(4)
The air hung heavy in silence. Jessy looked at Dr. Reichenbach, not a hint of emotion appeared in his body language. “Did that answer your question?”
“Have you always had such a good memory?” he questioned.
“I have a photographic memory.” She looked to the sunbeams dancing through the window slanted curtains, “It is a blessing and a curse.”
“How old were you when you aided him?”
“Five, but I had to help in order to be one of us and not one of them. My father was just making sure; there would be someone there for me in case something happen to him.” The doctor said nothing, so she tried to explain, “There are only two types, us, who we can trust and them who are the animals. The animals will try to trick us into believing they are one of us.”
Dr. Reichenbach tilted his head looking dead in her eyes, “Do you really believe that?”
“That is what my father told me over and over and over. I’ve always been torn on what to believe.” she paused, “I know I only had a few years of memory with my biological father but everything he said made sense. With my adoptive family everything is okay for them to do but not for me. My mom said it is because I think different, and there was nothing wrong with thinking different. It made it hard to know how to be their perfect child.”
“Did they expect you to be?”
“No, I wanted to be. I wanted to be one of them.”
“So when did you become a Fireoak? And what is a Fireoak?”
“That’s our family name, Raven and Cufean Fireoak took me in when I was six.” Jessy sighed, “You would know him as Ghost Archer of the Wild hunt and his wife, Raven the Seeker.”
The man eyes reacted in surprise and made a note. “So you are a super hero too?”
“I’m not all that super and not much of a hero.”
“So what happen to your biological father?”
“He died.”
Dr. Reichenbach requested, “Please explain.”
(5)
The cab drove up to a gated home. It was a large house with a sprawling lawn filled with well manicured trees and shrubs. The circling drive to the front stairs could be seen in the distance. The camera stared down at the cab as the cabbie pressed the call button.
The boxed chirped as a man’s voice replied, “yes?”
The speaker crackled as the cabbie spoke into it, “Yeah I have Ms. Jessy for you.”
The smooth hum of the mechanicals of the gate sounded as they inched open. In a hurry the cab moved forward, not waiting for them to fully open.
Jessy saw her daddy exit the house as the taxi pulled to the base of the stairs. The driver opened the door for her helping her out and walked her up the stairs to the man waiting. She looked at him studying his face. It was her daddy but paler, “Daddy are you sick?”
He coughed slightly. “Yes I am.”
The Cabbie stated, “That will be $35.” Her daddy pulled out a strange wallet and paid the driver.
Looking at the hundred dollar bill the Cabbie said, “Thanks,” He headed back to his cab and left, the gates closing after him.
Her father held out his hand, Jessy took the man’s hand. They enter the doors and he closed them behind them.
“Daddy?” the girl looked around the foyer, “Where are we going now?” She waited for the codeword.
Archer sighed heavily. He squatted down in front of the girl, “Jessy…”
“Your voice is horse daddy,” she nodded, “I need to get you medicine.”
“I am not your daddy.” Archer sighed, “Jesse…I am Ghost Archer.”
“Sure you are,” she giggled.
Archer shifted to be himself.
Jesse eyes grew big as she whined, “Where’s my Daddy?” Her blue eyes, filling with tears.
“I’m sorry to fool you like that. That’s why I am here. I needed to see him. I haven’t found him yet. How old are you, honey?”
“But we where suppose to meet here,“ she cried. She needed to follow daddy’s emergency plan. Sniffling she answered, “I am going to be seven.”
“Where is your mother?”
“I don’t have a mommy.”
“My daughter’s a baby, only a few months old…my son too…they are twins…How about your grandmother of grandfather?
“There is only me and my Daddy.”
Archer sighed. “You don’t live here, do you?”
“We live all over.”
Archer nodded, “Where else do you live?”
“Daddy’s job makes us go all over the place.”
“What’s your daddy do, honey? Do you know?”
“He is a salesman. Maybe, I should wait at the airport.”