1506. A Little History.
"Get me a... uh," Tobias hesitated. "I don't actually know what they sell here."
"Food, Tobias. Non-rodent-based food," Marco said.
Jake said, "It's fine. I'll get you a burger or something."
We were at the mall. We'd agreed to run into each other in a series of amazing coincidences for lunch. Not for organizing a mission, for once. Just for fun. Just for something normal to do.
"May I have a cinnamon bun?" Ax asked for the third time.
"Yes, Ax," Jake said wearily. "So, three burgers, a vegetable... wrap... thing - four burgers? Four burgers. Three Cokes, a Mountain Dew, a water -"
"A cinnamon bun," Marco interjected.
Jake shot him a look, then smiled. "A cinnamon bun, and... that's it. Right?"
"Fries?" Marco asked.
"Should we be writing this down?" I joked.
"Actually, can I get an orange juice instead of the water?" Cassie asked meekly.
"Okay," Jake pinched the bridge of his nose. "Four burgers with fries, four Cokes, a cinnamon bun, and an orange juice?"
"And a vegetable wrap," Marco grinned. "And I think that was meant to be three Cokes and a Mountain Dew. And don't forget the cinnamon bun."
"I said the cinnamon bun. I specifically made a point of saying 'cinnamon bun'."
"Maybe we should be writing this down. Does anyone have a pen and paper?" I looked at Cassie. She shrugged. "No one?"
"Okay. Four burgers, a cinnamon bun, a wat- no, an orange juice, a wrap... what is it, Marco?"
"I'm thinking nachos."
"No you're not," Jake grated. "Man, we've been on missions less complicated than this."
"I'll get mine and Ax's stuff, okay?" Cassie said. "And the drinks. You just get the burgers and fries."
"And the nachos," I teased.
"Thanks," Jake said, ignoring me.
"See? A happy marriage is all about sharing the workload," Marco said.
"Don't forget the cinnamon bun," I called after them. Cassie waved over her shoulder.
"I should have asked for a cinnamon bun, too. Or a smoothie."
"Jake would have killed you."
"Yeah, but it'd be worth it. So," Marco said, leaning back in his chair. "How is everyone? Anything not war-related to report?"
We all looked at each other blankly for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever.
"I think the owl that lives in my meadow found a mate," Tobias tried.
Marco stared at him. "That's it?"
"We've been kind of busy, Marco," I pointed out.
"We're always kind of busy. We've been fighting for -" he lowered his voice. "We've been fighting for more than a year and what do we have to show for it? We're no closer to winning than we were the day we started, and a bird Tobias knows has a girlfriend. And, what, that's it? Oh, man."
"Try not to have a breakdown in the middle of the food court, okay?" I said helpfully.
"Thanks for the tip," Marco muttered.
He was right, though, and it bothered me, too. Our lives had become consumed by war. Everyone says they worry about what's going to happen to me when it ends, if we win.
I worry about them.
I mean, at least I've put some thought into it. I've had to. I know I can't take for granted that I'll be all right. The others - Jake and Cassie and Marco, at least - they think they'll be fine. They think they can get off the ride any time they like. I don't know, maybe they can. But I doubt it.
We all sat in silence, staring at our hands or the table or, in Ax's case, at Cassie, who was standing in line at the Cinnabon.
Jake came back and handed out the burgers and fries and the nachos. Marco scowled at them.
"What's up with you?" Jake asked through a mouthful of burger.
"The owl that lives in his meadow has a girlfriend, apparently," Marco said, pointing at Tobias.
"Okay," Jake said, confused. Then he grinned. "But maybe if you ask her she'll leave him for you, and then it won't be so bad, right?"
Marco gave me a look. "I'll stick to humans, thanks."
"I'm right here, you know," Tobias said. It surprised me. Tobias doesn't usually react to things like that. "Arms and legs and everything."
"Yeah, for two hours," Marco retorted.
He was stressed, I realized. Loud, enclosed spaces are no place for hawks. And Tobias had been living as a hawk for a long time.
"Marco, will you just shut up for once?" I snapped.
"Hey, everyone, calm down," Jake said, raising his hands. "Let's just eat, okay?"
"Yes, Dad," Marco said, but he didn't say anything else.
Cassie came back and gave Ax his bun, which was gone in under a minute. She didn't say anything. I guess she sensed the mood. We must have looked pretty stupid: six teenagers huddled around a table in the middle of the food court, picking sullenly at their burgers.
Tobias made an excuse and headed off with Ax before we finished. I glared at Marco, daring him to say something, make some stupid comment, almost wishing he would, but he didn't.
Instead he said, "I hate it when we try to be normal."