FRATE PETI
1. Scola · 2. Esplode · 3. Aresta · 4. Prison · 5. Paranoia · 6. Rede X · 7. Spleno-Porco · 8. Paradox · 9. Furgon · 10. Claves · 11. Slogan
12. Conserta · 13. Jornales · 14. Bitnic · 15. Enrolada · 16. Reportor · 17. Tuneli · 18. Juas · 19. Vampires · 20. Tortura · 21. Judi · Epiloga

18. Juas

On ia ave un tempo cuando mea cosa favoreda en la mundo ia es apone un capa per pigri en oteles, finjente ce me es un vampir nonvidable a ci cadun fisa sua regarda.

There was a time when my favorite thing in the world was putting on a cape and hanging out in hotels, pretending to be an invisible vampire whom everyone stared at.

Esta es complicada, e vera no tan strana como lo sona. La mundo de Juas de Rolor Vivente combina la aspetas la plu bon de Dragones e Dados con un club de drama e un reuni de fanes de naras siensal.

It’s complicated, and not nearly as weird as it sounds. The Live Action Role Playing scene combines the best aspects of D&D with drama club with going to sci-fi cons.

Me comprende ce cisa esta no fa ce lo pare tan atraosa a tu como lo ia es a me cuando me ia ave 14 anios.

I understand that this might not make it sound as appealing to you as it was to me when I was 14.

La juas la plu bon ia es los en la campas de scolta estra la urbe: sento adolesentes, xicos e xicas, ci batalia contra la trafica de sera de venerdi, intercambia racontas, fa juas eletronical, ostenta tra oras – e ci, a pos, sorti per sta en la erba ante un grupo de omes e femes plu vea en armur impresante autocreada, con indentes e rascas, como armur ia debe es en la tempo vea, no como on mostra lo en filmas, ma como un uniforma de soldato pos un mense sur tereno savaje.

The best games were the ones at the Scout Camps out of town: a hundred teenagers, boys and girls, fighting the Friday night traffic, swapping stories, playing handheld games, showing off for hours. Then debarking to stand in the grass before a group of older men and women in bad-ass, home-made armor, dented and scarred, like armor must have been in the old days, not like it’s portrayed in the movies, but like a soldier’s uniform after a month in the bush.

Esta persones ia reseta un paia peti per maneja la juas, ma on no ta oteni la posto si on no ta es un person de la tipo ci ta fa lo sin paia. Los ia tende ave nos ja divideda en ecipos, longo la formularios a cual nos ia responde a ante, e alora nos ia reseta nosa asinias de ecipo, simil a es clamada per ecipos de basebal.

These people were nominally paid to run the games, but you didn’t get the job unless you were the kind of person who’d do it for free. They’d have already divided us into teams based on the questionnaires we’d filled in beforehand, and we’d get our team assignments then, like being called up for baseball sides.

A pos, nos ia reseta nosa pacos de instruis. Estas ia es como la instruis cual spiores reseta en filmas: asi es tua identia, asi es tua mision, asi es la secretas cual tu sabe sur la grupo.

Then you’d get your briefing packages. These were like the briefings the spies get in the movies: here’s your identity, here’s your mission, here’s the secrets you know about the group.

Pos acel, lo ia es la ora per come: focos roncinte, carne crepitante sur bastos, tofu sisante en padelas (en California norde, la esiste de un posible vejetaliste es obligante), e un stilo de come e bevi como en un manada de barbares.

From there, it was time for dinner: roaring fires, meat popping on spits, tofu sizzling on skillets (it’s northern California, a vegetarian option is not optional), and a style of eating and drinking that can only be described as quaffing.

Ja la enfantes zelosa ia adota sua carateres. En mea jua prima, me ia es un sorsor. Me ia ave un saco de cuxinetas de favas cual ia representa encantas – cuando me ia lansa un, me ia debe cria la nom de la encanta cual me fa – bal de foco, misil majiosa, cono de lus – e la juor o “monstro” a ci me ia lansa lo ia debe colasa si me ia colpa el. O no – a veses nos ia debe clama un arbitror per judi, ma, per la plu, tota nos ia jua vera bon e justa. Nun ia gusta un enganor.

Already, the keen kids would be getting into character. My first game, I was a wizard. I had a bag of beanbags that represented spells – when I threw one, I would shout the name of the spell I was casting – fireball, magic missile, cone of light – and the player or “monster” I threw it at would keel over if I connected. Or not – sometimes we had to call in a ref to mediate, but for the most part, we were all pretty good about playing fair. No one liked a dice lawyer.

Cuando la ora de dormi ia ariva, tota nos ia es ja en carater. Con 14 anios, me no ia es intera serta como un sorsor debe sona, ma me ia pote prende mea inspira de la filmas e novelas. Me ia parla en tonos lenta e controlada, manteninte la composa de mea fas en un espresa conveninte mistica, e pensante pensas mistica.

