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Chapter 84: Mrs. Jackson
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The True Nature Series Chapter 85: Playboy Peter
"FOR THE LOVE OF puppies!" piped Ruthie as she strolled out to the parking lot with Zander and me. After Mrs. Jackson's very public insinuations, my nerves were already on edge. And, the scene in front of me didn't help ease the spiraling tension in my shoulders. Zander followed my gaze, his face going still. Several cars away stood Phoebe and Peter, talking. No, make that flirting. I still owed Zander's psychotic brother a black eye or a kick in the kidney. But I couldn't do anything about it. If I did, then he might do something worse than give me the mother of all headaches, which is how it felt when he had tried to erase my memories. If I faced off with him, he would find out that I knew about his mind-wiping ability. Peter was still under the impression that he'd erased my memory and knocked me unconscious for hours. Zander knew the truth but didn't want Peter to know I'd heard the conversation, which had revealed to me the existence of usemi and akharu for the first time, and m
The True Nature Series Chapter 86: Secret Date
MY ALARM WENT OFF at eight-thirty a.m. I stretched, feeling wonderful and recalling no dreams whatsoever. Sometimes I forgot what normal sleep was like. It felt fabulous. I thought I'd have trouble sleeping after worrying so much about the substitute in English yesterday. Had I done anything different? I retraced my bedtime preparations, hoping that I could recreate my restful night by repeating whatever I'd done. Dinner with Dad, laundry, a half-hearted attempt to clean up my bedroom, and then off to bed. Normal stuff. Except ... when I was lying in bed, I had been thinking about something Zander said, that I was so much more than his girlfriend. And it had conjured up all sorts of warm feelings. Maybe he was my dream catcher. I couldn't wait to see him again. He could be on his way over already.The thought of seeing Zander this morning sent a swirl of excitement zipping along my skin. Today was like a secret date. I felt my mouth stretch wide with a grin of anticipation. But it qui
The True Nature Series Chapter 87: The Set Up
THE TRAIL CURVED THROUGH the tall trees for at least a mile. The air smelled alive with the scent of redwoods, eucalyptus, and damp air. Blue jays darted through the trees, chasing smaller birds with loud caws. I soaked in the freshness of the forest, feeling grounded by its simplicity. Exhilarated, I ran faster and Zander and I settled into a comfortable pace that allowed us to still chat. Occasionally, Zander ran backwards. My fast pace was barely a trot for him, but he didn't seem to mind.As we jogged around a corner, the path straightened and Zander took the opportunity to turn around again, grinning. Before he could say anything, I gasped and pulled to a stop to stare at a tree off to my right. I could have sworn that it had moved, that the bark had bulged like something inside of it was trying to break out. Zander halted in confusion. He looked around to see what had caught my attention just as something flew through the air from the opposite side of the trail. It landed in Zan
The True Nature Series Chapter 88: To Be Decided
WE SLOWLY HEADED BACK along the path to his truck, both of us wanting to prolong our time together. When I asked about the akharu and the bulging tree, he explained that akharu could camouflage their bodies by emitting a type of oil that caused people to hallucinate. Their musk tricked your mind, making you imagine things."Like they turn into Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie on you?" I asked, twisting my face into disgust.Zander laughed. "Yes, they can make you see them as someone different.""That's some seriously trippy oil. Sounds like magic.""What we don't understand, we call magic." He shook his head with a smile. "We've studied it enough to learn how it works. Nature always has a reason for what it does. For akharu, it's a lure to draw people into a trap. But you have to be close enough to be affected.""The problem is, you don't know you're too close until it happens." We had walked right into their trap."Exactly why they are so dangerous," agreed Zander. "Plus, they have a
The True Nature Series Chapter 89: Brink of Extinction
ZANDER'S EYEBROWS SHOT UP, as if he'd finally realized he had stepped into a minefield. "No! Of course, I don't. I think they're ... great.""But you were taught that idimmu are mutants."He looked down at the ground, kicking a rock across the trail. "My teachers said that sometimes nature screws up and creates things that become detrimental to the rest of us. Sethians, the Nasaru, are just weeding out these mistakes so the rest of us can thrive.""Weeding out?"Zander sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Okay. Listen. Crossbreeding across species creates weaknesses. For instance, in the animal world the environment eradicates undesirable mutations, right? That's nature taking its course. But unfortunately, nature isn't doing what it's supposed to and the weak anomalies are propagating, which puts everyone, human and supernatural, in danger. But why let that happen if we can stop it? That's where the Nasaru comes in.""How?" My stomach felt sick. "How is the Nasaru doing this?"He hesi
The True Nature Series Chapter 90: Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire
"I SUSPECT THAT YOUR aunt was a highly coveted research subject," said Zander. "And I don't think she's on the Most Wanted List because she's a criminal.""Then the Nasaru made everyone believe she was a criminal so that they could lock her up and do whatever they wanted to her.""I'm sorry, Tru. It was wrong." His face drooped with regret. At least he knew right from wrong, despite his father and his upbringing. "You didn't know. But she must have been so miserable," I said. "I'm not surprised she ran away when she got the chance."Zander seemed lost in thought. Perhaps his imagination was running wild like mine. I thought about how terrifying it must have been for Caroline. In my mind I saw myself being forcibly fastened down on a gurney as heartless doctors drew my blood or worse, screaming as they performed questionable experiments on me. I shivered. "I hope they never find me," I whispered. For a split second I reconsidered running away with Zander."Tru, I won't-- No, I c
The True Nature Series Chapter 91: Breaking News
THE NEXT EVENING, MY dad's strangled voice yelling up the stairs tore through my homework bubble and I bolted out of my chair, almost knocking it over. I hustled downstairs expecting the house to be on fire.When I skidded around the corner of the family room, Dad was perched on the edge of his leather recliner with the tv remote in his hand. It was almost his football game pose, but the lines on his face were deeper and more solemn grooves than I was used to seeing. He looked like he'd received the worst news ever. I moved closer to the tv screen, to see what had caused this transformation."-- teacher found behind a dumpster early this morning," reported a newswoman. "Her wounds indicate an animal attack ..."I tuned out some of the reporter's words as the victim's picture appeared on the screen. It was Mrs. Jackson, the strange substitute I'd been so afraid of. Pieces of the story infiltrated my paralyzing shock. She was dead, her throat torn out. Family had already been notified
The True Nature Series Chapter 92: Good Vibrations
ONCE THE FOOD WAS gathered up and pooled in the center of the bed, we surrounded our stash like children with Halloween candy."Ready for Hurricane Ruthie?" I smiled."Good name for her," he said. "Should be interesting to see what Conrad thinks. He's a bit unconventional himself.""Awesome!" I pulled out my phone. "I predict he and Ruthie will hit it off. Based, of course, on the phone call I overheard - you know, in my true dream that night I saw you talking to Conrad.""True dream. Good name for it." Zander dialed his friend first."Hey, Zan my man!" A friendly voice spilled out of Zander's phone. "How are those California vibrations?" He started singing Good Vibrations. It reminded me of the delicious pulse that Zander and I felt when we touched. Oh my gosh! He must have told his friend. My face heated up."Conrad!" Zander hurried to cut off the singing, which only dimmed a little. He held his phone up to his mouth and cleared his throat. "I want to introduce you to someone
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