The Cursed Luna

3

I yanked my phone from my purse and skimmed past the unread texts to tap on my sister’s name while rushing back down the hall. The phone continued to buzz against my ear as I pulled two suitcases down from the closet. Her voicemail greeting picked up. I kicked the door closed behind me.

“Hey Coral. This is serious. I need you home right now. Call me back like immediately.”

The suitcase fell open as it hit my bed.

I was really going to miss my bed.

Unshed tears filled my eyes again as I started shoving clothes into the suitcase. There were so many things we were going to need. I had a camping bag packed with a canvas tent that was already in the back of the car. Perks of being prepared to run at a moment’s notice.

But now that I had a little bit of time, I realized how many things I wasn’t ready to let go. My herb plants on the balcony would have to come with us. They barely got enough sun as it was and I couldn’t just let them die. I wanted my pans that I’d scored from second hand shops. I’d never find trusty ones like them again. There was the cast iron skillet with ceramic coating that always smelled of onions and the dented ten-gallon aluminum pot…

I glanced down at my suitcase, wondering if they’d fit.

Stop it, Sage. This wasn’t the time to be sentimental. I’d take the pans and my custom kitchen knives.

The skillet and butcher’s blade could double as weapons. I swallowed hard at that thought.

The stories about the Fringes were bad, but I’d visited a few times and come back alive. Sure, the crowd was rough. Why else would Ethica not let them in? But no one attacked me in broad daylight. There were the less desirable establishments that people frequented for entertainment not sanctioned by Ethica law, but we’d steer clear of those and hopefully remain safe.

Still, I wasn’t going out there unprepared.

I raced to the kitchen, checking my phone to see if I’d missed Coral’s call, and sent her a text in case she’d see that first.

Super important. Need you home. NOW.

Shoving the phone in my back pocket, I finished packing the last of my suitcase and emptied a plastic crate to carry to the kitchen. We’d need food, water, and currency. I climbed onto the counter to reach the shelf above the refrigerator where I’d stored the jar of precious gemstones. Electronic credits were used in Ethica, but the few times I’d visited the Fringes, I’d learned they preferred shiny things you could hold.

Once I had the basics packed, I breathed a little easier. I checked my phone. It’d been twenty minutes and Coral still hadn’t called back. Frustrated, I tapped her number again.

And straight to voicemail.

This is great.

I’m literally trying to save your life right now, kid.

Cold dread snaked its way up my spine, but I shook my head to dispel it. Dr. Bradley may be a jerk, but he’d kept his word to my father to look out for us. He’d give me until the morning and by that time we’d be long gone.

I lugged the second suitcase to my sister’s room. The phone vibrated in my pocket and I cried out in relief as I pressed the box to my ear. “Coral, I need you here.”

“It’s not Coral you weirdo…”

I pulled the phone back to check the caller ID and cursed under my breath. Bless science. “Meg. What’s up?”

“Okay. We’re getting somewhere. Promise not to hang up.” She rushed out the words. “Listen, I know you’re still upset about Jeremy, but I want to talk to you about it in person. He’s a player and a scumbag. I swear there is nothing between us. You have to believe me.”

Jeremy? I massaged my forehead. Of all the things to think of now, that was furthest from my mind. Who the hell cares about him? My sister was about to be ripped away from her life and cast out like trash, torn from everything she’s ever known. It didn’t matter that this should have been my fate, I needed to protect her.

And she still wasn’t home!

“Sage, are you there?” Meg asked.

“Yeah, I’m here.” I moved to Coral’s bookshelf and ran my fingers over the spines of her favorite stories.

“Okay, you didn’t hang up,” Meg continued, breathless. “So, what do you say? Can we get together sometime?”

“I forgive you.” I pulled the ancient copy of Jane Eyre from the shelf that I’d worked double shifts to pay for as a present for Coral’s thirteenth birthday and walked it over to the suitcase. The holograph photo frames on the nightstand caught my attention.

In front was an image of the three of us taken twelve years ago, right before our father died. He was standing at the base of a tree in the community garden, staring at us instead of the camera with a sad smile on his lips. My eyes were closed and my brown hair fell forward to cover most of my face as I struggled to hold my sister on my hip.

But Coral?

She was carefree. Her golden hair was blown back in the breeze and she laughed with her whole body while her slender arms were wrapped around my neck. That happy smile continued to the second photo where she was older, covered in paint splatters and holding up the trophy while surrounded by her friends. It’s Thursday. How could I forget?

The bang of the device hitting something hard sounded in my ear and then Meg fumbled as she got it back in her grip. “What did you say?”

“I said I forgive you.” I coughed to clear the emotion from my voice. There’s nothing like having your whole life altered in an instant to make you realize the petty bullshit didn’t matter. “You can have him if you want. We were never right together.”

“Oh, Sage. You know I love you and I didn’t mean to hurt you. It was one drunken, stupid night and it’ll never happen again.” Meg breathed out the words as if a rock had lifted from her chest.

I felt lighter too.

“Can we get together sometime?” She treaded cautiously on the newly built bridge. “I’m having a party next weekend and I’d love if you could cater it. No one makes stuffed mushrooms or those raspberry tarts like you do.”

A smile teased my lips. She still knew how to win me over. I liked cooking for people. It was one of my life’s simple pleasures. I didn’t like lying to her though, but it had to be done. Meg’s father was still on the Council for Purification, even though we hadn’t had an outbreak for years. “Sure. Text me the details tomorrow and I’ll see if I can come. But I have to go find Coral now.”

“Do you need some help?” Meg quipped cheerfully. Just like old times. Betrayal forgotten.

“I’ll be alright. I know where she is.” I left the suitcase open on the bed and took a deep breath, knowing I should really be saying goodbye. “And Meg, he’s not good enough for you anyway.”

*

Neon lights spun on laser beams directed at the darkened arena. The set up was some war-torn landscape straight out of the history books with monster silhouettes peeking around the corners. From my bird’s eye view of the new layout, I could see every twist and turn of the paintball maze.

To keep things fair, the players would enter from the bottom and weren’t allowed in the VIP lounge until the game was over. There was already a group playing and I tried to make out Coral’s body from the other suited participants. The heavy metal music blasting made it difficult to scream out her name.

It wasn’t like she would hear me anyway in the vast arena. But I could feel her down there in her element. Forty minutes blinked on the glowing digital wall timer hanging from the ceiling, counting down until this practice round was over.

I wrung my hands together, staring at the shadows, and then stepped away from the balcony. I’d let her finish the round.

It might be the last time she got to play.

“Hey Sage. I haven’t seen you in a while.” Galen wiped down the bar counter as I approached even though I was the only other patron in the VIP lounge. “Did you come to pick up Coral?”

“I did.” I dug through my purse for my phone.

“She’s a natural born hunter.” Galen stood on his toes to look over the railing that separated the bar and balcony from the arena below. His words made me freeze after the bombshell dropped today and a cold sweat formed on my palms, wondering if he knew. Was this one of the signs I missed?

Galen twisted his greased handlebar mustache as he eyed me curiously. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to answer without crying. The clock on the arena ticked to thirty-eight minutes remaining. I held out my phone for him to scan the credits. “Can I get a double of Laphroaig neat?”

He pulled the bottle from the top shelf. “You know your money is no good in the bar. At this point, you’re my longest paying customer. Coral has had a membership since she was what? Twelve? But you look like you’re having a bad day. Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head. “Not right now. I need a few minutes alone with my thoughts.”

He regarded me with a friendly concern as he placed the glass down on a napkin. “Let me know if you need anything else.”