By bedtime, we were all in character. At 14, I wasn’t super-sure what a wizard was supposed to sound like, but I could take my cues from the movies and novels. I spoke in slow, measured tones, keeping my face composed in a suitably mystical expression, and thinking mystical thoughts.

La mision ia es complicada: retrae un relicia santa cual ia es furada par un ogro ci ia desira domina la popla de la pais su sua vole. Esta no ia es vera multe importante. La cosa importante ia es ce me ia ave un mision privata, per catura un diableta de alga tipo afin lo servi como mea demon atendente, e ce me ia ave un arcenemi secreta, un otra juor en la ecipo ci ia partisipa en un ataca cual ia mata mea familia cuando me ia es un xico, un juor ci no ia sabe ce me ia reveni, determinada per venja. A alga loca, natural, on ia ave un otra juor con un odia simil contra me, tal ce an saboreante la cameradia de la ecipo, me ia debe sempre vijila contra un cotel en la dorso, un venena en la come.

The mission was complicated, retrieving a sacred relic that had been stolen by an ogre who was bent on subjugating the people of the land to his will. It didn’t really matter a whole lot. What mattered was that I had a private mission, to capture a certain kind of imp to serve as my familiar, and that I had a secret nemesis, another player on the team who had taken part in a raid that killed my family when I was a boy, a player who didn’t know that I’d come back, bent on revenge. Somewhere, of course, there was another player with a similar grudge against me, so that even as I was enjoying the camaraderie of the team, I’d always have to keep an eye open for a knife in the back, poison in the food.

Tra la du dias seguente, nos ia reali la jua. Partes de la finisemana ia sembla un jua de asconde, otras ia sembla eserses de survive en un savajeria, otras ia sembla serebri sur parolas crusada. La manejores de la jua ia fa un labora eselente. E on ia deveni vera amin con la otra persones en la mision. Darryl ia es la ojeto de mea omiside prima, e me ia es asidua en esta, an si el ia es mea camerada. Un bonom. Tan triste ce me va debe mata el.

For the next two days, we played it out. There were parts of the weekend that were like hide-and-seek, some that were like wilderness survival exercises, some that were like solving crossword puzzles. The game-masters had done a great job. And you really got to be friends with the other people on the mission. Darryl was the target of my first murder, and I put my back into it, even though he was my pal. Nice guy. Shame I’d have to kill him.

Me ia colpa el con un bal de foco cuando el ia xerca tesoro pos nosa elimina de un bande de orcos par jua petra-paper-sisor con cada orco per deside ci va vinse en la combate. Esta es multe plu stimulante ca lo sona.

I fireballed him as he was seeking out treasure after we wiped out a band of orcs, playing rock-papers-scissors with each orc to determine who would prevail in combat. This is a lot more exciting than it sounds.

Lo ia es simil a un campa de estate per dramamanicas. Nos ia parla asta la tarda de note en tendas, ia regarda la stelas, ia salta en la rio cuando nos ia es tro calda, ia palmi moscitos a via. Ia deveni amis la plu bon, o enemis de vive intera.

It was like summer camp for drama geeks. We talked until late at night in tents, looked at the stars, jumped in the river when we got hot, slapped away mosquitos. Became best friends, or lifelong enemies.

Me no sabe perce la jenitores de Carl ia envia el a JuRoVis. El no ia es un enfante de la tipo ci gusta vera acel spesie de ativia. El ia parteni plu a la tipo ci tira alas de moscas. Bon, cisa no. Ma simple el no ia gusta porta vestes fantasin en la foresta. Tra la tempo intera, el ia vaga de asi a ala, grimante a cada person e cosa, atentante convinse tota nos ce nos no esperia un diverti tan bon como tota nos senti. Sin duta, tu ia encontra ja acel tipo de person, la tipo de person ci es obligada a garantia un mal esperia a tota la otras.

I don’t know why Charles’s parents sent him LARPing. He wasn’t the kind of kid who really enjoyed that kind of thing. He was more the pulling-wings-off-flies type. Oh, maybe not. But he just was not into being in costume in the woods. He spent the whole time mooching around, sneering at everyone and everything, trying to convince us all that we weren’t having the good time we all felt like we were having. You’ve no doubt found that kind of person before, the kind of person who is compelled to ensure that everyone else has a rotten time.

La otra cualia de Carl ia es ce el no ia pote abitua se a combates similida. Cuando on comensa core tra la foresta e fa esta juas complicada e semimilitar, on deveni fasil tan adrenalinosa ce on es preparada per talia la garga de algun. Lo no es bon si on es en esta state cuando on porta un spada, baston, lansion o otra util. Esta es perce on permete nunca ce on colpa algun, en cualce caso, en esta juas. En loca, cuando on veni sufisinte prosima a algun per combate, on fa rapida du o tre rondas de petra-paper-sisor, con alteras representante sua esperia, armas e state. La arbitrores judi disputas. Lo es completa sivilida, e alga strana. On xasa algun tra la foresta, catura el, esposa sua dentes, e senta per fa un jua de manos. Ma lo funsiona – e lo fa ce tota resta secur e divertinte.

