed up in this, but you have to trust us. We all love you. And we want you safe.”

“Sadie, you got me involved because of something you saw.” I had a suddenly flash of insight.

“Saree, is this right?” Leo looked angry. He doesn’t do anger well, I noticed there was a vein starting to swell in his forehead.

She looked down and bit her lip. “Some things I got to keep to myself. Just like you should try not to say just anything that comes into your head, cousin dear.” She suddenly sounded rather bitchy. What did I do?

“Am I coming into some Talent?”

“I’d think that was obvious.” Leo said dryly.

“Your guesses have been getting pretty good, although it might have been something you picked up from the Demon realm.” Said Sadie with a frown.

“Wait, I didn’t cause this. They were hunting father and you because you had stolen that Demon summoning thingy.”

“But then you used it. So some of it may have rubbed off on you.”

I started to get a nasty little headache. I rubbed my neck and attempted to loosen up.

“What the hell?”

Leo put his hands around my neck and started to massage. It was the first genuinely loving act he’d done since things had become so confused between us.

“White’s powers seriously increased after he released that last demon. It may be that it had a similar effect on you.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t be running away from it.”

“Cynthia White! Stop talking like that! I can’t believe—“

But the subways doors were about to close and I was fast. I sprinted through and the subway car took off.

Leo and Sadie were trying to pry the door open, but even with their combined strength nothing was happening. I was glad I couldn’t hear what they were saying, as it were, my ears were burning.

I smiled.

“Okay, Thor,” I said as the subway car left my sight, “it’s payback time.” And I headed upstairs to hail a cab.