Ruin - By N.M. Martinez Page 0,31

me smile. If he is a dangerous tribe member like the rest, like his brother, then this small imperfection is reassuring. As if he catches my thought about his hair sticking up, he rubs at his hair, straightening it while at the same time managing to mess it up a little bit again.

I'm not sure what to say or why I came out. I didn't really have a plan. Words make their way out of my mouth and surprise me. “What's your brother's name?”

Brandon looks at me with that serious look of his that makes him look more like an adult than closer to my age. “Jimmy.”

It's strange; a man like that with such a normal sounding name. He's probably called Jim by close friends. James is probably his full name. Each name is different, foreign, when I compare them against the man I've seen bits and flashes of on my stay here.

I wonder why he didn't tell me about his brother too though I suppose there wasn't much time for that either. The first time I'd seen them together, I'd just gotten here and the second time, I was a little bit busy freaking out over watching a man killed in plain sight to care about how Brandon knew the murderer. And then I remember Henri mentioning that Jimmy wouldn't be happy about my staying here. What other Jimmy could he possibly mean?

Brandon clears his throat. “I'm sure you didn't come out here to ask me about him though.”

I give a shrug, "Maybe I did. I didn't really have a plan for conversation topics." I don't look directly at him, but I see him, slightly turned towards me, waiting and watching. How much of my thoughts is he really picking up? How much of my thoughts am I broadcasting? My thoughts are so strange. It's so easy for them to even sneak up on me that I wonder what it would be like for him to be able to catch those thoughts, things I probably don't even realize I put out, things that surprise even me.

In that strange moment, sitting there next to him with sleep in my eyes that I pick away, realizing that my own thoughts are as out of control as his ability to read them, I feel as close to him as if I've known him longer than a week. The words that slip out of my mouth surprise me, but they also don't. It seems the most natural to just ask him.

"What's going to happen to me?"

My throat sticks, and nothing more can come out. Brandon seems taken aback by my question, and I wonder if I was wrong to throw it out there with no warning. But his brother's words in the car ride here, though I haven't thought of them very often, they've stuck with me, hidden away just like the memories of Mom.

Brandon sighs, and I almost laugh because he sounds a lot like Henri, but he looks a lot like himself. There's more worry on his face than Henri had when I asked him the same question. He hesitates to speak whereas Henri was very quick to admit that he didn't know.

I sniff and can't help a short chuckle. "You don't know either."

He looks at me, and I can see him wanting to deny it, but his eyes betray him.

I look away and stretch my legs out. "The village is full of humans, isn't it? Wouldn't that be the best place for me?"

Brandon clears his throat and leans forward slightly. “It's not easy to get into the village. They have to watch their numbers, so unless someone dies or leaves...”

I nod at the blank wall. Of course it wouldn't be that simple.

Brandon stands. “I'm going to clean up, and then I'll start on breakfast.”

This is one of my last remaining days with Brandon. Soon enough, I'm going to have to head to Henri's and I have a feeling he won't put up with me as well as Brandon has. Today is going to be one of my last remaining days to learn as much as possible with someone kind enough to try and help me.

Mom said to trust Henri, but I don't know that I really can.

We head out for the village on foot. It's early so though the sun shines overhead, the chilly air still burns my cheeks.

In front of the building there are people hanging out, but the night crew appear less lively than the regular daytime crew.