The other thing about Charles was that he couldn’t get the hang of simulated combat. Once you start running around the woods and playing these elaborate, semi-military games, it’s easy to get totally adrenalized to the point where you’re ready to tear out someone’s throat. This is not a good state to be in when you’re carrying a prop sword, club, pike or other utensil. This is why no one is ever allowed to hit anyone, under any circumstances, in these games. Instead, when you get close enough to someone to fight, you play a quick couple rounds of rock-paper-scissors, with modifiers based on your experience, armaments, and condition. The referees mediate disputes. It’s quite civilized, and a little weird. You go running after someone through the woods, catch up with him, bare your teeth, and sit down to play a little roshambo. But it works – and it keeps everything safe and fun.

Carl no ia pote vera abitua se a esta. Me pensa ce el ia es perfeta capas de comprende la regula de no contata, ma el ia es simultan capas de deside ce la regula no importa, e ce el no va obedi lo. La arbitrores ia reproxa el sur esta a multe veses en la finisemana, e sempre el ia promete obedi lo, e sempre el ia regresa. El ia es ja un de la enfantes plu grande ala, e el ia gusta fa un tacle “asidente” a la fini de un xasa. No comica, cuando on es puxada a sur la tera rocosa de la foresta.

Charles couldn’t really get the hang of this. I think he was perfectly capable of understanding that the rule was no contact, but he was simultaneously capable of deciding that the rule didn’t matter, and that he wasn’t going to abide by it. The refs called him on it a bunch of times over the weekend, and he kept on promising to stick by it, and kept on going back. He was one of the bigger kids there already, and he was fond of “accidentally” tackling you at the end of a chase. Not fun when you get tackled into the rocky forest floor.

Me ia veni de fa mea ataca potiosa a Darryl en un pradeta peti do el ia xerca tesoro, e nos ia rie alga sur mea furtivia estrema. El ia intende vaga monstrin – juores matada ia pote cambia a la roles de monstros, e esta ia sinifia ce plu la jua persiste, plu monstros veni per xasa, tal ce cadun ia pote continua jua, e la batalias en la jua ia deveni mera sempre plu epica.

I had just mightily smote Darryl in a little clearing where he’d been treasure-hunting, and we were having a little laugh over my extreme sneakiness. He was going to go monstering – killed players could switch to playing monsters, which meant that the longer the game wore on, the more monsters there were coming after you, meaning that everyone got to keep on playing and the game’s battles just got more and more epic.

Esta ia es cuando Carl ia sorti de la foresta pos me e ia tacle me, lansante me tan forte a la tera ce me no ia pote respira per un momento. “Caturada!” – el ia ruji. Me ia conose sola pico el ante esta, e me ia gusta nunca multe el, ma aora me ia es preparada per omiside. Me ia trepa lenta a sur mea pedes e ia regarda el, sua peto ondante, sua surie. “Tu es tan mor.” – el ia dise. “Me ia catura completa tu.”

That was when Charles came out of the woods behind me and tackled me, throwing me to the ground so hard that I couldn’t breathe for a moment. “Gotcha!” he yelled. I only knew him slightly before this, and I’d never thought much of him, but now I was ready for murder. I climbed slowly to my feet and looked at him, his chest heaving, grinning. “You’re so dead,” he said. “I totally got you.”

Me ia surie e alga cosa ia pare mal e dolosa en mea fas. Me ia toca mea labio alta. Lo ia es sanguosa. Mea nas ia sangui e mea labio ia es fendeda, taliada contra un radis sur cual mea fas ia atera cuando el ia tacle me.

I smiled and something felt wrong and sore in my face. I touched my upper lip. It was bloody. My nose was bleeding and my lip was split, cut on a root I’d face-planted into when he tackled me.

Me ia frota la sangue a sur mea gama de pantalon e ia surie. Me ia finje ce me pensa ce tota es un diverti. Me ia rie alga. Me ia move en dirije a el.

I wiped the blood on my pants-leg and smiled. I made like I thought that it was all in fun. I laughed a little. I moved towards him.

Carl no ia es enganada. El ia es ja paseante a retro, atentante desapare en la foresta. Darryl ia move contra sua lado. Me ia vade a la otra lado. Subita el ia turna e ia core. La pede de Darryl ia onci sua talo e ia cade prona el. Nos ia core contra el, a tempo esata per oia la sibileta de un arbitror.

Charles wasn’t fooled. He was already backing away, trying to fade into the woods. Darryl moved to flank him. I took the other flank. Abruptly, he turned and ran. Darryl’s foot hooked his ankle and sent him sprawling. We rushed him, just in time to hear a ref’s whistle.

La arbitror no ia vide la viole par Carl contra me, ma el ia vide ja la modo de jua par Carl en acel finisemana. El ia reenvia Carl a la entra de la campa e ia informa el ce el parteni no plu a la jua. Carl ia cexa intensa, ma, sasiante nos, la arbitror ia refusa aseta lo. Cuando Carl ia parti, el ia dona un leson ance a nos, disente ce nosa contrataca ia es no plu justa ca la ataca par Carl.

