The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer Read Free Book Online Page A

graciously to Martin. “Welcome, Martin. Hope you enjoy your stay.” Then he turned to the door.
    “Thank you,” Martin called to him.
    Following Felix’s lead, all the other kids popped up from their chairs and headed for the exit.
    “Well,” Darla said with a deep breath. “That didn’t go as planned.”
    “I rode a bike here,” Henry told Martin. “That’s what happened next in the story. On the highway. Cool, right? Ithought I might see dead people, but I didn’t see any dead people.”
    “That’s good,” Martin said.
    “Eh,” Henry squawked with a shrug.
    Darla gave Martin a quick pat on his knee. “Let’s get you a house,” she said. “What type would you like?”

—— 5 ——
The House
    T hey walked down the main street of town, Martin in the middle, with Henry and Darla on either side of him, lanterns in their hands. The other kids retreated to houses along the street or down the leafy lanes that splintered off. Their lanterns bobbed along with them and then disappeared.
    “Books, I guess,” Martin told Darla and Henry. “One with a lot of books in it.”
    “Most of ’em got books,” Henry said.
    “Electricity?” Martin asked, looking down at the lanterns.
    “We have batteries and a few generators,” Darla said, “but only for special occasions.”
    “What about solar panels?” Martin asked.
    “Not any we know how to use,” Henry said.
    “I could help with that,” Martin said.
    “You can?” Darla exclaimed. “That must be your thing!”
    “My thing?”
    “We all have a thing here,” Darla explained. “Like Henryis the guy who hunts and protects us. And I’m the girl who drives and … decides. So you’re the guy who knows about solar panels. That’s why you’re here. Don’t you see?”
    “Okay,” Martin agreed. It sounded fine to him. After all, people were supposed to have jobs.
    They walked quietly for a while as Martin surveyed the houses and storefronts. Even in the dark, he could tell this town was different from the others he’d visited. The shutters and signs were straight. Displays in windows, consisting of pumpkins and corn husks and mason jars, were all clean and orderly. The roads were clear. The grass was cut. This was a home, or as close to one as he had ever encountered.
    “That’s the Smash Factory there,” Henry said, pointing to a storefront with a giant hammer painted on the window. “Raul did it up a while back. If you’re angry, or just plain bored, you can go on in there and bust things up. TVs, flower vases, car windshields, that sort of stuff. It’s good for a laugh.”
    “And that’s Gina’s Joint,” Darla said, pointing to a house painted with swirls of neon green and pink. “It’s all kaleidoscopes and tie-dye and glow-in-the-dark hippy garbage. Avoid it if you get dizzy, but if you ever want any Roman candles or bottle rockets, then Gina’s your girl.”
    Perched on top of a small hill, overlooking the town square, was a tall yellow house with a sharply slanted slate roof. A boy on its front steps caught Martin’s eye. A burning torch was in his left hand. His right hand was petting some sort of striped animal that was sitting patiently by his side. Martin didn’t recognize the boy from the church.
    “What about him?” Martin asked, pointing. “What’s his thing?”
    “That’s Nigel,” Henry said, grabbing Martin’s hand andlowering it. “His thing is he does whatever the heck he wants and we give him whatever he wants. It’s ’cause he talks to animals. Probably talking to that stupid tiger right now.”
    “Do the animals talk back?” Martin asked.
    “Well …,” Darla said, cocking her chin.
    The house Martin picked reminded him of the houses on the island. It had gray shingles and a matching pair of gables. The ocean was miles off, but there was a creek that ran through the backyard with a calming whoosh.
    “A bold choice,” Darla told him.
    “How so?” Martin asked.
    “You’ll find out soon