Human Blend (30 page)

Eli pulled his glare away from Percone and
looked at Julie with softer eyes. “I would never be angry with you
for that,” Eli said.

“I feel strange..” she suddenly said. Eli
held up her chin and looked at her eyes.

“I'm afraid it's my fault, Eli. Julie and I
took something Percone offered us. I neglected to ask about the
side effects,” Uncle Gregg took the blame.

“I'm sure he didn't volunteer the information
either,” Eli replied.

Percone: You spoiled my fun.

Eli: You are never to come near either of
them again.

“Percone is not to blame, Eli. I should have
known better. He was just trying to help,” Uncle Gregg
defended.

Percone flashed a sarcastic smirk in Eli's
direction.

“I think you have forgotten what it means to
be an Earthling,” Percone said aloud. “Hopefully the punishment
handed down by Suron will help refresh your memory,” Percone
taunted.

“No, that's not right,” Julie fretted. “You
should not have to be punished for trying to help me. I'm the one
who is to blame,” Julie turned to Percone.

“Can I speak to Suron?” she asked him.

“Julie, let me worry about this. Suron will
be fair,” Eli told her.

Percone: Sacrificial lamb?

Eli: She stays out of it.

“Let's get you back to the house,” Eli said,
taking her hand.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Julie. I'm
sure we will talk again,” Percone said, blocking their path. He
reached for Julie's hand but Eli batted it away.

Eli: You will not touch her.

Percone: Afraid we might connect?

Percone grinned and took off into the
trees.

Julie looked up at Eli. “You two don't get
along,” she commented.

“He is not to be trusted,” he said.

“He has been my friend and confident for a
long time, Eli,” Uncle Gregg said, joining them.

“There are things about my people and our way
of life that you don't understand, Gregg. Just please use caution
around him and do not let your guard down,” Eli warned.

The three walked back to the house.

As they got close to the deck, Julie saw
Austin sitting at the table, eating. She ran up the steps and
embraced him.

“You're feeling better, too.” He laughed when
she squeezed him too hard.

“How long have you been up?” Julie asked.

“Long enough to be on his second plate of
food,” Marcus teased.

“Oh my God, that looks good,” Julie said,
staring at his plate.

“Julie, what do you like?” Uncle Gregg asked,
joining them.

“Everything,” she answered and everyone
laughed with her.

“You didn't eat yet? Where were you?” Austin
asked.

“I just had to clear my head,” she answered,
as Eli joined them.

“Austin... how are you feeling?” Eli
asked.

“I'm getting there,” Austin smiled. “Um, I
wanted to say thank you, Doctor Elsworth, for your help back
there,” Austin said.

“I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more,” Eli
responded.

Uncle Gregg brought over a plate filled with
all kinds of food: eggs, sausage, bacon, and bagels overflowed the
dish. “Wow, this looks incredible!” she exclaimed.

“Eat up,” Uncle Gregg encouraged.

“Don't have to tell me twice,” Julie said as
she began devouring the gourmet breakfast.

Marcus joined them at the table with another
plate of food. “What is that... your fourth?” Austin teased
him.

“Fifth... but who's counting?” Marcus
admitted.

Uncle Gregg looked over at the table with a
warmness in his heart. He liked seeing their smiling faces and
hearing the sound of their laughter.

“Eli, can I tempt you with anything?” Uncle
Gregg asked.

“No, but thank you,” Eli replied.

“So, tell us... what happened on the
helicopter?” Marcus asked.

“Everything happened pretty quickly,” Austin
said. He looked at Julie to see if she wanted to retell what
happened. She was looking down at her plate.

“All I remember is Luke and I were fighting
over his gun when I heard a shot. The next thing I know, the
helicopter was spinning out of control,” Austin told.

Julie stopped eating. She closed her eyes
trying to block out the images of that event. “Julie? Are you
okay?” Eli asked. He had moved beside her.

“Yeah... I'm fine. I just don't want to talk
about all this stuff right now,” she admitted.

Everyone got quiet and resumed eating. “Okay,
now it's too quiet,” Julie said when the sounds of utensils
scraping the plates got on her nerves.

