43 George Attends Charlotte's Class

George pulled her SUV into a third university parking lot. She left home early so as to leave plenty of time. Last night she laid out her clothes - twice - jeans and a plain top. She didn't really care. She glanced at the clock. Damn. She could still do this. She drove up and down three lanes and found zero empty spaces. She pulled back out onto the street missing two bikers bucking for a postit. One cursed her. You'd think they would not push their right of way against a hulk like the one she was driving. She pulled over to the curb and checked her map. It was a fucking one page very pretty sketch with tiny iconic cute building shapes and not drawn to scale. She got this one from the office on campus when she enrolled for summer classes. She knew maps and this was one not helpful. Shit. There were parking lots marked all over but not one fucking empty space. She should have ridden her bike. She pulled out from the curb missing another idiot on two wheels and headed for one of the farther lots. She found it, a lot which was four blocks at least from where she needed to be in like 5 minutes. And there it was, finally, an empty space. She pulled in the spot with just barely enough room, a Prius on either side, and turned the engine off. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly and then took another deeper one. When she had her pulse down closer to normal she picked up her pack and got out. She could do this. This was nothing. She slammed the door and saw two boys sitting on the grass twenty feet in front of her grill watching her.

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Gary sat up and poked Bezel. "Hey, BZ, look at the fresh meat. Looks like your type, too."

Bezel followed his line of sight and saw the girl behind the wheel of the planet killer looking for a place to park.

Gary said, "Clueless."

This was a faculty parking lot, and she was very fresh and oh so lost. They watched her pull into the spot in front of them. She turned the engine off and sat there for several seconds. She really was too innocent. With her eyes closed she looked like one of those meditation types.

Gary could see Bezel's eyes fix on the girl. "BZ, no. You're a senior, man. Look how young she is. Robbing the cradle." Gary could see that Bezel was sizing her up to do just that. The guy had no shame. "Aww. What?" It was no use. Maybe he could warn her off.

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One guy looked her over. His intentions obvious. She had seen her appearance cause misjudgments a thousand times by as many men, young and old. He seemed about to say something to her. The other broke in and said, "Hey, you know, carbon is killing us all, right?"

She paused to check him over. He wasn't going to die soon. Could be a young version of Mason though maybe smoking more weed. He looked comfortable on the grass. He obviously wasn't late for class. She walked up onto the lawn to get a closer look. She stared into the eyes of the one who spoke. She really should get going. She was late and getting later.

"Just saying, you know. Carbon is killing the planet."

She moved again within a few feet. This unnerved both and they sat up straighter. Neither would be collected anytime soon.

He put both hands up. Maybe to ward her off. "Hey, just saying."

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The girl got out and slammed the door. She was going to be late if she had class the next period even if it was the building just behind them. Gary knew Bezel all too well. He decided to make sure she got away. He said to her, "Hey, you know, carbon is killing us all, right?" She paused and then focused her full attention on him. Damn. She didn't look so young any more. Not at all. She stepped toward them without a smile, with the confident poise of a much older woman. She stopped and still said nothing just seemed to be checking them over - for what? Not the usual freshman open and paralyzed with awe first day on the campus face. Most real freshmen would be starting next term. He also had no idea what she might do next. She wasn't acting to type. The fact that she said nothing was unnerving. No stuttering, no giggles, no smiling. Just that intense look, like she could see through him. Shit. "Just saying, you know. Carbon is killing the planet." Shit if she didn't step even closer. He sat up straighter. So did Bezel. She tilted her head like she was a cat checking out some foolish mouse. Her eyes were an intense deep blue, a cold blue that held him fixed. He put his hands up. No harm meant. "Hey, just saying." That seemed to trigger an off switch and she turned and walked away. Fuck. He watched her pull out a schedule sheet and a map. Shit. For sure a FOC. He should have let Bezel go for it - alone. Now, that would have been fun to watch. Bezel still hadn't said anything. "BZ. Hey. I think she likes you. Why don't you go help her find her way. She needs your help, man."

Bezel said, "Fuck you." He slouched back down onto the grass waiting for something easier - something that wouldn't likely bite back.

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She turned and walked away. Where the fuck was she? She pulled out her schedule and her map. Somebody rang an annoying little bell. Oh, she was standing in the right of way of the bikers' lane. The woman in the administration office streamed a lot of shit her way and she remembered something about bikes having the right of way in these marked lanes. She moved over to the lawn. She needed to find some building marked D8 on her map. She found it, again, and yes, she could see at least four blocks to walk. Walking would be easier if there were not several thousand of the living crowding onto the same narrow walkways. All heading in different directions. All with some purpose, which seemed to conflict with her own immediate goal of making her own appointment.

Inside D fucking 8 she had to find room 308…which thank god was not on the third floor. It was the third lecture hall in this building. The eight was just hanging there useless. Fuck she was late. Not the way she wanted to start her first day of classes.

