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  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the feathered fiend etching lazy circles on the blank, blue canvas overhead. Jaden angled his face upward for a better view. Hard to tell at this distance, but was it smirking at him? Annoyed, he asked, “None of you can see that . . . that thing, cartwheeling up there?”

  More blank faces and worried looks. Jaden’s mind raced, factoring the possibilities. Clearly, the monster was up there, but irrationally, only he could see it. He knew he had not imagined the sense of doom he had felt earlier. Then again, could that have been a product of his overactive imagination? Not to mention the dizziness he had experienced on their break. And he had seen nothing resembling this beast anywhere, even in the extensive library of the Life Training Center. Reluctantly, he concluded he was possibly imagining things.

  Deciding to drop the matter before his worried friends dialed emergency services, he grimaced. “Okay, so I’m seeing things. I’ll drink more water. I’ll even agree to go back down if that’s what you want.”

  The group exhibited a mixture of relief and continued concern. But muted conversation had replaced the jovial atmosphere, and Jaden noticed the furtive glances as they packed up the remnants of their lunch. Feeling guilty, he figured some clowning might help restore their earlier camaraderie.

  Grateful for the dated “Chatty Catty” app he had streamed to his personal access line only the previous evening, he tapped the CC link on his wrist that connected him to his PAL. His virtual screen popped up, and he launched the app.

  He had played with it a little last night, and it was hilarious. Whatever you said, it recorded and played back, only altered, so the voice sounded like Alvin the Chipmunk—not that his friends would know who Alvin was. Jaden was the only one with a penchant for the old cartoons, finding their witty humor appealing. But they were in limited supply, and to find them, you had to scavenge. As a result, he spent hours online, paid small fortunes to wheedle one away from another person, and then enjoyed endless hours watching the movies repeatedly.

  Perching on a rock within earshot of his friends, he hunched over his virtual screen, pretending to talk to it. He grinned when he spotted Markov raising his eyebrows toward Shianna as they noticed what he was up to. Setting the app to play, he whined into the mic, “They think I’m cra-zy.”

  The ridiculous voice squeaked back, “They think I’m cra-zy.”

  “No, that’s what I said,” Jaden replied, and the tinny voice again warped his words as it echoed them.

  Shianna and Markov stood there, gaping. It took one more line for them to register it was a prank, and they hooted with pleasure, scrambling over to Jaden. The rest of the crew, attracted by the sudden commotion, crowded closer.

  When “Catty” picked up on Bree’s throaty chuckle and turned it into a warble, they all erupted. The group’s anxiety melted away as naturally as the surrounding snow soon would. They tossed the screen around, and the hysterics continued.

  Relieved Jaden appeared normal again, Bree produced her mouthwatering cookies, and they kept playing with the app. But Jaden didn’t miss the surreptitious glances they still slid his way, an unspoken agreement. If he showed any further signs of altitude sickness, they would leave.

  Jaden attempted to exhibit normal behavior, even though his insides churned with unease. It faded as time ebbed, packed with casual conversations, snowball fights, laser tag games in the trees surrounding the pool, and more food.

  Toward late afternoon, the air assumed a fierce, frosty edge, and the group grudgingly prepared for the return trip, cleaning the area they had used before departing. Jaden darted a brief, reluctant glance upward as they left the frozen pool. Smudges of wispy cirrus clouds were the only decorations on the otherwise empty sky.

  The hike back was their favorite part of the trip. More accurately, it was a slide to the bottom. Using the marked sections of the trail, they plunked themselves on their rear ends and let gravity take over, the slick fabric of their snow pants whisking them down. This led to inevitable collisions with one other and the odd, painful encounters with an out-of-place rock. Shrieking and shouting, they hurtled downward until they arrived back where they had started, their faces red from the cold, noses streaming, and bodies frozen to the bone.

  Stovan’s family’s shiny, silver terraporter waited for them in the guest parking berths. Roomy enough to accommodate the entire group, with all the amenities of a home on wheels and hooked up to the AutoNav system, it not only meant they could travel on their own as teens but also that they could kick back and relax while they were auto-piloted home.