The ref hadn’t seen Charles foul me, but he’d seen Charles’s play that weekend. He sent Charles back to the camp entrance and told him he was out of the game. Charles complained mightily, but to our satisfaction, the ref wasn’t having any of it. Once Charles had gone, he gave us both a lecture, too, telling us that our retaliation was no more justified than Charles’s attack.

Lo ia es oce. A acel sera, pos la fini de la juas, tota nos ia fa duxis calda en la dormerias de la scoltas. Darryl e me ia fura la vestes e la tela de bani de Carl. Nos ia noda los e ia cade los en la vason urinal. Multe de la xicos ia contribui felis a la labora de satura los. Carl ia es multe zelosa en sua tacles.

It was OK. That night, once the games had ended, we all got hot showers in the scout dorms. Darryl and I stole Charles’s clothes and towel. We tied them in knots and dropped them in the urinal. A lot of the boys were happy to contribute to the effort of soaking them. Charles had been very enthusiastic about his tackles.

Me desira ce me ia ta pote oserva el cuando el ia fini sua duxi e ia descovre sua vestes. Un deside difisil: esce el va core nuda tra la campa, o destexe la nodas nonlaxe en sua vestes empapada de pisa e apone los a pos?

I wish I could have watched him when he got out of his shower and discovered his clothes. It’s a hard decision: do you run naked across the camp, or pick apart the tight, piss-soaked knots in your clothes and then put them on?

El ia eleje nudia. Probable me ia ta eleje la mesma. Nos ia alinia longo la via de la duxes a la cabana do on ia reteni la bolsones, e ia aplaudi el. Me ia es a fronte de la linia, gidante la aplaudi.

He chose nudity. I probably would have chosen the same. We lined up along the route from the showers to the shed where the packs were stored and applauded him. I was at the front of the line, leading the applause.

La finisemanas en la Campa de Scoltas ia aveni a sola tre o cuatro veses per anio, lasante Darryl e me – e multe otra JuRoVistes – con un manca grave de JuRoVi en nosa vives.

The Scout Camp weekends only came three or four times a year, which left Darryl and me – and lots of other LARPers – with a serious LARP deficiency in our lives.

Fortunosa, on ia ave la juas Lus Misera de Dia en la oteles de la site. Lus Misera de Dia es un otra JuRoVi, con clanes competente de vampires e xasavampires, e lo ave sua propre regulas caprisal. Juores reseta cartas cual aida los a deside scaramuxas de combate, donce cada scaramuxa envolve fa un ronda peti de un jua stratejial de cartas. Vampires pote deveni nonvidable par camufla, crusante sua brasos ante sua petos, e tota la otra juores debe finje ce los no pote vide los, continuante sua conversas sur sua intendes e tal plu. La proba vera de un bon juor es esce on es sufisinte onesta per continua revela sua secretas ante un oposor “nonvidable” sin condui como si el es en la sala.

Luckily, there were the Wretched Daylight games in the city hotels. Wretched Daylight is another LARP, rival vampire clans and vampire hunters, and it’s got its own quirky rules. Players get cards to help them resolve combat skirmishes, so each skirmish involves playing a little hand of a strategic card game. Vampires can become invisible by cloaking themselves, crossing their arms over their chests, and all the other players have to pretend they don’t see them, continuing on with their conversations about their plans and so on. The true test of a good player is whether you’re honest enough to go on spilling your secrets in front of an “invisible” rival without acting as though he was in the room.

On ia ave du juas grande de Lus Misera de Dia en cada mense. La organizores de la juas ia ave un bon relata con la oteles de la site, e los ia informa estas ce los va prende des salas nonreservada en la sera de venerdi e va pleni los con juores ci va core tra la otel, juante Lus Misera de Dia a modo restrinjeda en la coredores, sirca la pisina, e tal plu, comente en la restorante e paiante per la Wi-Fi de la otel. Los ia tende completi la reserva en la posmedia de venerdi e eposta a nos, e nos ia vade direta de scola a la otel pertinente, traente nosa bolsones, dorminte con ses o oto persones en un sala per la finisemana, survivente sola par comedas nonurinte, juante asta la ora tre de la matina. Lo ia es un bon diverti secur cual nosa jenitores ia pote suporta.

There were a couple of big Wretched Daylight games every month. The organizers of the games had a good relationship with the city’s hotels and they let it be known that they’d take ten unbooked rooms on Friday night and fill them with players who’d run around the hotel, playing low-key Wretched Daylight in the corridors, around the pool, and so on, eating at the hotel restaurant and paying for the hotel WiFi. They’d close the booking on Friday afternoon, email us, and we’d go straight from school to whichever hotel it was, bringing our knapsacks, sleeping six or eight to a room for the weekend, living on junk-food, playing until three AM. It was good, safe fun that our parents could get behind.

