Shadow Status by River K. Scott

Author:River K. Scott [Scott, River K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781951899202
Publisher: Guard Tree Publishing LLC
Published: 2020-10-12T16:00:00+00:00

Later still, Jaffrey sat on his bed, scooting a foot into one of his Watcher boots. A thick gauze bandage circled his head. The wad near his temple was crusted in blood. He poked at it, winced, then myopically continued trying to smash the back of his foot into the boot’s heel cup; he didn’t want to bother with undoing the laces.

“Now what are you doing, little bro?” asked Ben. His brother was puddled into Jaffrey’s desk chair, looking restless and annoyed. “I just told you deck curfew’s still in effect. You can’t go nowhere. Even if you were Essential Personnel, I wouldn’t let you walk out the door, not in the state you’re in.”

To be honest, Jaffrey wasn’t sure why he was putting on his boots. He hadn’t even put pants on. He supposed it was so he could head to training. But he couldn’t remember if it was time. What time was it? Why was his head bandaged? He didn’t like this. He didn’t like feeling confused.

“Deck curfew means no training...” Jaffrey said slowly. “You’re a Watcher...Are you EP, er, Essential?”

“Ha-ha, wise guy.”

Jaffrey didn’t laugh. A beat passed. Ben’s ill humor dissipated, concern taking its place. He leaned forward. “Jeez, that Revitalize did a number on you. They warned us about the side effects.”

Jaffrey clenched the boot tighter. His grip was strong, and it felt good to do something physical. Not like a dream.

“I’m fine,” he said.

Ben rolled his eyes. “Sure you are. No hallucinations? No memory loss? You weren’t just yammering on about seeing a dragonfly?”

Jaffrey’s pulse quickened. “I’m not hallucinating.”

“My point exactly.”

“Was there a dragonfly?”

“Not a Reset alive who’s seen an insect. Not since the Original Mod, bro.”

“I’m a Proset,” said Jaffrey, latching onto the one fact he knew was true. He might not like it, but that’s what he was: a Watcher cadet and a Proset. In a way, he was proud. He just wished he could tell someone so they’d know how rare he was. He could tell Hannah.

Ben scratched his patchy beard growth. “Brag about your genes, and people’ll start treating you like a Proset. You lock down that crazy of yours, hey bud? Don’t want no kid brother of mine in any glass coffin.”

“I’m not a kid, Ben.”

Ben chewed his lip. “Guess you’re not anymore. Still, my job to protect you if I can, and that means you’re not going nowhere. And it means you keep that Proset crap to yourself—if you wanna keep your whites.”

Whites. That reminded him...Something bad had happened in the program. “They need me, Ben. People are in trouble.”

“No kidding. Uhn-uhn-uhn. Sit down, little bro. Jeez, you’re spring-loaded today.” Jaffrey felt two hands on his shoulders. His vision was fading again. He wished it wouldn’t. “Pewitts are outta commission, my friend. No academy, no training, no Watching—They got a skeleton team working the program floor.” He sounded disgruntled. “Even Dad’s holed up here.”

“Mom?” Jaffrey was lying down now. The one boot he’d managed to get on, Ben was yanking off.

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