  Stovan fired up the terraporter and set the heater to max blast while they stripped their soggy outer layers, replacing them with warm sweaters, fleecy sweatpants and thick, dry socks. They dumped their wet clothes in trash bags and threw them in the storage hatch before settling in.

  Jaden smiled as Tarise slipped into a seat beside him. “Am I still not looking so hot?” he teased.

  “Well, considering your face is beet-red now instead of chalk white like it was on the mountain, I’d say you look much hotter,” she quipped.

  Jaden laughed as the terraporter slipped from its berth. Gazing out the window back toward the mountain they had just descended, he detected nothing unusual, nothing out of place. But despite his reasoning earlier that whatever he had seen had to have resulted from the altitude, Jaden couldn’t shake the sensation something was out there. And it was waiting.

  Chapter Three

  Kayla studied her room with a mixture of jubilation and annoyance. It was spacious with its own walk-in closet and place for all her shoes, but how long would she be here to enjoy it?

  She glared at the moving boxes stacked against one wall. With her father’s job as a contractor, her family was lucky if they only moved once every few years. Sometimes, though, it was a scant six months before it was time to pick up and move . . . again. It was getting old.

  Although she enjoyed the new homes to explore, rooms to decorate, and stores to exploit, she dreaded navigating the new LCs and the “friends” her parents expected her to make. Being a loner was almost easier. That way, there were no tearful goodbyes when it was time to move on.

  Miserably, she thought of Grailynn, her best friend ever, whom she had had to abandon for this last transfer. It had been her toughest farewell. She and Grailynn shared a rare friendship where they could literally finish each other’s sentences.

  Kayla was still angry her parents had denied her request to stay with Grailynn’s family through the end of the semester. What difference could a few extra weeks have possibly made? But no, they insisted I leave when they did. She had lost out on that last precious ounce of time with Grailynn. Her early departure from the LC also meant she would start the new semester hindered by a graduated average instead of her typical stellar year-end results.

  Fresh fury flared. She slit the throat of the nearest box, choked by clothes. Grabbing garments, she hurled them onto shelves. The box emptied, she snatched another. She disposed its contents of in a similarly destructive fashion. Rage driving her on, she terrorized two more boxes before yanking on the carton containing her shoes. The cardboard creaked, briefly resisting before resigning with a hissing rip. The tearing sliced Kayla’s anger, and her temper receded.

  Taking a steadying breath, she freed the first pair of shoes: dainty sling-back sandals in a delicate shade of blue, perfect for summer evening socials. Smiling at the memories they invoked, she willed herself to calm down and relaxed into the tranquil task of savoring each pair.

  At least relocating came with the benefit of her parents owing her new shoes. Although this was their way of bribing her and a gesture she rarely took advantage of, this time she would appropriate her pound of flesh.

  Another sigh escaped when her fingers found her running shoes. More memories of what she had lost. Running with Grailynn had been one of their favorite afternoon activities. Daily, they had basked in the freedom of being able to stretch their legs on the u
nspoiled beaches of the shoreline near their homes. Kayla’s pale green eyes went dreamy as she remembered the ocean with its ever-changing color palette and scented breezes, brushing warm, salty air across her face. The closest she would come to sea and surf now would be the lake they had passed on the way to their new home.

  It was about a grid away, a nice warm-up distance. She had caught snatches of graveled sections, hinting at a pathway around its perimeter, when their terraporter had skirted the lake. Now that she was thinking of it, perhaps it was time to check it out.

  Hurriedly scraping her blonde hair into a tidy ponytail, she picked through the muddled clothes strewn across her closet. Pouncing with triumph on a long-sleeved workout tee and some heavyweight running pants, she dragged them on. A thermal sweater followed the tee, and then she slid her feet into her shoes. Down the stairs she bounded, aiming for the street door and yelling to her mom she was going for a run. Without waiting for a reply, she dashed out and escaped.