La organizores ia es un carital bon conoseda per instrui leje, cual ia opera cursos de scrive per jovenes, sesiones pratical de drama e tal plu. Los ia opera la juas tra ja des anios sin problemes. Tota ia es asoluta sin alcol e sin drogas, per preveni ce on aresta la organizores sur dejenera de minores o simil. Nos ia atrae entre des e sento juores, dependente de la finisemana, e per la costa de du biletas de sinema, on ia pote esperia du dias e un dui de diverti solida.

The organizers were a well-known literacy charity that ran kids’ writing workshops, drama workshops and so on. They had been running the games for ten years without incident. Everything was strictly booze- and drug-free, to keep the organizers from getting busted on some kind of corruption of minors rap. We’d draw between ten and a hundred players, depending on the weekend, and for the cost of a couple movies, you could have two and a half days’ worth of solid fun.

Ma a un dia, los ia oteni fortunosa un bloco de salas en la Monaco, un otel en la Filete cual ia ospita turistes artin e plu vea, un loca de la tipo do cada sala ave un bol de pexes oro, do la atrio es plen de bela persones vea en vestes sofisticada, ostentante la resultas de sua sirurjia plastica.

One day, though, they lucked into a block of rooms at the Monaco, a hotel in the Tenderloin that catered to arty older tourists, the kind of place where every room came with a goldfish bowl, where the lobby was full of beautiful old people in fine clothes, showing off their plastic surgery results.

Normal, la mundales – nosa parola per nonjuores – ia fa no plu ca iniora nos, suposante ce nos es enfantes bufoninte. Ma en acel finisemana, lo ia aveni ce un editor per un revista italian de viaja ia reposa ala, e el ia deveni interesada par la cosa. El ia spini me cuando me ia es emboscente en la atrio, esperante vide la xef de la clan de mea oposores per tufa a el e suca sua sangue. Me ia sta contra la mur con mea brasos crusada ante mea peto, esente nonvidable, cuando el ia prosimi a me e ia demanda a me, con pronunsia stranjer, cual me e mea amis fa en la otel en acel finisemana.

Normally, the mundanes – our word for non-players – just ignored us, figuring that we were skylarking kids. But that weekend there happened to be an editor for an Italian travel magazine staying, and he took an interest in things. He cornered me as I skulked in the lobby, hoping to spot the clan-master of my rivals and swoop in on him and draw his blood. I was standing against the wall with my arms folded over my chest, being invisible, when he came up to me and asked me, in accented English, what me and my friends were doing in the hotel that weekend?

Me ia atenta rejeta el, ma el ia refusa es dezelida. Donce me ia pensa ce si me inventa alga cosa, el va parti.

I tried to brush him off, but he wouldn’t be put off. So I figured I’d just make something up and he’d go away.

Me no ia imajina ce el va primi lo. Me vera no ia imajina ce la jornales esuan va republici la reporta.

I didn’t imagine that he’d print it. I really didn’t imagine that it would get picked up by the American press.

“Nos es asi car nosa prinse ia mori, e donce nos ia debe veni per xerca un renor nova.”

“We’re here because our prince has died, and so we’ve had to come in search of a new ruler.”

“Un prinse?”

“A prince?”

“Si.” – me ia dise, comensante saborea esta. “Nos es la Popla Vea. Nos ia veni a America en la sentenio 16 e ave de alora nosa propre familia real en la savajeria de Pennsylvania. Nos abita simple en la foresta. Nos no usa tecnolojia moderna. Ma la prinse ia es la ultima en la familia e el ia mori en la semana pasada. Alga marasmo asustante ia prende el. La jovenes de mea clan ia parti per trova la desendentes de sua dutio, ci ia vade a via per junta se a la popla moderna en la tempo de mea avo. On dise ce el ia reprodui, e nos va trova la ultimas de sua linia de sangue e retrae los a sua casa par direto.”

“Yes,” I said, getting into it. “We’re the Old People. We came to America in the 16th Century and have had our own royal family in the wilds of Pennsylvania ever since. We live simply in the woods. We don’t use modern technology. But the prince was the last of the line and he died last week. Some terrible wasting disease took him. The young men of my clan have left to find the descendants of his great-uncle, who went away to join the modern people in the time of my grandfather. He is said to have multiplied, and we will find the last of his bloodline and bring them back to their rightful home.”

Me ia leje multe novelas de fantasia. Esta spesie de parla ia veni fasil a me.

I read a lot of fantasy novels. This kind of thing came easily to me.

“Nos ia trova un fem ci ia sabe sur esta desendentes. El ia informa nos ce un de los reposa en esta otel, e nos ia veni per trova el. Ma nos ia es trasada a asi par un clan oposante ci vole preveni ce nos retrae nosa prinse, afin nos resta debil e fasil per domina. Tal lo es esensal ce nos evita interata. Nos no parla a la Popla Nova cuando nos pote evita lo. Parla a tu aora causa a me multe angusa.”

