Avery the Immortal: Part Five (special preview)

“Then where have you been staying?” I ask him.

Avery shrugs. “Wherever. There’ an old cabin off that dirt road,” he murmurs, nodding his head in the direction. “But the spirit there is loud and abusive, so I slept outside last night.”

“The old Cutler Cabi, I know it,” I sigh with a nod. “You still want that meal?”

Avery turns back to me. “Why are you offering?”

I give him a smile. “Because I’m Mama.”

Avery’s eyes glance over me once and his shoulders relax ever so slightly. “You don’t look like someone who would be called Mama.”

“Well I am,” I laugh. “And it’s my job to protect the people here. Lots of dark magic hidden in the corners here, you know?” I glance around. “People getting into things they don’t know like kids playing with matches.” I stand up and offer my hand to Avery. “You’re here, so as long as you are, you fall under my protection as well.”

Avery takes my hand and there is a jolt that surge through my body, shaking me to my core. There is something very strange and ancient about this boy, more so than I have ever encountered in my life.

I take him across the street to the diner where we sit in a booth. Several people around us look back and stare, some seem agitated by Avery’s presence here. I sigh, trying to ignore their gazes and sneers.

“So, tell me, Avery,” I murmur, “do you need a place to stay while you’re here?”

Avery seems fascinated by the seats we’re in. The seats a red and shiny latex He’s rubbing his hand along it, making the fabric squeak.

“What sort of skin is this?” He  raises his eyes towards me. “I can’t recall anything that is this shiny. What sort of creatures do you raise around here?”

“It’s latex,” I laugh. “It’s not the skin of anything. It’s like rubber or plastic.”

“Huh,” Avery murmurs. “I was worried for a moment there were shiny cows somewhere.” He shrugs. “I rarely eat inside anywhere.”

I furrow my brow at him. “Who the heck are you?” I ask him again. “You said your name was Avery, but where did you come from? What are you?”

“Personal,” very mutters. He looks up as the waitress brings us glasses of ice water and menus.

“Ok, that’s fine,” I murmur. “I can respect that if you don’t want to share it.” 

“Thanks,” he murmurs. As he lifts the menu up I see there is a row of scars along the fingers of his right hand. They’re very red and they almost look like teeth marks.

“What do you like to eat Avery?” I ask him in place. “Pancakes? Chicken?”

“Not sure,” Avery sighs. “I don’t like eating. Nothing is ever so good. It’s sort of boring.” he lays down the menu. “Pancakes are fine.”

“They’re good here too.” I lay my own menu down. I can tell there is no joy in him whatsoever, Avery is merely a husk of a human being with something wholly inhuman piloting the body. “I think I’ll have the same.”

“I don’t need anywhere to stay,” he then says. “You don’t need to go out of your way to do anything at all for me.”