The Secret of Zormna Clendar by Julie Steimle (best ereader for pdf TXT) 📕

was sure had passed on anciently—conversations with ancestors and meetings with people whom she struggled with in real life. She even had dreams with Jafarr in them that were like that, though she had never openly admitted it. Almost all of them were preferential to the dream of her parents getting murdered.

Darren had been talking the entire time she spaced out. “…I used to spend every afternoon here. Your aunt would make for me this dessert she called Kalger Cream pudding, and she told me stories of when she was little. She told me about the undercity where your mother grew up with her aunts and cousins, and how your grandparents died of a terrible plague that, I think she said, rots the bones and makes them collapse.”

She felt numb. Her great aunt really had told that kid everything. She wondered how the old woman had escaped the notice of the Surface Patrol. Being two years ago, it was before she was Zeta leader.

“She said she didn’t know you much,” Darren mused. “She had only seen pictures of you as a baby. But she said you were the cutest baby….”

Zormna closed her eyes and moaned.

 “…She said that it would be a good idea if I learned some Martian, so she taught me some of it.” He then extended his hand to Zormna and said, “Al’s i’nat za Darren. Which means—“

“My name is Darren,’’ Zormna said. She shook her head. “Why are you such an idiot?”

He dropped his hand. “Why are you being so mean?”

Pressing a hand against her throbbing head, Zormna spoke softly. “I realize this is all academic to you. Fascinating stuff. But you don’t realize how dangerous it is for you to talk like this.”

Darren stared.

“Outside is a car with two government agents armed with a license to kill, if they want,” she said. “They had kidnapped me already. Hurt me, left a bullet wound in my leg, glass in my feet, and messed with my memory. They don’t see this as a game. They see me as a threat because they think I’m an alien. Do you understand?”

He swallowed.

“This isn’t some cute video game where we can hit escape and start again with another life,” she said. “I’ve only got one. And everyone in my family that I knew and loved has been murdered. And with you blabbering about Mars—whether it is true or not—is dangerous for me. I could die.”

He seemed to take that thought as if it were a heavy Ming vase handed to him. Darren looked around himself uncomfortably.

“So don’t expect me to chat with you about such dangerous matters.” Zormna shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Oh.” Darren staggered back. It had finally sunk in. He had finally got it. “I…I’m sorry.”

She walked into the living room.

“I just didn’t want to feel like…you know, such a freak,” he said. “I mean, I know the truth when I hear it. And I just got so excited. That I…I guess I didn’t think about it…you know, from your view.”

Zormna closed her eyes. “The FBI could hurt you too, you know. It is better to stay out of it.”

Darren moaned. “That’s that last thing I want! Who wants to live life believing a lie?”

“If the lie keeps you safe—”

“I don’t care!” He marched up to her. “I want to know the truth. I promise this time I’ll shut up about it. No more Mars talk. I get it now.”

Zormna lifted an eyebrow, really not believing it. She shook her head.

“Please?” he begged.

But she shook her head again. “My job was to keep secrets, not share them.”

Darren frowned. Then he slumped against the arm of the couch. “That sucks. I was hoping for something more definite. I mean, your aunt was all excited for this big revolution that was supposed to happen soon. She kept radio contact with a friend on Mars all the time, which was how the FBI found her in the first place. Her radio required way too much power, and they thought she was running a drug house. Of course, then they found out the truth.”

But the word revolution rang in her ears. This was what she was looking for. “What did my great aunt know about the revolution?”

He shrugged, though he peeked at her. “Nothing much. Just that it was gaining ground, and she expected the war the government soon.”

“Oh.” Disappointed, Zormna slumped down again.

Darren leaned nearer. “Not earth-shattering news?”

She shook her head. “Wishful thinking.” The she glanced at his smirk and shook her head. “I can’t believe I am talking to you.”

He shrugged, but he also smiled. “I would never have expected someone in the military being pro-revolution.”

“Then you don’t know enough about….” She chuckled shaking her head more.

He laughed. “Nah. I don’t. Are you willing to talk?”

Sighing, Zormna went back through the living room to do another sweep for bugs, just in case.

Darren followed her. “You are one tough cookie to crack.”

She cast him a confused look at his mixed metaphor, feeling along the books again. She had put the encyclopedia set back into the living room after her first read-through. They were also a little dusty.

“Why were you following Jeff?” he asked.

“None of your business,” she said rather calmly.

He whimpered. “Really? Come on….”

She shook her head.

“Ok, fine. Then what about that prophecy that is supposed to be fulfilled soon? She said all humanity would be reunited under a peaceful reign of some kind of hero-king. Like a Messiah.”

All those words slapped into Zormna like a rolling pin. She turned back and stared at him. “What?”

