The Obsidian Society by Keshara Moore

Author:Keshara Moore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lioncrest Publishing
Published: 2023-03-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

10

The concrete steps dug into her back and rear of her legs, but it didn’t bother Lettie as she moved to rest her chin in the palm of her hands, elbows propped up on her thighs. A particularly heavy snowfall last night had left mounds of snow covering every surface in sight, and the group of children giggled, indulging in the fresh snowfall. The toddlers were content with either consuming the ice, their little faces shuddering in discontent at the unexpected brain freezes, or hopping through the snow, staring in amazement at the tracks left behind them. Meanwhile, the older kids shaped huge goblet-sized snowballs and pounded each other relentlessly, laughing every time a ball hit its intended target. It was not difficult to pick Aida out of her companions, her long hair braided back in painstakingly matching braids that shaped her skull, ending at the nape of her neck, a knitted gray hat stationed lopsided over the design. She was also the only one crafting angels in an undisturbed snowbank, removed enough from the other kids that none of them bothered her.

Mustering all the courage she could, Lettie left her place on the stoop across the street and dodged through several people, approaching the group. Mrs. Raza spotted her first as Lettie came closer. Graying spindly hair, tanned dark skin, and donning piles of shawls over her usual flower-patterned floor-length dress, Mrs. Raza was surprisingly spry for her age. She offered Lettie the same greeting given to everyone honored enough to be in her company, embracing her in a quick hug, and then pointed Lettie in the direction of Aida. By the time she’d gotten close enough to be heard without yelling, Aida no longer moved her feet and arms back and forth, instead lying completely still in the snow.

“You know, you keep laying out here like that and you’ll catch a cold. Even snow angels get sick.”

Her head snapped up from the ground, staring at the newcomer upside down, the angle delaying recognition.

“Lettie!?”

“Hey, Trouble.”

Lettie braced herself as Aida collided with her full force, her feet barely staying planted. Lettie waddled haphazardly, playing at almost falling over from the collision.

For a moment Aida leaned into the embrace. It was only after they separated that she remembered the two were not completely out of sight of the others, and her fabricated wall of coolness resumed.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have bad guys to track or something?”

“I was in the area. Thought I’d come check on Mrs. Raza.”

Aida’s dark brown eyes, an exact replica of Isaac’s, grew serious and the expression contrasted severely with her transitioning pubescent features.

“Lies. You know you don’t have to keep checking up on me, right? I’m fine. And the execution was like a week ago.”

Instinctively wanting to protect her, Lettie shook her head, bewildered by the girl’s directness at the death of her father but then remembered that Aida’d been through enough catastrophes to last more than a lifetime.

“You got me, I’m checking up on you” she answered, nodding her head slowly.

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