I know, I've been through this a while. But here's something new!
"So, what's the deal with these avatars?" Mama asked me.
I'd already filled her in on what I'd told Papa, since she'd been distracted for the first part and unconscious for the second. I thought she deserved to know. And with Miriam breathing down my neck, I could barely focus. The best I could do was give the basics.
We were all gathered in the kitchen – me, Mama, Papa, Miriam, and Amy. Amy kept glowering at Shadow, who'd kept to the parlor. I guessed he didn't want to be anywhere near Amy the way she was right now. I didn't blame him in the slightest. The girl is nice, but much like me, she's also a force to be reckoned with when provoked. Besides, he'd already gotten a taste of her wrath. I noticed he was a little off on the couch, just out of croquet-hammer range. Smart guy.
I told them what I'd learned about the avatars – the unkillable, paradox warriors defending humanity –
"Don't we have the army for that?" Papa cut in.
I mentioned my run-in with Amy, and about how the avatars had been driven from New York. I tried not to sugarcoat the story of their expulsion, both because I hadn't exactly been there and because it reminded me of what our people had faced in history. (Several stinking times.)
Mama slid her hand around Amy. "That must've been rough for you all," she told her. "I'm so sorry."
When I got to the part about Shadow constantly following me around, Papa launched into an aggressive tirade in Yiddish (which I will not translate).
"I know," Shadow muttered through gritted teeth. It hadn't occurred to me that he could eavesdrop from that distance. Then again, avatars had better senses than we did. Nor did I wager he knew Yiddish, but he must've at least picked up on the sentiment. "I was just trying to warn the kid. And you."
"About my pendant possibly losing its mojo? Heard about that already," I commented. "Wait, why would you warn my papa?"
I didn't understand it. It hadn't occurred to me that however many avatars knew VLADJI was a secret from everyone, the newer ones might not be so keen to keep it. Little kids talked a lot, and sometimes divulged more than they should. Novice avatars were no different.
"Well, you sure could have picked a less unsettling way to do so," Amy scolded him. "The boy's freaked out as Void. And I can tell he's this close –" she pinched her fingers – "to calling the blue boys on you."
Miriam clicked her tongue. "Girl knows what's up."
Leave it to Miriam to sum things up in a catchy four-word phrase.
"Got that right," I shouted over to Shadow. Three words. Close enough. "I certainly didn't ask you to leave a note on my uncle's desk."
"I was trying to help the pendant along," he replied.
Such a Shadow response. I waited for a helpful explanation. Nothing came.
"I'm more concerned about where you've been if you haven't been with Miriam," Mama said, still addressing me. "If there's something better than her company –"
"'Something better' is saying a lot," Amy told her. "The boy needs structure, not a clingy little strangler fig. With no one else taking him besides that within his own class, he'd take anything over a crybaby. I'm starting to think you arranged this all for him."
I saw Miriam wince. No one likes being called a crybaby.
"What do you mean, within his own class?" Papa demanded. "Are you suggesting that –"
"A Gentile with a strong moral compass is better than a half-Jew with none at all? Yeah, that's what I'm suggesting."
It was obvious she was referring to DJ. I caught Amy's glance. One of her powers allowed her to read emotions almost effortlessly. She knew the truth of what my father felt regarding me. She'd probably even guessed about what had gone down in our argument before.
She gave me a look like, just tell them, dude.
The gravity field sensation I felt earlier grew heavier, and not from the guilt, but dread. I didn't want to put my family in this sort of danger. I wasn't sure how my parents would react, even.
But then I glanced at Papa. His scowl reminded me of the one he gave Daniel when he caught the latter being lazy. I didn't want to be like Daniel. I didn't want to let them down.
I stood a little straighter, like I'd done with Daniel only two days ago to get him moving on chores. I wanted my papa to pay attention to me. I didn't want to be the screw-up again.
"She's right," I said. "I've found DJ – and two others from outside. And I daresay, they're much more supportive than Miriam."
I caught another shocked glance from Miriam, which I ignored. "Can you accept it? Can you accept that the best people aren't always the ones who agree with you? By the way, one of the two others is our Shabbat goy's kid."
That got Papa's attention. I figured that connection would play better with him, since he knew José. At least, he'd be slightly more ready to accept it.
"What is going on?" he demanded. "Why didn't you tell me about it?"
"Oh, golly," I responded. "Maybe because it was tacked on to saving a Muslim girl?" I instantly regretted bringing Imira into the picture, but I was now running my mouth. "Maybe because I didn't trust your biases enough? Or was it that I was pushed into something involving all three of those girls, bigger than myself, but you probably wouldn't believe me if you hadn't seen our visitors?" I gestured toward Amy and Shadow.
"Muslim girl?" Miriam sounded thoroughly shocked.
"Bigger than yourself?" Mama said. "You make it sound like all this was God's will."
"It was fate's will," Amy replied. "Which I suppose is God's will, if you want to look at it that way."
Mama's expression shifted to resignation. "Then the will of God be done," she murmured. Then she continued in a normal tone, "What were you pushed into, Amos, that involved those girls?"
I considered how to explain this. I caught Papa's glance. He clearly wasn't happy about it, but he'd also heard what Amy said about this being God's will – or else fate's will, although Amy had made her point pretty well, in my opinion. You want to argue with either one? Good luck.
"This is going to sound totally crazy," I said.
I explained about the Doctor, about his commission to be the light of reason so the avatars didn't have to deal with the humans tearing each other apart. I caught Amy shooting a glance at Miriam – less angry than pitying, as if she might already be a victim of the fallout. Given her schooling, it would not have been a total surprise if she'd been told things that were neither useful nor conducive to a peaceful environment.
I explained about our hijinks as VLADJI, and about the Doctor's words when he gave me the pendant – when you figure out where your talents lie, it will activate. I told them about how I'd saved José's neighborhood from avadarks (keeping my description bare bones, just the facts, even though I didn't want to upset Mama) and the incident with the cysnakes (Mama went pale at the mention of the drag queen).
When I finished, Mama and Papa were staring at me, then at each other. Shadow appeared behind Papa, making me jump. I had barely noticed him smoke in this time.
Mama's glance was a mixture of resignation and surprise. "I believe you," she said to me.
"How so? I mean, I just told you I'm hanging out with these superpowered freaks, and now –"
"You couldn't have said it like that before," Miriam cut in. "Not so serious. It certainly explains a lot. You seem… different. Mature."
Her voice carried more sadness than she'd ever used to guilt-trip me, enough to be sincere. It was clear, now, just how much Miriam and I were growing apart. I knew we'd been distanced by education, and that had put a wedge between us. Clearly, my time spent with VLADJI had only increased that distance even further, so that neither of us could get back to the old days.
I had to explain about my life – to Miriam, if to no one else.
Papa glanced sadly at me. Then seemed to realize I wanted some time alone with my friend. He shook his head, as if he couldn't believe I'd take so much out of context, then left. Mama went with him.
"Okay," Miriam asked, "what are they like?"
Again, short chapter. But stay tuned! The verse for today: Hosea 14:10.