  Although it was gloriously sunny, an icy wind nipping at her exposed flesh tempered the sun’s warmth. Summer was at least a month away. The snow-covered mountains dwarfing the community were probably the source of the chilled air. Setting her PAL to “private” mode, she absorbed the music filtering directly into her ears and studied the mountains as she warmed up.

  From here, she could only glimpse portions of the towering peaks through the skeletal trees and plentiful homes making up their community. Copious amounts of snow still saturated the upper peaks. Large swathes of dark green evergreens prickled up below the snow line, their thick bands broken by the black boulders forming the backbone of the mountain.

  Kayla eased into a jog, idly wondering whether the people here climbed the mountain or went hiking on its lower slopes. Something to investigate when she had time. She should focus on where she was going.

  The lake turned out to be manmade. A bitter disappointment. She had been hoping for something natural, to remind her of the ocean. Instead of the irregular edges where shoreline met sea, the lake had evenly rounded curves. Instead of soft, fine beach sand, stark, dull gray gravel marked the path. Definitely not as aesthetically pleasing as running next to an ocean. Despite these disenchantments, Kayla’s coiled muscles unwound as her feet pounded away the stresses of the last few days.

  With her burdens lifting, Kayla noticed more attractive aspects of the lake. It had been here a long time. The water’s edge was thick with winter-bleached water reeds, rustling quietly as spring-emergent wildlife scurried about in their depths. Geese, their masquerade-masked heads held high, bobbed serenely on the teal lake, not yet feeling the urge to head back north. A startling variety of indigenous shrubs abounded, their bare arms stretching upward as though calling for summer. Dormant, yellow grasses flanked the pathway on either side, flattened by what must have been the weight of recent snowfalls.

  Kayla imagined what the lake might look like in the summer, surrounded by wavy, green meadows and alive with twittering birds lording it over the small, furry animals scampering about. As the picture emerged her mind, she saw the sky reflected on the mirror-smooth surface of the water and the pathway softening to silver in the summer sunshine. Perhaps she could adjust.

  Curving around and up the short hill forming one bank of the lake, she turned her head slightly to take in the view and almost lost her footing. The trail gave an unobstructed view of the mountain off to the lake’s western side. The scene was stunning. Kayla had not grasped the immensity or grandeur of the mountains. Picking her pace back up to the steady beat, she kept one eye on the pathway and one eye on the impressive panorama. So engrossed was she in admiring the scenery, she didn’t hear the crunching sound suggesting someone was coming up behind her.

  “Hey, mind if I join you?” a female voice piped up.

  For the second time, Kayla nearly lost her footing, narrowly avoiding tumbling off the edge of the path into the bushes that topped the sharp drop off to the other side of the trail.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” came the apologetic response.

  Kayla didn’t slow, eyeing the girl who had snuck up on her. She was three or four years older, had a friendly face, and was in excellent shape.

  “That’s okay, and you’re welcome to join me,” Kayla said, remembering the way she and Grailynn had met. On the beach. Both running their frustrations away. Was this some kind of sign? “I’m Kayla,” she said, giving a finger wave.

  “Miera,” the girl responded, waving back. “This your first time around the lake?”

  “Yeah, what gave it away?”

  “The way you almost ran into the lake when you saw the view.”

  “Guess that must have looked funny.”

  “It was. So, you’re new to the neighborhood?”

  “Yup, only been here a night and a day.” Kayla adjusted her breathing so she could talk while she ran.

  “Welcome! You run often?”

  “Whenever I get the chance. You?”

  “Me? I advise everyone to avoid it like the plague. You’re puffing for air, exhausted, stinky, and sweaty . . . What sane person does that? Yet here I am, racing around the lake like an idiot.”

  Kayla giggled. “Racing’s the right word; you run awfully fast.”

  “I only run fast so I can get it over and done with.”

  Kayla had to laugh. “Then why do you do it?”

  “Keeping fit and healthy and all that stuff.”

  “Well, there are other ways to accomplish that besides running—” Kayla began.

  “Been there, done that. Much as I hate running, it’s like I can’t live without it either.”

