The Book of Knowledge by David Michael Slater

Author:David Michael Slater
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CBAY Books
Published: 2012-01-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

the good life

“Oh, ha, ha, ha,” Daphna said, returning to her senses and quickly closing the door. “Come back, Dexter.”

Dex reappeared. “First Emmet, then Antin, and now Evelyn,” he sniggered. “You’re one hot chick.” Dex felt a surge of ill will at having been forced to see his sister this way again—as someone’s potential girlfriend rather than just a girl. Of course, in this situation, she was a man, which was absurd.

But regardless, from the moment Antin called her good-looking the other day, he’d been bothered about it. Just the fact that Daphna thought she could flirt with someone as dangerous as Emmet or Antin galled him.

Of course, she hadn’t pulled it off with Antin, but still, watching the little romantic scene with Evelyn unfold had angered him to the point of irrationality. He’d plainly seen how distressed his sister was getting, yet he didn’t step in.

“What’s wrong with you, Dexter!” Daphna demanded. “If Evelyn would’ve seen me change back, we’d’ve been doomed. She would’ve freaked out! But I’m sure that would’ve been worth a good chuckle.”

As ridiculous as it was, Daphna couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pride at having turned Evelyn’s affections to their advantage, even if she hadn’t accomplished it as herself. The disaster with Antin had cast some major doubt over her recently discovered flirting skills.

Dex didn’t respond to his sister’s railing because he’d realized something. When Antin had knocked her nearly silly in the burned out bookstore, he hadn’t interfered then either, and it wasn’t because he was being restrained. He hadn’t even tried.

Now Dex knew why: secretly, he’d been pleased. He couldn’t face it at the time, but there it was. Dex felt horrible about it now—Daphna had been trying to save their lives! He also finally understood what an idiot he’d been for almost letting Evelyn find them out.

But, he wasn’t going to dwell on guilty feelings. How could Daphna blame him anyway? He was just doing whatever he was doing in this life, right? Dex wondered if maybe people weren’t even responsible for reactions they didn’t intend. Maybe thoughts crossed people’s minds as randomly as words crossed the pages of the Book of Nonsense. If you lived a trillion lives, what thought wouldn’t you have?

“All right, all right,” Dex said, getting up. “Keep your hair on. I wasn’t going to let her see you change back. You seem to enjoy flirting, anyway.”

“Fine, whatever, Dexter,” Daphna retorted. “I imagine if she’d seen me change back, you would’ve solved the situation in a way you’d’ve enjoyed more, like by bashing her in the head with something.”

“Yeah, that was my plan exactly,” Dex snapped, but he’d been stung. He didn’t know Daphna had seen how elated he’d been after thrashing Antin and all his thugs. It did get them out of the ABC, didn’t it? He hadn’t enjoyed hurting anyone. Maybe he’d only enjoyed their trying to get out of his way.

“Anyway,” Daphna said, “my flirting probably bought us a week of privacy. If we’re lucky.

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