“We found a woman who knew of these descendants. She told us one was staying in this hotel, and we’ve come to find him. But we’ve been tracked here by a rival clan who would keep us from bringing home our prince, to keep us weak and easy to dominate. Thus it is vital we keep to ourselves. We do not talk to the New People when we can help it. Talking to you now causes me great discomfort.”

El ia regarda astuta me. Me ia descrusa mea brasos, e esta ia sinifia ce me es aora “vidable” a vampires competente, de ci un ia prosimi ja lenta e furtiva a nos. A la momento final, me ia turna e ia vide el, con brasos esvasada, sisante a nos, vampirinte en stilo grandiosa.

He was watching me shrewdly. I had uncrossed my arms, which meant that I was now “visible” to rival vampires, one of whom had been slowly sneaking up on us. At the last moment, I turned and saw her, arms spread, hissing at us, vamping it up in high style.

Me ia lansa larga mea brasos e ia sisa resiproca a el, ante core tra la atrio, saltante supra un sofa de cuoro e sircoveninte un planta en vaso, per fa ce el xasa me. Me ia esplora ja un via de fuji par desende un scalera asta la club de sania en la sutera, e me ia usa lo, librinte me de el.

I threw my arms wide and hissed back at her, then pelted through the lobby, hopping over a leather sofa and deking around a potted plant, making her chase me. I’d scouted an escape route down through the stairwell to the basement health-club and I took it, shaking her off.

Me no ia revide el en acel finisemana, ma me ia raconta la nara a alga de mea coJuRoVistes, ci ia ajunta plu brodes a lo e ia trova multe bon momentos per raconta lo tra la finisemana.

I didn’t see him again that weekend, but I did relate the story to some of my fellow LARPers, who embroidered the tale and found lots of opportunities to tell it over the weekend.

La revista italian ia ave un empleada ci ia fa sua diploma mestral sur comunias amix antitecnolojial en la campania de Pennsylvania, e el ia pensa ce nos pare estrema interesante. Sur funda de la notas e intervisas rejistrada par sua xef en sua viaja a San Francisco, el ia scrive un article fasinante e emosiosa sur esta cultistes strana joven ci traversa la SUA per xerca sua “prinse”. Txa, on primi cualce cosa a esta dias.

The Italian magazine had a staffer who’d done her master’s degree on Amish anti-technology communities in rural Pennsylvania, and she thought we sounded awfully interesting. Based on the notes and taped interviews of her boss from his trip to San Francisco, she wrote a fascinating, heart-wrenching article about these weird, juvenile cultists who were crisscrossing America in search of their “prince.” Hell, people will print anything these days.

Ma la problem ia es ce tal reportas deveni notada e republicida. Prima par blogores italian, e alga blogores esuan a pos. Persones tra la pais ia reporta “vides” de la Popla Vea, ma me no ia sabe esce los inventa estas, o esce otras fa la mesma jua.

But the thing was, stories like that get picked up and republished. First it was Italian bloggers, then a few American bloggers. People across the country reported “sightings” of the Old People, though whether they were making it up, or whether others were playing the same game, I didn’t know.

Lo ia fa sua asende tra la cadena nural de la jornales asta ariva a New York Times, ci, nonfortunosa, ave un apetito nonsana per serti fatos. La reportor a ci la reporta ia es asiniada ia trasa ultima lo a la otel Monaco, do on ia pone el en contata con la organizores de la JuRoVi, ci ia revela la raconta intera, riente.

It worked its way up the media food-chain all the way to the New York Times, who, unfortunately, have an unhealthy appetite for fact-checking. The reporter they put on the story eventually tracked it down to the Monaco Hotel, who put them in touch with the LARP organizers, who laughingly spilled the whole story.

Bon, a esta punto, JuRoVis ia deveni multe min popular. Nos ia deveni conoseda como la enganores xef de la nasion, como mentores bizara e patolojial. La jornales cual nos ia engana acaso a publici la raconta de la Popla Vea ia desira aora remete se par reporta sur la strania stonante de nos JuRoVistes, e esta ia es cuando Carl ia informa cadun en la scola ce Darryl e me es la gices la plu gicin de JuRoVi en la site.

Well, at that point, LARPing got a lot less cool. We became known as the nation’s foremost hoaxers, as weird, pathological liars. The press who we’d inadvertently tricked into covering the story of the Old People were now interested in redeeming themselves by reporting on how unbelievably weird we LARPers were, and that was when Charles let everyone in school know that Darryl and I were the biggest LARPing weenies in the city.

Acel no ia es un bon saison. Algas en la gang ia es contente, ma no nos. La burlas ia es sin compatia. Carl ia gida los. Me ia trova dentones plastica en mea saco a veses, e jovenes ci me ia pasa en la coredor ia dise “blaaa, blaaa” como un vampir de cartun, o los ia parla finjente un pronunsia transilvanian cuando me ia es prosima.

