Part 25 (1/2)
”Yeah, I got that part. And I see how well that's working for you.”
”Go to cla.s.s.”
She glares at me and goes inside. I lean on the wall and rub my temples to relive some of the pressure but it doesn't help; the pressure is all in my mind. Moments later Jay calls out my name.
”Marcus?”
”What's up?”
”Why do you look like death is coming for you again?”
”I'm not that lucky.”
”Man, c'mon. Let it go. We gonna go play some Ball, do some Diving and take in the best concert in a century. It's all good man.”
”Who's playing this year?”
”Marley. Marley is back, man.”
”What? When?”
”I overheard a Traveler talking about it. He's back for Triweekend.”
”We have to go see him.”
”Go see who?” Emmy asks as she walks out of cla.s.s. I didn't even realize the bell had rung.
”There's a Triweekend concert down in Jamaica and we're going.”
”We're going to Jamaica?” she says, taking her voice two octaves higher than it needed to be.
”Yeah, Sat.u.r.day night,” Jay says.
”I have never been to Jamaica.” She jumps up and down like she had won something.
”Well, we 'bout to get it poppin. I ain't missing this concert for n.o.body, son,” Jay says.
”Who's performing?” Emmy asks.
”Marley,” I say.
”Marley who?” We look at her like she was clueless for asking.
”You mean...?” She is so shocked she can't close her eyes.
”The very one.”
”How?”
”Every Triweekend, the council sends Para angels to entertain us. This year it's Marley in Jamaica. The year before that was Selena,” Jay says.
”And we get to go? Seriously?”
”You know I don't play when it comes to Reggae music. I would never make a joke about Marley.”
”Where are the others?” she asks.
”I don't know if they're coming. But I told everyone about it. But for right now, I need to play some ball. Let's go,” Jay says.
”They know where to meet us if they want to come along,” I say. I hope in the back of my mind that the twins and Ameana would join us.
The meeting spot is an hour outside of New York City. Once a week, you could walk into a state park and find the outline of wings on a ball. It could be spray painted or drawn by hand. Wherever you saw the picture is where all the angels would gather to go to the ball field. We took the train upstate. I thought that would give time to whoever wanted to come along but was undecided.
When we get to the park, there is a Native American guy in his early twenties sitting on a boulder that had the Runner Ball sign. He spoke as we approached.
”Wow, Guardians in the house? This is gonna be good.”
”You Travel or inhabit?” Reese asks, not sure if he had wings behind him.
”Travel. I get the right news to the right people,” he says proudly.
Then he studies Emmy.
”That the human?”
”Hi, I'm Emmy,” she says as she extends her hand to him.
”I'm Apoleo. Nice to meet you.”
”Yeah, you too.”
As we stand there, more and more angels came to the spot. Most of them are Travelers but there are a few Ground Walkers who come in the body of young athletes.
”You the one who gonna help save the world?” one of the angels asks Emmy. Everyone turns to hear her answer.
”I was thinking I'd do that later. I just came to play some ball,” Emmy says.
Everyone starts to laugh.
”What?”
”Emmy, you can't play. If the ball were to hit you, it would actually kill you.”
”I think we should take that risk,” someone says.
I turn around and find Ameana standing a few feet away.
”Hey, girl. You playing with us?” Jay asks. He tries to defuse the situation by being light and casual.