Game Over

Chapter 11





WE CONTINUED THE training until my friends and I were so sore we couldn’t move. I made Emma, Willy, and Joe disappear, with the excuse that they needed to recover, but Dana seemed to want to stick around for a while. Which was just fine with me.

“You were so good, Daniel,” Dana said.

“What do you mean? At sparring?” Dana’s one of the sincerest people I know, but I briefly wondered if she was making fun of me.

“For not beating them,” she said.

“But they kicked my butt,” I said. “Even little Miyu.”

“But that was just because you played by the rules. You could have easily used your powers to beat them.”

“Assuming I’d had even a second to think straight, maybe you’re right. But that wasn’t the point. They’re friends, they’re from Alpar Nok—they’re good guys.”

“I’m just saying… you were very disciplined and mature. I’m impressed is all.”

“Aren’t I always disciplined and mature?”

“You mean like taking us halfway around the world to go after Number 7 and Number 8 with no plan and next to no preparation? Um… no.”

“Dana, you know as well as I do that they’re about to make a move. I had no choice but to step in.”

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, Daniel. You don’t need to put yourself in harm’s way every single time. You’ve been very lucky but—”

I was about to tell her she sounded like my mother, but it occurred to me that she might take it the wrong way. And, anyhow, I was feeling homesick enough without bringing my mother into the picture.

Dana and I looked over at the Murkamis. They were getting ready for bed, and Etsuyo was reading a bedtime story to the two kids—a Chapter of the Japanese translation of The Great Gilly Hopkins.

“You know,” said Dana, “sometimes I forget that if we were on Alpar Nok, we’d still be living at home with our parents.”

“On Alpar Nok—” I stopped, deciding not to remind her where she’d really be if she were still there… dead. Victim of one of the worst extraterrestrial invaders in the universe. “If we were back home, we might have been packed up in a crate like this family,” I said. “That’s why I’m here on Earth. That’s why we’re in Tokyo right now.”

Dana looked at me, and I saw something in her eyes, an emotion I’m not sure I know what to call, but I knew whatever was going on behind her brilliant blues was intense. Maybe even as intense as the feeling in my chest right then. Why was my heart beating the way it was beating? Why did I feel apprehensive and excited and like I just wanted to keep talking with her all night and maybe we could even go for a walk and—

Dana smiled inscrutably and said good night, pulling her sleeping bag up over her head.

“Good night, Dana,” I said and rolled over and sighed. I might be responsible for her existence, but clearly I had little or no control over what she did.

I refluffed my pillow for the eightieth time and wondered if I would ever fall asleep. Confusion about girls isn’t exactly the most relaxing thing in the world, is it?