  “I hear you.” Kayla nodded in understanding. They lapsed into silence as they contemplated the vexing paradox.

  Nearing the point where Kayla had started, Miera asked, “Are we doing another round?”

  “Sure, let’s prolong the torture.” She giggled when Miera rolled her eyes and muttered something inaudible.

  They began round two, and Kayla beamed. How awesome is it having someone running next to me? Even if it isn’t Grailynn. While Kayla and Grailynn had had almost the same stride, Miera was definitely holding back, slowing her pace to match Kayla’s. For someone who supposedly didn’t enjoy running, she sure excelled at it.

  Kayla subtly studied her new running mate. Built tall and lean, Miera was the opposite of Kayla’s petite and curvy. Kayla’s long blonde hair contrasted with Miera’s short, dark bob. Miera was wearing a worn burgundy sweater covered with paint splotches and faded black track pants which bravely boasted not one, but two, torn pockets. Definitely not the upscale workout gear Kayla used. However, Kayla knew better than to judge someone solely on their outward appearance. Looking past the exterior, she concluded Miera was not as concerned about what she wore as she was about being comfortable and getting the job done.

  “What are you smiling at?” Miera asked.

  “Are you one of those people that thrives on to-do lists?”

  “How d'you guess?”

  “Just a hunch,” Kayla hummed, “based on years of observing people.”

  “Years, really? You sound ancient!”

  Kayla giggled, and they resumed their quiet rhythm. Drawing near her exit for the second time, Kayla slowed. “I didn’t see where you joined in on the trail, but this is where I head back home.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Miera said with obvious pleasure. “What are your coordinates?”

  “Haven’t memorized them yet. Like I said, we only arrived yesterday, so all I’ve done is sleep in the house and unpack about four boxes. Still have plenty more to go. Oh, joy!”

  “We’ve never moved.” Miera’s tone was wistful.

  “Believe me, when you’ve moved as often as I have, you can’t wait for all the moving to stop,” Kayla snapped, so ferociously that Miera paused and stared at her.

  “You sound steamed. Want to run off more of that steam tomorrow, same time?”

  Kayla whooped. “Absolutely!”<
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  The pair agreed walking back to their homes would be an adequate cool down. Miera walked all the way home with her, surprising Kayla.

  “This is me,” Kayla said, motioning toward a house with a rooftop landing site, hosting a storage transporter overflowing with moving boxes.

  “Ah, so you’re our new neighbors. We saw you arrive yesterday. I’m close. That house over there with the gray stone trim.” Miera pointed at one four doors down. “I could meet you here tomorrow instead of at the lake if you prefer?”

  “I’d like that. Shall we say around two?”

  “You bet. See you then. I’m happy we met,” Miera called as she trotted off.

  Standing under a steaming shower a few minutes later, Kayla smiled, considering the odds of meeting someone so nice so soon. Pity that Miera was probably already an apprentice and too old for the LC Kayla would attend when the fall session began. That would’ve been too easy. Oh well, be thankful for what you have, as Grammy used to say.

  Chapter Four

  Over the next week, Kayla and Miera ran four days out of seven. They settled into an easy rapport, trading snippets about their lives as they ran. Kayla gleaned enough information to build a picture of Miera’s life. Like Kayla, Miera had grown up an only child, which meant she was used to entertaining herself. Usually, this comprised countless hours reading fiction—and not much time doing anything else. Miera explained this was one reason for her running. “It’s better for me if I don’t spend all day cooped up on the couch!”

  Kayla loved how easy Miera was to talk to. It was a refreshing change from most of the people she had met during their many moves, people closed off to strangers and unwilling to reveal too much of themselves, even to acquaintances. Why did people have the crazy notion that if they didn’t get close to you, you wouldn’t notice their shortcomings? They only kept themselves lonely, and if you were around long enough, they revealed their character flaws, regardless. Kayla hoped the kids at her new LC wouldn’t display these traits. If everyone there was as friendly as Miera, this new community held promise. She might even make a new friend.