That was not a good season. Some of the gang didn’t mind, but we did. The teasing was merciless. Charles led it. I’d find plastic fangs in my bag, and kids I passed in the hall would go “bleh, bleh” like a cartoon vampire, or they’d talk with fake Transylvanian accents when I was around.

No longa a pos, nos ia converti a JuReAles. Esta ia es plu divertinte en alga modos, e lo ia es multe min strana. Ma de ves a ves, me ia es triste sin mea capa e acel finisemanas en la otel.

We switched to ARGing pretty soon afterwards. It was more fun in some ways, and it was a lot less weird. Every now and again, though, I missed my cape and those weekends in the hotel.

La oposada de l’esprit d’escalier es la modo en cual la embarasas de la vive reveni per disturba nos an cuando los es ja longa pasada. Me ia pote recorda cada cosa stupida cual me ia dise o fa, recorda los con la claria perfeta de un foto. A cualce ves de senti depresada, me ia comensa natural recorda otra tempos de senti tal, un parade de umilis veninte a mea mente, la un pos la otra.

The opposite of esprit d’escalier is the way that life’s embarrassments come back to haunt us even after they’re long past. I could remember every stupid thing I’d ever said or done, recall them with picture-perfect clarity. Any time I was feeling low, I’d naturally start to remember other times I felt that way, a hit-parade of humiliations coming one after another to my mind.

Cuando me ia atenta consentra a Masha e mea ruina prosiminte, la caso de la Popla Vea ia reveni sempre per disturba me. Me ia ave alora un senti simil nauseada, afocante, morinte, en cuando plu e plu canales de novas ia publici la reporta, cuando la probablia ia crese ce algun va descovre ce me es el ci ia xuta la raconta a la editor stupida italian en la jina lusosa con costures nonreta, la camisa amidonida sin colar, e la oculo tro grande con montur metal.

As I tried to concentrate on Masha and my impending doom, the Old People incident kept coming back to haunt me. There’d been a similar, sick, sinking doomed feeling then, as more and more press outlets picked up the story, as the likelihood increased of someone figuring out that it had been me who’d sprung the story on the stupid Italian editor in the designer jeans with crooked seams, the starched collarless shirt, and the oversized metal-rimmed glasses.

On ave un alternativa de pensa constante sur sua eras. On pote aprende de los.

There’s an alternative to dwelling on your mistakes. You can learn from them.

Lo es un bon teoria, tal o no. Cisa la razona perce la suconsensa desentera tota esta fantasmas misera es ce los nesesa senti completida ante pote reposa pasosa en la ultravive de umilis. Mea suconsensa ia envia constante fantasmas per visita me, esperante ce me va fa alga cosa per lasa ce los reposa en pas.

It’s a good theory, anyway. Maybe the reason your subconscious dredges up all these miserable ghosts is that they need to get closure before they can rest peacefully in humiliation afterlife. My subconscious kept visiting me with ghosts in the hopes that I would do something to let them rest in peace.

Tra la via intera a casa, me ia serebri esta memoria e la pensa de cua me va fa en relata con “Masha”, per caso ce el engana me. Me ia nesesa un asecura.

All the way home, I turned over this memory and the thought of what I would do about “Masha,” in case she was playing me. I needed some insurance.

E ja cuando me ia ateni mea casa – do me ia es saisida en abrasas melancolica par Mama e Papa – me ia ave lo.

And by the time I reached my house – to be swept up into melancholy hugs from Mom and Dad – I had it.

La truco ia es eleje la tempo per esta tal ce lo va aveni tan rapida ce Securia Interna no va pote prepara per lo, ma con un preaverti sufisinte per dona a Rede X tempo per partisipa en cuantia grande.

The trick was to time this so that it happened fast enough that the DHS couldn’t prepare for it, but with a long enough lead time that the Xnet would have time to turn out in force.

La truco ia es reali esta tal ce tan multe persones va es presente ce on no va pote aresta tota nos, ma en alga loca do la jornalistes e la adultes va pote vide lo, afin Securia Interna no va gasi simple nos denova.

The trick was to stage this so that there were too many present to arrest us all, but to put it somewhere that the press could see it and the grownups, so the DHS wouldn’t just gas us again.

La truco ia es imajina alga cosa tan atraosa a la jornales como la flota de la Pentagon. La truco ia es reali alga cosa cual nos va pote suporta unida, como la 3000 studiantes a Berkeley ci ia refusa lasa ce on prende un de sua grupo a via en un furgon de polisia.

The trick was to come up with something with the media friendliness of the levitation of the Pentagon. The trick was to stage something that we could rally around, like 3,000 Berkeley students refusing to let one of their number be taken away in a police van.

La truco ia es pone la jornalistes ala, preparada per dise cua la polisia fa, como los ia fa en 1968 en Chicago.

The trick was to put the press there, ready to say what the police did, the way they had in 1968 in Chicago.

Esta va es un truco major.

It was going to be some trick.

A la dia seguente, me ia desapare de scola con un ora de temprania, usante mea tecnicas abitual per sorti, sin cura esce me va ativi alga spesie nova de detetador de Securia Interna cual ta causa ce mea jenitores reseta un nota.

