IV
593 Words
IV"LAZURAI EFFECT." UNCLE Jean said at last.
That term rang a bell somehow.
"That's also why you are both adopted. You've got special genes and can't get infected by the normal stuff. Hell, probably by anything. There is one catch, though."
Both Chaz and I leaned forward at this.
"You can't allow yourself to get pissed off by anyone or anything. Because the same stuff that keeps you healthy all the time can make anyone around you quite ill, and quite fast. I'm only telling you this because it's probably something your parents haven't bothered to tell you so far. And they let me do it, because - well..."
I nodded. The pieces were falling in place. My mom had left my summer schedule open, while I was usually piled higher and deeper with activities. She knew I wanted to get out of town and see the world, especially when my reading list was filled with exotic locations. And the video's I'd bring home or download were about traveling.
Chaz spoke first, though. "So all our training and studies, even the sports we took were to help us get to the point of taking our first road trip, but you're here to tell us the ground rules."
Jean smiled again, but then got serious and leaned forward. "Only because you two can handle it..."
"Rite of passage." I finished.
Jean nodded. "All that Zen and meditation and inner counting you've studied. Both of you. You're going to need it in the next few days and weeks. Because you can both be unsung heroes, keeping your secret and solving their little problems - or you can make everything much, much worse. Your choice."
Then he sat back and sipped his iced coffee. And waited for the next questions.
It took awhile.
I spoke first. "Why keep what we are and everything about us a secret?"
Jean answered, "Because while people say they want immortality, they also can't accept the responsibility of it. The original Lazurai learned that the hard way. And why you don't see many of them around. That you can recognize, anyway. It's been the children they raised who have learned to master the talents and abilities the first ones were given. Your parents, your grandparents, all back to the originals have been working to this point."
Chaz would wait no longer. "Wait, so our genetic make-up has something to do with this outbreak. Meaning we can heal somehow?"
Jean replied, "Ever notice how fast you recover from a scratch or cut? How about a bruise from some of your sports? Some of that is you, some is from the people around you that are your family or your fellow towns-people. But the thing you have to remember is that the original Lazurai had no control over this. And even people downwind got sick - and died."
That thought took over - a place neither Chaz nor I had wanted to go.
Jean smiled to lighten the mood. "Of course, both of you are great under pressure, both of you are great cooks. You'll do just fine. After I help you two set up in the morning, I'll leave you to it - I have to get some supplies lined up and attend to some other matters around town. But just remember this - I'll always be around if you need me.”
Chaz and I nodded.
"OK, then. We're camping out. Hami, you've got the van, Chaz and I have the outdoors."
We all pitched in to clean up. Jean showed us where the sleeping rolls, pads, and ground tarps were. Parking lots and van floors weren't soft, but we'd make do. Just more adventure.
Of course, sleep didn't come easy that night.
- Writer
