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

[aeskhyne]

"I forget the cult," says Trouble. "Tell me all about the cult."

[pandion]

"It's called the Sharing, and Dad joined up over the summer and then got really into it and now he wants us to join up to a local chapter."

[aeskhyne]

"The Sharing?" He blinks. "Huh. How 'bout that."

[instar]

"You know someone in it too?"

[aeskhyne]

He quirks a wry little smile. "I might."

[instar]

"But their membership might've lapsed without you being informed?"

[aeskhyne]

He gives her a mildly impatient look. "Skip it," he says.

[instar]

Bella makes a small, exasperated gesture. "Anyway. He hasn't called back since we got into a fight Sunday night."

[aeskhyne]

"Sorry to hear it," says Trouble. "You okay?"

[instar]

"I'll be fine."

[pandion]

"Next summer we might stay with Mom though."

[aeskhyne]

"Good thing you've got the two of them, I guess," he murmurs.

[pandion]

"Yeah - uh - is this a sore spot?"

[aeskhyne]

He shrugs; smiles. "Not a big one."

[pandion]

"I don't know anything about your family at all come to think of it."

[aeskhyne]

"Yep," says Trouble. "That's 'cause I don't want you to."

[pandion]

"Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense."

[instar]

Bella laughs a nervous, helpless laugh.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble smiles and shakes his head.

[instar]

"Anyway, there's a creepy pattern if you look at the press about them over time -" And Bella describes the way retractions tend to be issued.

[aeskhyne]

"Shit," says Trouble. "That is creepy. I'm creeped."

[instar]

"I am also creeped. I did find, yesterday, a single website by an anonymous raving person who claims that the Sharing is a front organization for brain-eating zombifying creatures. But I'm pretty sure if I looked hard enough I could find someone claiming that about everything from the Girl Scouts to the De Beers cartel, which I am pretty sure just sell cookies and diamonds respectively."

[aeskhyne]

Trouble laughs. "And they can't be eating all the brains, or somebody would've noticed by now, right?"

[instar]

"I'm pretty sure you need your brain to do most things. Or at least I do. It's possible you're operating without."

[aeskhyne]

He flashes a brilliant grin. "Aww, you're makin' fun of me," he says happily.