Sixty-Two- Jasper

A Chapter by Sophie

Chapter 62

Jasper

My dad is dead.

That's all I can think as I look at Bry's dad across the dinner table. She invited me over because she needed moral support for what she was going to tell them.

“Um, Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” Her mom asks.

“Well, um, Ariel didn't die when we were captured.” Bry says, opening her mouth to continue. Her dad's face is lit up, happier than I ever thought that he could be, and I see how it pains Bry to continue. I hold her hand under the table, and she squeezes it tightly, as if she's holding on for dear life. “We found out when we were in California, she had killed and entire wedding party because-”

“What?” Her mom gasps, and her dad's face has gone white.

“She was a Sine. You know the humans who were killing people during the battle? That's what they're called, it means 'without' in Latin, because they don't have souls. Malum basically puts their soul to sleep inside their body, so the body grows, but the soul doesn't. They kill to fill the empty space with others' souls. And that's what Ariel did. And- and then,” She gulps, a tear leaks down her cheek, and my fingers have gone numb, “she came back, after everyone was captured but me, and she was going to kill me. And we fought-” Her words are incoherent at this point, and I finish the story for her.

“The giants I was captured by hated Malum, so when they found out what I was trying to do, they set me free. When I reached where we were, it was after Briar and Ariel fought, and Ariel was dead.”

Her dad has gone from normal, to happy, to pale, to the brightest red I've ever seen skin be except for Malum's.

“You killed her?” He whispers.

Bry nods, “Cut off her head, like she did to so many people.” She gasps through her tears. An unnecessary detail that only seems to make her dad redder.

“YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER?” He roars after a moment.

“I am your daughter!” She wails, her hair sticking to her cheeks from the tears.

“COULDN'T YOU HAVE LET HER LIVE?”

“THEN I WOULD'VE DIED, AND YOU'D HAVE HAD NO CHILDREN ANYMORE!” She screams, then takes a breath. “I've had dreams every night since that day when I thought she was murdered. Where I relive the worst moments of those two years at Malum's, over, and over again. And after she showed up, they stopped. I had different nightmares, ones where she killed me, or I killed her. And then after I killed her, I haven't had any sort of dream since. She has been torturing me my whole life. She would have easily murdered you. She was insane, and you'd rather her?” She asks, tears still streaming down her face, but angry tears now. “She woke me up, that day I killed her, you know what she said? 'Wakey, wakey, I want your head on a stakey.' Does that sound like your darling little girl?” She spits.

“You are not my little girl either.” He says, coldly.

“Daddy!” She cries, bursting into tears again.

“David!” Her mother exclaims. Bry stands up and runs upstairs, I follow. She's sitting on her bed, wiping her eyes with a tissue. I sit down next to her, and without a word, wrap my arms around her and hold her tight while she cries into my shoulder.

There is shouting from downstairs, her parents fighting, and she sobs harder.

“It's been a long time coming, the divorce.” She says, “Ever since I came back without Ariel.”

“GET OUT!” We hear her mother scream.

“Whoo. Go Mom.” Bry cheers, not even halfheartedly, her face still pressed into me. I stroke her hair as the door slams, rattling Bry's furniture in her pristine, light room. A few minutes later, her mom comes upstairs and sees me holding Bry, who I think has actually fallen asleep. Her hand is curled up on my back, and the other one slipped down to the bed, also curled. There's a little snore, and I realize she is asleep. I try not to laugh so I don't wake her up, and because that would be completely inappropriate considering what just happened.

I pick her up and her mom pulls down her covers for her, I set her down and her mom tucks her in.

“Would you like some dessert? I bought ice cream because I thought it was ironic.” She asks.

“That'd be nice, thanks.” I say and we head downstairs. She pulls out a pint of Rocky Road ice cream, and I burst out laughing, even though the atmosphere is really, really non-laughable. She takes out two bowls and scoops some into them, then hands me one and a spoon. I sit down at the table and we talk while we eat. I help clean up from dinner.

“Well, I should probably go, tell Bry I said goodnight.” I smile. “It was nice meeting you.” I turn to leave, but she grabs me, I turn around and she hugs me.

“Thank you for making her so happy.”

“My pleasure.” I reply, and then leave, letting the ground take me home.

“Oh my god. You know what I just realized?” I ask Nox.

“...no?” He replies questioningly.

“You've never played video games.”

“Really?” He asks sarcastically. I get up and turn on the Xbox and hand him a controller. The next hour or so is spent explaining how to play, what you're supposed to do, and then... him beating me. Over and over.

“How is this possible!” I exclaim, as he wins yet again.

“Battle training.” He grins.

“But this is fake!”

He shrugs, and I turn back to the screen to play again. I still don't win, and after being killed over 20 times, I give up and sulk while Nox laughs, doing a victory dance.

“How's Ray?” I ask once he's done.

“She's good, she actually made a fist today. I'm helping her with physical therapy.” He says, smiling slightly, the only way he smiles unless he's making fun of you.

“Do you think she'll be okay in time for the next battle?” I ask.

“I hope so, who knows when it will be, though.” He says.

“True.”

“So what do you think of Ash and Airborne?” I ask, remembering the kiss in which they both look startled.

“What about them?” He asks.

“Oh right, you didn't see! Well, during meditation, Bry and I were done, and we looked up, and Ash and Air were like, making out.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, and she was pissed, I wanna know what happened.” I say.

“Me too.”

“I bet Bry knows. They are best friends, aren't they?” Nox asks.

“True, but she's sleeping.” I say.

“Sleeping? Why did she fall asleep with you at her house.” He laughs.

“Her parents separated because she told them about Ariel, and she fell asleep crying into me.” I say, deciding I'm a sucky liar and can't come up with anything better.

“At least she has parents.” Nox says.

“You know what? Some day soon, when we've defeated Malum, we'll find out who your parents are. I promise.” I say.

“Thanks, but you can't promise that.”

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