Aleer walked through the house and out the back door. He stood on the cement patio and lit a cigaret. A brief look around told him all her needed to know; his neighbors were sleeping.
“I don’t care about sunsets or nursery rhymes Verick. I care about dying and death. Oh yes, and this tiny little deal that was made to keep me alive. I know small little things like who saved my life shouldn’t matter, but they do.” Aleer’s tone was harsh and direct.
Verick’s face contorted into a snarl and sparks seemed to flash in his gray eyes. In the same instant the cigaret between Aleer’s lips was consumed by flames. While the flames were close to his face, he couldn’t feel any heat from the miniature fire. None the less, he released the cigaret as quickly as his nervous system allowed. Ash floated to the rain dampened ground.
“You overstep your bounds child. I would take you from this world myself if I could but don’t think I will hesitate to make this borrowed time of yours miserable.”
Aleer instantly thought of his daughter and wife.
“I won’t hurt them, but you know what I can do and you have seen how creative I can be.” The words chilled his skin. He had indeed seen multiple demonstrations of his abilities and he knew nothing of their boundaries. He had witnessed everything from the simple action of levitating a ball, and shattering a water glass to setting fire to his childhood home, using his father as the kindling. The memory made him want to retch. Instead he pulled the second to last cigaret from its pack and lit it.
Aleer looked out into the darkness and let the silence wash the tension away. When the first burned down, he flicked the butt into the neighbors yard and lit another. He smoked half before he spoke.
“Why me Verick. Why have you been guarding me since I was a kid. If I am on borrowed, it means that I should have died and there was nothing spectacular about that life. I survived childhood, worked like a slave and made a small family. It was an ordinary life. Why guard someone of no importance?” Aleer shook his his in confusion. Verick stood by his side watching him.
Aleer didn’t expect a reply and even when he did reply it was often no help at all. The cigaret was finished and he flicked the butt over the fence to join its pal.
“I am going to get some sleep. Look over Raine and Kacey for me Verick.”
“Always.” It was the same response Verick gave every night, but Aleer felt inclined to ask each night. On the off chance his time ran out while he was sleeping, he would die with the knowledge that the two people he loved most in this chaotic world were safe.
Mile 29 