Chapter 21
Strolling around Phoebe in late morning was a treat every single time I was able to indulge. I steered my bike through town, heading toward the local movie theater to meet my sister, and time and time again, I fell more and more in love with Phoebe.
Last night at work, after having my very informative and very insightful talk with Arze, everything had been easy to deal with.
I’d been paired with Abigail and Khalice for my shift in the maze, so avoiding having to look at Arze and silently will him to make up his mind about us had been much easier than expected.
Knowing that today I’d have my answer had crafted my good mood as I rode through town.
Myers had asked me this morning when I’d gotten up if I would come by the movie theater to meet the stellymn she’d been obsessed with while I’d been spending most of my time working at Jane’s.
And even though it wasn’t my day off like we’d originally talked about, I was game.
So after spending most of my morning writing, I figured I would head on over.
That was something else that was making me really happy.
My writing was absolutely thriving. Being surrounded by the macabre atmosphere that sometimes felt like you could taste it in the Phoebe air was really making writing so much easier.
I’d written over three hundred pages, just since we’d been in town, and I felt like fifty more or so and it would be done.
Well, at least the first draft would be done.
Considering I’d had like twenty pages upon arriving into town, I was super fucking proud of myself.
I was feeling so fulfilled that the fact that I was leaving at the end of the week hadn’t set in yet. And then when I factored in the infatuation with Arze, I didn’t want to leave.
But I couldn’t dwell on that. I was living in the now, and right now, things were so fucking good. For a Monday, I was feeling relatively chipper.
As I neared the movie theater, I smiled at the decorations that were being set up around town in preparation for the Hell-O-Ween festival.
New banners were being hung up and down the main street that the movie theater lived on, trees were being hung with skeleton lights, and people were already walking around in costume.
I fucking loved the community here to take such a stance on Halloween.
I pulled up to the movie theater and parked my bike at a conveniently placed bike rack before strolling inside the building.
The movie theater itself looked very classic from the outside, appearing like it was a theater from the golden age of film.
I could see on the marquee that the Tim Burton film this week was The Nightmare Before Christmas, and if I hadn’t had to work later, I would have totally cashed in to see that on the big screen.
Walking through the double glass doors, I strolled in and saw a few clusters of customers moseying about the red carpet or standing in line for concessions.
That’s when I spotted Myers. She was leaning on the counter off to the side, tossing her head back in laughter as she swatted the red arm of a stellymn.
He was wearing a black uniform with the theater’s logo on it, with matching pants and even a cute little visor.
But everything else about him showed how inhuman he was.
Aside from the already shocking red skin that he shared with Khalice and his other fellow stellymn, the three points of his tail swayed behind him lazily and happily as his lips curved into a handsome smile at being able to make my sister laugh.
And he had the same startling black eyes with a single circle of white that all other stellymn had.
Regardless, he was a pretty handsome guy.
He had spiked navy hair, like all stellymn, that was short and tidy and curled toward the ends.
He had both ears pierced and had several different gold earrings and hoops through each of them.
I could certainly see why my sister was enamored.
“Hey.” I said, interjecting my voice into their little pocket of laughter as I sauntered up to my sister.
Myers whipped her head in my direction, lighting up when she registered that it was her big brother. “Krueger, you made it.” Her smile bled into her voice comfortably. She stepped to the side, offering more of a full view of the stellymn who had captured her attention. “This is Larsky.”
Larsky was a little taller than I was, but not quite as tall as Arze. The comparison made me wish it were later already so I knew where we stood, but I tried banishing thoughts of my favorite tythwig to the backroom of my thoughts. Right now, I needed to focus on my sister’s Orb, not mine.
He leaned forward, giving me a sloppy half-smile and sticking out his hand for me to shake. His naturally black nails looked so fucking cool in juxtaposition with his too-red skin. Throwing back an easy grin, I clasped my hand in his as we shook in a proper greeting.
“Nice to meet you, Krueger.” Larsky’s voice sounded tinny and light compared to other stellymn I’d heard in the past. It was as carefree as he seemed to be. “Your sister’s told me a lot about you.”
“She did?” I gave Myers a quick glance but she just paired a shrug with her already placed smile.
Larsky nodded. “She told me about you being brave enough to leave your job to pursue your writing. That takes guts, man. Good for you.” The laidback but spirited energy that poured off of Larsky was a stark contrast to the pulled tight vibe that Khalice had.
It was nice to see that Orbs could be just as complex as humans.
Pride beamed through my eyes as I gave him a nod. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“And what you and your sister are doing,” He cleared his throat. “Traveling across the states? So cool.”
“Larsky works here at the movie theater.” Myers explained. “While he works towards what he really wants to do.”
Ahh, I could see why she was telling me. Larsky was figuring out what he wanted to do and trying to execute that plan, just like I was. I appreciated that we had something in common aside from enjoying the company of my sister.
“That’s great,” I agreed. “What is it you really want to do?”
“I want to get into broadcast work, like working at a radio station. Actually, I’d really love to host a TV show or something, but Orbs being on television is such a hard feat to conquer.”
I nodded. There were a couple of Orb-centric shows that existed both on air and online, but there wasn’t enough that it made it an easy goal to join the club.
“I think that’s just as brave as me leaving my job, if not more.” I said with the utmost sincerity. “There should be more Orbs on television. Hopefully that ORBIT board in D.C. can help make that happen.”
It was becoming common knowledge that there was an entire part within the House that was trying to give Orbs an equal voice in society, headed by politician Wallace Watson, a great advocate for bridging the gap between humans and Orbs alike.
While I’d heard that they were making progress, there was always more that could be done.
Especially since they’d taken down a petrylle kidnapping ring not too long ago, if I remembered correctly. I thought there was chatter about that a few months back.
“Hopefully.” Larsky smiled back, matching my verbal sentiments. “I’m trying to make it happen.”
“And you will.” Myers smiled so big I thought her skin was going to split. “I’ll be right back, I need to use the bathroom.”
“We’ll be here, love.” Larsky chimed with that, admittedly, adorable charm that seemed absolutely effortless for him.
Myers was giddy but silent as she left. I could see the spring in her step that Larsky’s words gave her. I turned my gaze back to the stellymn before me.
“Love, huh?”
I could have sworn I saw some blush punch into his red skin.
“I’m trying to keep things casual between us, since you guys are leaving after Halloween, but I have to say, I really care about your sister, Krueger.
” He paused, his head careening toward the direction that she’d disappeared in order to use the bathroom.
“She’s the coolest person I’ve ever met since moving here five years ago. ”
“Yeah, she’s pretty great.” I laughed in agreement. “But I’m biased as hell.”
“Well, then consider me biased too.” Larsky chuckled.
“She’s incredible. I…” He stopped himself, a sweat forming over his forehead that set my hackles on edge.
But it was really sweet to see that he was nervous to say something to the brother of the woman he was romancing.
“I know it’s not my place and not even remotely close to my choice, but I really wish you guys were staying in Phoebe a little bit longer. ”
A sigh plummeted out of my mouth from the depths of my chest. Those earlier contemplations involving a certain purple-skinned tythwig barreled from the back of my mind where I’d tied them up and came guns blazing to the front of my psyche.
I couldn’t argue his point. It appeared that both me and my sister had found affection waiting for us in Phoebe.
The thought that it could potentially turn into love was so fucking scary but so damn satisfying that I dreaded having to pack up the RV and leave.
“Me too, Larsky.” I finally said, an invisible anvil being pried from my lungs. “Me too.”