Broken Circle by J.L. Powers

Author:J.L. Powers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Akashic Books
Published: 2017-08-24T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

It surprises me, though I don’t know why it would, that a dozen kids plan to go to the mainland to attend church. Sean is one of them.

“Really? Church?” I ask. We’re chowing down on the best ceviche I’ve ever had, laying the lime-coddled fish thick across salty tortilla chips.

“I’m Irish,” Sean explains. “I’m as Catholic as they come.”

“Yeah, but you’re a Dullahan.” I search my memory for what I’ve read about the clan. “You think priests would feel good knowing that people die if you just say their name?” I snap my fingers. “And the whole headless horsemen thing. You guys are creepy. I bet the Catholic Church wouldn’t think too highly of your chosen, um, profession.”

“ADAM JONES,” Sean declares, crossing his eyes. He grins. “Time to saddle that old horse.”

I know he’s joking around but it’s hard for me to find death jokes funny. “C’mon, I’m serious. What do you think they’d think?”

He shrugs. “So what. I know more than they do, but it’s not like I have all the answers. I still have faith that there’s something bigger than us. Than me.”

“Think of it as a field trip,” Tomás says, coming to my rescue. “You can’t separate most people’s ideas of death from their religion. You can’t escape Rastas on the islands so I study Rastafari.”

Sean purses his lips and makes a motion with two fingers like he’s smoking a joint. “Yeah, I’ll just bet you ‘study’ Rastafari.”

Tomás chuckles.

I groan. “Just when I thought I was getting a handle on things, you add religion to the mix? And smoking pot?”

Of course, Dad took me to a number of bizarre faith-healing, snake-handling, and speaking-in-tongues services as I was growing up. I had a feeling he was raised Catholic but we only went to those somber services once or twice. Despite that, religion feels like an entirely new thing to have to know all about.

To be honest, I think I’ve done pretty well. I’ve taken up fencing—something I never thought I’d do—and started learning the piano, under Gen’s tutelage. I’ve made it through the stack of books Aileen gave me and I’ve read more history than I ever thought I’d learn in my entire life. Last, but not least, Rachel and I literally blew up half the science barn trying some genetic experiments she wanted to do. Just for everyone’s general edification, you’re supposed to add acid to water—not the other way around.

Fortunately for us, they shrug those things off around here. Tragic accidents? No big deal. As long as we’re still alive, it’s all good. As long as we learned something . . .

One of the cooks dongs the bell and we all wander into the dining room. Tonight’s menu: enchiladas with a spicy tomatillo sauce, chile rellenos, gorditas, cole slaw, Spanish rice, and black beans. Man, they know how to cook here! I hope the school’s next incarnation, wherever it is, has the same cooks. Or cooks as good as these.

I pile my plate high and sit down near Sean and Tomás.

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