"Flames," I said. "Could you do me a favor and tell my parents that I don't want anything for my birthday when they come in?"

I was standing in a little shop and next to a young 16 year old. Flames, his shortened name, was my best friend, my only friend, and right now, he was on break from his job, relaxing in the back corner of the shop with a cup of hot chocolate – a year round drink for him.

"Why?" He asked. "You'll know they'll get you something anyway."

I signed and tugged on my ponytail. Leaning against the shelf, I pulled my hair out of its band, letting the ponytail fly out in its natural wave.

"I know," I said. "But can you try to lead them in the opposite direction?"

"What?" He said, staring at me curiously. "For a human, you can be so strange. What's not to like about a birthday?"

"The fact that I'm the only one that's going to be turning 14 once," I blurted out.

Flames winced then frowned, "That doesn't matter."

"Yes it does…" I said without any confidence in my voice.

There was a long pause, followed by a ring of the door. Customer, I supposed. I reached for my hair and started to put it back in a ponytail.

"Hello?" A small voice said.

Flames rose from leaning against the wall and set his cup down. He then straightened out his uniform shirt and walked from the back corner, "I'm here. Is there anything you had your eye on?"

I waved a good bye and fled from the store in a small jog. As I made my way out, I slowed to a walk, making sure not to attract stares.

I couldn't get a driver's license yet, my parents wanted to keep the 16 aged rule for me, so I usually walked everywhere or took the metro. I decided I wanted to be alone, so I walked the long walk home.

It always frightened me for no apparent reason when I passed the police station. I knew it was silly, the souls were there to protect me, no to harm me. But I still had nightmares that they were going to take me away. But it came as a shock and I nearly fainted when I saw a police car – sirens shut off – in my parent's driveway.

I stared at it for a while. What were seekers doing here? Had there been an accident of some kind? Curious, I didn't approach the front door, but went into the back door.

I was in the family room, a closed off area where the back door had lead me. It was almost closed off, so I was invisible.

Voices came in from the kitchen, four of them.

"Ah, Paul, Glimmer Through the Ice?" A male voice asked.

It sounded as if the visitors had just come.

"I thought we told you on the phone…" My mother started.

"We thought if it was best if we came to you in person," A woman voice interrupted quickly.

"I'm not sure that my decision has changed," My mom said coldly.

I peeked from over the wall to see my dad and mom on one end facing two seekers. I saw my dad wrap his arm around my mom's waist.

"Honey, just let them talk." My dad soothed her. He looked at the seekers, "Do you want to discuss this at the table? Would you like a beverage?"

"Certainly, but no thank you for a drink," The male voice said.

I took my head down, so they couldn't see me. I heard scraping of chairs, them taking up the space of the three person table.

"Now, I know we talked about this one the phone, and you were very…firm, about all this. But we do feel strongly on this subject." The male seeker said.

"The child has to go," The female seeker added.

My body went cold. The child had to be me. I was the youngest of thousand year old people. I bit my lip; anxious. It was an unusual emotion for me.

My mother's voice came out next as a whisper, "no."

"It's a danger," The female seeker insisted.

They wanted to get rid of me, because I wasn't them. I didn't belong here, and I frightened everyone. Had the humans in hiding forced them to this? Did they know I was not turn as barbaric?

"What my partner means is," My dad said, trying to make peace, as usual. "We love Rosemarie, and we doubt she's a danger. Now, we know her best, and we think that…"

"We're doing what's best for the community," The male seeker said softly.

There was a long pause. I didn't breathe, thoughts running through my head. Where would I go? I had no one, no place but here.

"Look," Said the female seeker. I had heard that souls sometimes pick up characteristics from their hosts, and I'd bet her host had been an angry type of person. "She's human, she's a danger, and it's such a waste to leave her be like this! Humans, no matter if you love them or not, are vile, destructive aliens, she's no different."

A gasp and a little cry which I assumed was from my mom were followed by a pause that seemed to last forever. The pause was only a heartbeat, but it meant everything.

"Call us tomorrow," The male voice finally spoke.

There wasn't any more conversation, and I barely heard their footsteps and the shy door opening and closing; all I heard was my heart stopping then racing. Then, I hid in my spot for a couple of minutes; it would look suspicious if I "arrived" home just as the seekers were leaving. I felt guilty for lying too, but I wasn't about to jump up from my spot and scream, "Yay! I heard the whole conversation!"

I finally got up and snuck out the back door again, coming through the front after giving a quick tap on the door. I had a signature knock; a couple quick raps on the door followed by a slow little knock to let my parents know it was me.

"Hello, Rosemarie," My mom said. She was still at the table with a cup of tea in her hands. She looked tired and weary, like she had been working long and hard all day.

"Hey mom," I replied. "What are you doing?"

I didn't expect an "Oh you know, I just talked to some seekers about your future. They want to either kill you or turn you into a host." But I wasn't expecting her next reply; "Nothing."

Her lie was so obvious. Any fool could've seen through it.

"Oh," I said. I reacted to her false note automatitly, it didn't matter that I was lying too. I concentrated on my poker face.

"How about your day?" She asked me, "Good or bad?"

I shrugged, it was easier to lie with body language, and even with voices in my head screaming at me that this was very, very bad and I shouldn't be lying. "I mostly hung out with Flames."

It was fairly true, and the lie came out as the truth would sound. I was a better liar than I had thought I would be.

Mom set her eyes downward, "Oh him. Nice boy he is. Doesn't he work down at that little shop?"

I posted a concern and curious mask on my face, "Yes, it's for like, pet care or something. Are you sure there isn't something you need to tell me?"

The last sentence came out in a rush. Did I want her to come out and tell me honestly that I was, certainly, in danger and I was only thirteen? Yes.

"What?" My mom said. "No, nothing at all."

I signed.