the sharing

[instar]

Trouble is not back at school on Monday. At lunch, Bella sits with Andi who sits with Robin who sits with Ethan.

Comments

[instar]

The next day, Bella is still pensive.

[palmofyourhand]

"Any luck?" says Ethan as he sits down next to Robin.

[instar]

"There's press about them. Nice newsy 'the Sharing cleaned up this highway' or 'the Sharing is raising money for cancer research'. Some negative press, especially from the earlier days. Almost invariably followed by retractions. And the same article authors saying nice things later."

[palmofyourhand]

"Don't tell me - they joined up?"

[instar]

"I couldn't tell from the articles - 'I personally have joined this organization' doesn't qualify as news, I guess - but it sounds like it."

[palmofyourhand]

"Cult," he concludes.

[instar]

"Yes, well. Unusually effective cult."

[palmofyourhand]

"Spooky."

[pandion]

"It is," says Andi. "Maybe you'd better not go look at it, Ethan."

[palmofyourhand]

He laughs. "Maybe."

[hold_infinity]

"That means don't," says Robin.

[palmofyourhand]

"But how else will I find out about them?"

[pandion]

"It might be slightly safer to ask your parents?" Andi says dubiously.

[palmofyourhand]

"That'll be the day."

[hold_infinity]

Robin sighs.

[pandion]

"Do you just not ever interact with them, or something?"

[palmofyourhand]

"Not if I can avoid it. And they do the same for me. It's a very tidy system."

[pandion]

"Huh, no wonder they haven't bothered you to join up, I guess."

[palmofyourhand]

"Yeah, I might have a heart attack from shock and then their cult would never get me."

[pandion]

"Pffff."

[palmofyourhand]

He laughs.

[hold_infinity]

So does Robin, albeit a little reluctantly.

[pandion]

"At least it's not the kind of cult that's making him give up all his possessions and cut off his family? Like, it would be worse if he didn't call anymore at all."

[instar]

"I guess."

[hold_infinity]

"Hell of a silver lining," says Robin.