Darren sighed. “Your aunt said some big prophecy was supposed to be fulfilled soon. She said that a seer friend of hers told her that stuff. But if you’ve never heard of it, then it is probably bogus too.”

“Prophecy…” Zormna’s knees buckled. She leaned on the bookshelf, thinking about what Jennifer had said about a prophecy. “Not about the end of the world?”

“I told you what I know,” he said. “She just thought that the revolution was the beginning of it. A great leader was supposed to arise and save the people from current regime.”

“The current regime is the High Class,” Zormna murmured.

He nodded, apparently knowing that too.

“How was this supposed to come about?” she asked, feeling dizzy.

He shrugged. “No clue. She didn’t expect to see it. Something about a dreadful destiny to die. I didn’t get it. And scarier, she died not long after she said that.”

“Because she is a Tarrn,” Zormna murmured, mostly to herself.

“What’s that?” Darren looked confused.

So, her great aunt had not told him about that. Zormna weakly chuckled to herself. The woman hadn’t been a complete lunatic after all.

“So…who is Jeff, really?” Darren asked. “And how come he has black hair?”

Zormna stared at him a full minute, taking in the boy who knew too much and yet still did not know enough to shut up. Finally, she said, “Jeff is someone you do not want to upset.”

Darren leaned back in awe and horror.

“But…he’s just a kid.” Seeing her dirty looks, he added, “I mean, a scary guy who looks…like…he….” And he slowly nodded to himself. “Ok. I get it. Don’t annoy Jeff. Chicago punk or Martian terrorist, I ought to steer clear of him. But—why is his hair black?”

“His mother’s hair is black.” She walked to the front door.

Following her, Darren rolled his eyes. “Come on…”

Shaking her head, Zormna undid the locks. “That’s enough. You need to let this go.”

“He’s a revolutionary, isn’t he?”

Zormna blinked at Darren. For a total idiot, he was astute.

She pulled open the door.

“Are you finally going to be nicer to me at school?” Darren asked, almost pleadingly.

“Are you going to quit telling everybody that I am a Martian?”

Shaking his head, Darren laughed.

“I got it already. I’ll drop the Mars stuff. But, you know,” he whispered as he stepped through the open door, “People have already guessed you two know each other a great deal better than just as acquaintances at some European military school. One week is not enough time with the way you two act. Even Todd McLenna could see that, and he’s denser than a rock. The FBI is sure to notice.”

Zormna peevishly rolled her eyes. “It was more like a month. And I am sure the FBI have done their homework.”

She stepped out with him.

“So, he really is from Chicago?” Darren looked disappointed.

“What do I know?” She gave him a firm shove to move him outside and out of the way. Pulling the door closed behind her as she went out, she locked it. “Go home. I have to go back to the McLennas’ before they get mad.”

Blinking at her, Darren shrugged then stepped both of his long legs down to the front walk. He turned to see if what she had said was a big lie. But Zormna passed him to the curb. She gave him one shove towards his house make sure he went in that direction before she headed towards Jennifer’s neighborhood. He still looked half-inclined to go back to Jafarr’s place to do some spying. He was that kind of stupid after all. However, he just turned around and said to her, “Maybe I should walk you home.”

She lurched to a halt, staring. “No….  No. I’m still not ready to be seen together with you.”

Darren emitted a whiny groan. “Ah, come on. Safety in numbers, right?”

Giving him another shove towards his house, Zormna pointed to the sky. “I’ll be fine as long as the sun’s still up. And I’ll walk in the middle of the street if I have to, so everyone can see me. I don’t need a wimp like you walking me home.”

Then she marched off without another word. She could feel him still watching her though. But it was different this time. Not like a stalker. Something friendlier. Maybe this was another friend to be counted on her second hand

Secretly, of course.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Spilled Juice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You spend an evening with some people; with others you invest it.”—Evan Esar—

 

If at first you don’t succeed, you have to repeat the same stupid process over again until you do—or at least modify the plan somewhat. Zormna could hardly wait for school to let out and for cheer practice to end so that she could continue where she had left off the previous day…before Darren had interrupted her and ruined everything. Nosing around a house where dangerous rebels lived was not the ideal thing to do without backup, but she had no choice.

She had scouted out the yard, back and front first, noting the security measures the “family” had taken, including motion sensitive lights, insulation for soundproofing, hidden cameras and trip wires. It was ingenious, really. The bushes themselves were rigged with electrical fencing, not charged, but for sensors. They would be able to detect squirrels and cats coming in and out of their yard if they wanted…and any human sneaking through them.

The house had three outside doors. Two in the back and one in the front. There were nine ground floor windows, five which opened, and four windows that opened into the upstairs apartment. Some of the windows had bars. When she had arrived, the driveway already contained two cars. It didn’t seem like they ever left that place unoccupied. So getting in would be impossible