“How about we talk about why we are the way
we are?” Austin suggested.

Uncle Gregg came and sat at the table with
everyone. “We can do that,” he said.

Julie reached for Austin's hand under the
table as Uncle Gregg began telling their story. She watched
Austin's expressions carefully as the explanation unfolded.

Uncle Gregg did a much better job of
gently explaining things than Marcus did
, Julie thought. She
became concerned when Austin just stared blankly.

“How much did you know?” Austin turned to ask
her.

“I only knew about my own abilities, not why
I had them, until I met Marcus,” she admitted. “He told me you
didn't have any abilities,” she said.

“Austin... when did you first notice you had
the ability to heal?” Uncle Gregg asked.

“I don't remember exactly. I remember cutting
myself and it closing right up. Maybe a few days ago?” he
answered.

“Did anything traumatic or unusual happen?
I'm looking for some kind of trigger,” Uncle Gregg stated.

“Traumatic? Not that I can think of. I do
remember seeing numbers at the carnival that Julie and I went to,”
he said.

“I have to ask you something personal,” Uncle
Gregg began. “Did you notice these things before you met Julie?” he
asked.

Julie frowned.

“No, after. Why?” Austin asked.

“Marcus, Eli... could you excuse us for a
moment?” Uncle Gregg asked.

Marcus was about to argue that he was still
eating, but instead picked up his plate and walked over to the
other side of the deck. Eli followed.

Julie had a look of concern on her face. “Do
you think my meeting Julie had something to do with my suddenly
having these abilities?” Austin asked.

“Not meeting her alone. If that were the
case, just being around me could have triggered it,” Uncle Gregg
stated. “I know this is personal, but I have to ask. Have you two
been intimate with each other?” he asked.

Julie's eyes widened as Austin and she looked
at each other. Austin looked back at Uncle Gregg. “Are you saying
that that could have been the trigger?” Austin asked. Julie rested
her head in her hands.

“I do have knowledge of a sexual encounter
being a triggering factor in latent abilities,” Uncle Gregg
confirmed.

Julie stood up. “Then this is my fault,
again. Everything bad that happens originates with me.” Julie began
to shake. The old familiar voice telling her to run was vocalizing
inside her head.

Eli and Marcus were out of hearing range but
could see Julie's reaction. “Uh, oh. There she goes again,” Marcus
commented.

“Julie, calm down. I just said it was a
possibility,” Uncle Gregg said.

“Julie!” Austin stood up and reached for
her.

“No, don't!” she shouted, backing up.

Austin did not respect her wishes and grabbed
her arms roughly. “You are not going to run anymore,” Austin said.
“I don't care if that was the reason... it doesn't matter; it was
in the past. We have to deal with the now,” Austin told her.

Julie shook her head. “You don't understand.
If I hadn't come here... to Marion... you would still be you, and
nobody would be dead and... and...” Julie rambled, pulling away
from him.

“Stop blaming yourself,” Austin said pulling
her back to him. “I need you... I need you to help me deal with all
of this,” he said, softening his voice. “Please,” Austin brushed
back her hair. “Help me,” he whispered and kissed her gently on the
cheek. Julie let out a few shuddering breaths, then nodded and
hugged him.

“Score one for my cuz,” Marcus said. “He must
have been studying your technique, doc,” Marcus teased.

Uncle Gregg stood beside Austin and Julie,
placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “I'm sure each of you
have more questions, but let's take a break. Eat some more, then
rest. We'll talk again later,” he told the two. Julie and Austin
walked back to the table.

“You know what, I think... I'm just going to
go lie down,” Julie said.

“Jules,” Austin said.

“No, really, I'm okay. I'm not going to run.
I just need some more rest,” she explained. Julie excused herself
and went back into the house.

Back in her room, she sat on the bed. She
felt numb.
I wonder what other surprises will bop me on the
head,
she thought.

There was a knock on her door. She raised her
head and saw Eli standing in the doorway. “I just wanted to make
sure you were okay,” he said.

“I don't think I am ever gonna be okay,” she
responded.

“Sounds a bit melodramatic, if you ask me.”
Eli smiled.