She had no idea what the etiquette was among these creatures when you were late. Did it matter? She opened one of the two big metal doors quietly and moved inside. She pushed back on the door as it pulled itself toward closing so that it shut with just a small clang. She looked around. Big class, a few hundred all sitting, probably wouldn't be a big deal. Still. There was Charlotte down in front writing something on the big board. Over to the side near the front row she could see Jane. She was sitting with her back to a wall and a clear view of the entire room. Not too close and not too far from Charlotte and not taking notes. Jane caught sight of her and nodded. George nodded back. Charlotte was talking saying something about a midterm test. That's probably important. She could see two lanes of steps separating the rows of seats into three sections, and Jesus Christ but the only empty seats were right fucking down in front. Why not just announce how late she was for her first class? She took a deep breath and headed down. She could feel eyes on her. Charlotte was still writing. Good. Maybe, just maybe she could slide into a seat and be absorbed into the mass of faces all focused forward before Charlotte turned around. She wouldn't be noticed then for sure even close to the front. She saw a seat in the second row, a likely easy to reach space waiting just for her, and the guy sitting in the aisle seat noticed her. He moved his legs and she squeezed past. Just a second or two more. And Charlotte turned around. Her eyes went wide and mouth opened up. George stopped moving to study this odd reaction she had never seen from Charlotte. George sat down. She looked down and slid her pack to the floor. She pulled a pad and pen out and looked up. Charlotte stuttered something, walked over to her podium, and cleared her throat. She started shuffling through some papers and coughed. My God, but she was shaking. Charlotte walked over to a desk and picked up an open bottle of water and took a swig, and then another. She looked George's way and put the bottle down. George smiled. It seemed to help a bit. Charlotte found her balance and started talking about a final paper and test and something about a recommended reading list. George looked over to Jane. Jane shrugged. Jane still wasn't taking notes - no pad or pen. She looked out of place here. It was the gun she carried.

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Charlotte dismissed the class. The students got up as one and shuffled this way and that, the mob filed down the rows and into the aisles. George stayed in her seat and had to pull her legs in for a couple to get by her. The mass of souls surged toward and through the doors. Several students wanted to ask questions or exchange a few words or maybe just kiss up to the professor. Jane stayed in her seat too. George watched some young guy sidle up to Jane and try to talk her up. He looked like a jock - as tall as Jane - lots of testosterone - looked like a beard was forming. The guy smiled at her and Jane held his eyes as she nodded towards the door - no friendly face for him. Deflated, he dropped his smile and followed the rest of the herd out. A few were left. These were the TA's she guessed. Charlotte had mentioned them in passing to her once. Charlotte said to them, "I'll see you back at the office." They looked at each other, one took a hard glance Jane's way, and then they also headed for the exits. When the last student and TA had walked out and the doors clanged shut, George got up and approached Charlotte. She was leaning on the podium taking another swig from her water bottle.

Jane got up and walked closer. "Hi, George. Business?"

She smiled Jane's way. "Jane. Nope, I've enrolled. I am a student."

Charlotte stopped sucking from the bottle and put it down. It looked empty. "Christ, I thought someone was going to die." She decided to take another swig, but her bottle was empty, looked around and sat down at the desk. Her hand went to her forehead and then her mouth. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She found herself. "George, why are you here?"

"Charlotte. I'm hurt. Of course if I enroll I'm going to take your classes."

Jane smiled from off to the side. George and Jane exchanged a glance.

George continued, "And besides my dad recommended your classes. All of them."

Charlotte's eyes opened wide - shock or surprise or both. "Clancy? You talked to Clancy? And he recommended my classes?"

George turned and moved to sit in a front row seat. "Yes. He and I had a long talk. He came by to check on the house for my dear mother. Apparently she's suspicious as to just who might be housesitting." George smiled. "I don't think she trusts Trip."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed and her head tilted. "He visited you at the house? I don't understand. You and he talked."

"He did. He visited Millie. He had no idea who I was, of course. But we had a nice talk. He thinks highly of you and your classes." She smiled again.

She shook her head. "So. You're really a student?"

"I am." She hadn't expected this reaction, but she guessed the problem. "Don't worry. No one…at least not anytime soon…is dying in your classes. I'll be going with Grace on some camping expedition and only students can go. I suppose this is my cover, but…you never know. Upstairs…what they're up to." She smiled.

Jane said, "That's a lot of preparation." Jane seemed to consider something. "Do you know who's dying?"

"Actually I do. Not a secret. It'll be me."

Jane's brows went up. Charlotte's brows arched. Charlotte asked, "You? You're…"

George looked around. The three were obviously completely alone. "I'm scheduled for a resurrection. Millie Hagen will be retired…underground. Death certificate issued. Should be a nice funeral. I'll make sure you get invitations." She smiled. They didn't. Maybe that was a little too reaper in the humor.

Jane nodded. "Ahh. The warehouse. Dave tried to force you into one back then. When he shot you in the head. You rise again in three days, right?"

"Basically, this body and the Millie identity dies as far as the living are concerned. This body will get buried or whatever, and I will be a ghost for three days, and then…on the third day I will manifest again. I will receive a new identity and get to stay here." She paused. They didn't get it. "I won't have to move away from Seattle."

Jane asked, "But won't people notice you've returned? Do you get a new face, too?"

"Nah, I'll change my hair. Probably will drive something else. People see what they expect to see. Millie dies and they don't see her anymore. I'm sure Rube will make sure to have a very public funeral. And, you know, people tend not to notice us anyway."

"Do you know how you will die?"

"No. That will be a surprise.

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Outside back at her SUV the two boys were gone, but George got another surprise - a ticket - the ever vigilant campus traffic powers that be detected her transgression - unauthorized parking in a faculty reserved lot - and responded. She had to have a special parking sticker for this particular lot - and she didn't qualify - wrong club.