Emily was seriously trying to study when Jessica slammed her book on the coffee table and plopped down in the chair next to her.  Maria looked up from the couch and Melissa looked over from the kitchenette where she was pouring a cup of orange soda.

“It isn’t fair,” Jessica complained.  “Lady Alice says we can’t go to Avalon this summer.  I had plans, but she says since the door is closed and we are orc and ghoul free, even the elf maidens have been recalled.  I was going to take Fiona shopping.”

“It’s for the best,” Maria said.

“I never understood,” Melissa said as she came over to sit on the couch beside Maria.  “Why do they call them elf maidens.  That seems an archaic term.”

“Linnea explained it,” Maria said.  “Being a virgin is one of the requirements.”

Jessica put her feet up on her book, on the table.  “That lets me out.”

“No.”  Amina and Mindy came out of their room.  Amina had her eyes closed, her back turned and was waving a hand back at Mindy.  “I don’t want to see any Kahili death goddesses.”

“But look at all those arms,” Mindy argued.

“Give it a rest.” Jessica shouted and got up to get some orange soda for herself.  Emily looked up from her book when Jessica shouted and moved.  She was thinking about her studies but staring at Jessica, so Jessica spoke to her.  “I’m going to sign up for a time of service.  ROTC.  I’m going to do time in the army.”

Emily continued to be focused elsewhere, but everyone else said congratulations and best of luck.  Emily said, “Huh?”

“ROTC.  I’m signing up for the army, and they better not think about keeping me from combat.”

“Good,” Emily seemed to hear that time but her eyes went back to her book.  “I signed up a week ago.  I had special forces interested, but I’m going to be a nurse if I can pass these exams.”

“I heard Major Driver said if you chose the navy he would throw himself off the bridge into the Delaware River.”  Emily was back to not listening.

“Major Driver?”  Mindy had scooted everyone down to take the end seat on the couch.  Amina was in the seat Jessica had abandoned, so Jessica sat on the rug at the end of the coffee table, by the door.

“He got promoted,” Jessica said.

Emily’s phone rang.  She touched it, paused to read another sentence while it rang again, then pulled it out to see who it was.  She hoped it wasn’t Lisa or Latasha and trouble.  The number was unfamiliar, so curiosity caused her to say, “Hello?”

“Emily?”

“Yes.”

“Detective Lisa gave me your number.  I hope I’m not interrupting something.  I just called to see how you were doing.”

“Fine.  Who is this?”

“Sebastian Scott.”

Emily opened her eyes.  “I should ask how you are doing.”

“Fine.”

“How’s Maggie?”

“Fine.  Changed with all that happened and all.”  Sebastian’s voice trailed off into a moment of silence before he started again.

“Emily.”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if you would like to go out, like on a date, like without monsters.”

Emily was not sure how she felt about that, but her mouth said, “Yes.  I’d like that.”

“Great.  I was thinking there is a restaurant right by the campus there.  It’s called the Hive.  Do you know it?”

“Yes, I’ve been there.”

“Great.  I know you have finals.  How about you pick a day and time.”

“Thursday at six?”  That came out without thought.

“Great.”

“You should know, I had to kill my last boyfriend.”  That also came out without a thought, but she knew she should not have said it the moment it was aired.  “The one before that, he turned vampire so I had to kill him too.”  Emily shut up.  The girls were waving at her and she realized she wasn’t making anything better.  There was a long moment of drawn out silence before Sebastian spoke again.

“Great.  It will give us something to talk about.”

“Great,” Emily mirrored his word.

“Meet you at the Hive, Thursday at six.”

“Great.”

“Great.”

They hung up.  Emily looked up.  “I have a date.  Sebastian Scott, State Trooper.”

“Great.”  Everyone said the word except Jessica.  Jessica waited for the prime moment.

“Try not to kill this one.”

“Hey!” Amina interrupted and looked at the faces around her.  “I want to go out on another date.”

Jessica sipped her orange soda before she quipped.  “Got anyone in mind?”

END

************************

Starting on Monday, March 13, 2017

The story of two lost souls who find each other in the midst of trillions of other earths.

Guardian Angel  is science fiction, alternate history, and the struggle to build a civilization where life is worth living… In fact, there are some dangerous and horrifying ideas presented here, so maybe you should consider this your “trigger warning.”

Guardian Angel will follow the same pattern of posts this blog has been following:

Each chapter is divided into three part and will be posted on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each week at 8 AM.  That is one whole chapter per week, for those who might be slow at math.  You are welcome to read them as daily posts, or wait until Thursday or the weekend to read all three posts in one sitting by clicking on the listings under “Recent Posts” on the right side of the blog (one at a time, of course).

Beginning on Monday, Guardian Angel will post 23 chapters, so you can follow through August and enjoy a nice summer read.  It will eventually be put up for sale at your favorite e-retailer, so I say enjoy it now while it is free… unless it upsets you or terrifies you.  The author will not be held responsible for bad thoughts and dreams.  I suggest several deep breaths and wait to see how it turns out…

That’s beginning Monday, March 13, 2017

Don’t miss it, and Happy Reading.