“I think I'm entitled,” she stated, almost
returning his smile.

“Perhaps, but stressing over things you can't
change won't help the situation,” he told her.

“How do I move past all this?” she asked.

“Decide what you want to do, then do it,” Eli
simply stated.

“I just feel so lost, Eli. I wanted so badly
to know about myself, and now I wish I didn't. What is that saying,
'ignorance is bliss'? I miss being ignorant,” she said.

“That's not the Julie I know,” Eli said,
coming into the room and sitting next to her.

“How can you know me when
I
don't even
know me?” she asked.

“When we first met, you told me all you
wanted to do was make people feel better. Is that still true?” Eli
asked.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Then you haven't changed. Yes, you know more
about yourself, but it hasn't changed who you are in here,” Eli
told, pointing to her heart.

“Everything you are saying makes total sense,
yet I feel different,” she said.

“How?” he asked.

“I don't know...” she said, standing. “I feel
like I am here under false pretenses. You heard Uncle G, we are
blended into embryos. Isn't that like tampering with the natural
order of things? I just feel like I don't belong here,” she
explained.

“What if I told you that we only use embryos
that have been tested to be unusable or unlikely to make it to
term?” Uncle Gregg said, standing in the hallway with Austin.

Julie thought about it for a minute. “I still
have a problem with what happens to the mothers,” Julie answered
honestly.

She glanced at Austin. He had a troubled look
on his face. Austin and Julie locked eyes and she could tell that
Uncle Gregg had told him about his mother. Austin entered the room
and, after giving a quick glance toward Eli, embraced Julie.

Julie hugged him tightly. She knew that the
news had to be difficult for him. She pulled back and looked at his
face. It was wet with tears. “Oh, Austin, I'm sorry,” she said,
holding his face.

Julie noticed that Eli and Uncle Gregg had
left the two of them alone. She took Austin's hand and led him to
the bed so they could sit down.

“Talk to me. Tell me what you are feeling,”
Julie encouraged him.

“I feel... I feel like my whole life has been
a lie,” Austin confessed.

“Your life hasn't been a lie. You were kept
in the dark about a lot of things. The person you grew up to be is
still here,” she told him.

Julie found it ironic to be having this
conversation with Austin. She was using the same analogies Eli had
used on her.

“I just can't believe that my mom is not my
mom,” he said.

“Austin, she is still your mom. She might not
be your biological mother, but she helped raise you. That is a mom
in every sense of the word,” she reminded.

“How am I ever going to feel normal again?”
he wondered aloud.

“You're asking the wrong person that
question. I've never felt normal my whole life.” She laughed.

“I can't even imagine how you lived. That
guy... Luke... he was... evil. How did you survive?” Austin
asked.

“I still can't believe it's over. I keep
expecting him to just show up and bring me back into that hell,”
Julie admitted.

“It's a new beginning... for both of us,”
Austin realized.

“Yeah, it is.” Julie smiled.

Austin leaned over and kissed her. The kiss
was soft and tender. He put his hand on the back of her neck and
kissed her again. This time the kiss was more heated than before.
She felt the need in him. Julie pulled back. “Austin, we
shouldn't,” she said.

“Jules, I need you,” he pleaded. He attempted
to kiss her again. Julie pushed him back.

“Austin, I can't. Not here, in this house,”
she told him.

“It's because of him, isn't it? he asked, a
dark look shadowing his face.

“What are you talking about?” Julie
asked.

“I've seen the way he looks at you,” Austin
told.

“Who?” she questioned.

“Don't play dumb. I've seen the way you look
at him, too,” Austin accused. He stood up and began pacing.

Julie was shocked at the tone of voice he was
using.

“Where is all this coming from?” she asked
him.

Austin put his hands on his head. “I'm all
mixed up inside,” he said, squeezing his head.

Julie went to him and removed his hands.
“Stop that. Let's go talk to Uncle G, maybe he can figure out
what's wrong,” she suggested.

“I don't want to talk anymore,” Austin said.
“Maybe I just need more rest,” he looked at Julie. “I'm sorry, I
was being irrational,” he admitted.