I cut out of school an hour early the next day, using my customary techniques for getting out, not caring if it would trigger some kind of new DHS checker that would result in my parents getting a note.

En un modo o un otra, la problem la plu peti de mea jenitores pos doman va es esce me ia malcondui a scola.

One way or another, my parents’ last problem after tomorrow would be whether I was in trouble at school.

Me ia encontra Anj a sua casa. El ia debe desapare an plu temprana de scola, ma el ia esajera mera sua crampos e ia finje ce el es a punto de desmaia, e on ia envia el a casa.

I met Ange at her place. She’d had to cut out of school even earlier, but she’d just made a big deal out of her cramps and pretended she was going to keel over and they sent her home.

Nos ia comensa difusa la mesaje en Rede X. Nos ia envia lo par eposta a amis fidada, e par mesaje instante a nosa listas de conosedas. Nos ia vaga tra la barcos e vilas de Ruba Enrolada e ia dise lo a nosa coecipores. La distribui de informas sufisinte per permete ce cadun veni, ma no tan multe ce Securia Interna ta vide nosa cartas, ia es difisil, ma me ia crede ce me ia trova la ecuilibra perfeta:

We started to spread the word on Xnet. We sent it in email to trusted friends, and IMmed it to our buddy lists. We roamed the decks and towns of Clockwork Plunder and told our team-mates. Giving everyone enough information to get them to show up but not so much as to tip our hand to the DHS was tricky, but I thought I had just the right balance:

> VAMPIRES MANADI DOMAN

> VAMPMOB TOMORROW

> Si tu es un gotica, vesti festin. Si tu no es un gotica, trova un gotica e empresta vestes. Pensa vampirin.

> If you’re a goth, dress to impress. If you’re not a goth, find a goth and borrow some clothes. Think vampire.

> La jua va comensa a 08:00, esata. ESATA. Vade ala, preparada per es divideda en ecipos. La jua va dura tra 30 minutos, donce tu va ave multe tempo per ariva a scola a pos.

> The game starts at 8:00AM sharp. SHARP. Be there and ready to be divided into teams. The game lasts 30 minutes, so you’ll have plenty of time to get to school afterward.

> La loca va es revelada doman. Envia tua clave publica a m1k3y@fratepeti.partitopiratin.org.se e regarda tua epostas a 07:00 per la informa. Si acel es tro temprana per tu, resta veliada tra la note intera. Acel es cua nos va fa.

> Location will be revealed tomorrow. Email your public key to m1k3y@littlebrother.pirateparty.org.se and check your messages at 7AM for the update. If that’s too early for you, stay up all night. That’s what we’re going to do.

> Esta es vosa diverti la plu bon de la anio, garantiada.

> This is the most fun you will have all year, guaranteed.

> Crede.

> Believe.

> M1k3y.

> M1k3y

A pos, me ia envia un mesaje corta a Masha.

Then I sent a short message to Masha.

> Doman

> Tomorrow

> M1k3y

Pos un minuto, el ia eposta en responde:

A minute later, she emailed back:

> Me ia suposa tal. Un manadi flax de vampires, si? Tu labora rapida. Porta un xapo roja. Viaja lejera.

> I thought so. VampMob, huh? You work fast. Wear a red hat. Travel light.

Cual cosas on trae en deveni un fujor? Me ia porta ja tan multe bolsones pesosa en tan multe campas de scolta ce me ia sabe ce cada gram ajuntada talia la spalas con tota la fortia crasente de gravita a cada paso cual on fa – lo no es sola un gram; lo es un gram cual on porta tra milion pasos. Lo es un ton.

What do you bring along when you go fugitive? I’d carried enough heavy packs around enough scout camps to know that every ounce you add cuts into your shoulders with all the crushing force of gravity with every step you take – it’s not just one ounce, it’s one ounce that you carry for a million steps. It’s a ton.

“Coreta.” – Anj ia dise. “Astuta. E on trae nunca vestes per plu ca tre dias, ance. On pote rinse cosas en la lavabo. Plu bon es ave un manxa sur sua camisa T ca un valis cual es tro grande e pesosa per asconde su un seja de avion.”

“Right,” Ange said. “Smart. And you never take more than three days’ worth of clothes, either. You can rinse stuff out in the sink. Better to have a spot on your t-shirt than a suitcase that’s too big and heavy to stash under a plane-seat.”

El ia estrae un saco bandolerin en nilon militar cual ia traversa sua peto, entre sua senos – un cualia par cual me ia deveni pico suosa – e ia pende diagonal longo sua dorso. Lo ia es spasiosa a la interna, e el ia pone lo sur la leto. Aora el ia pila vestes a lado de lo.

She’d pulled out a ballistic nylon courier bag that went across her chest, between her breasts – something that made me get a little sweaty – and slung diagonally across her back. It was roomy inside, and she’d set it down on the bed. Now she was piling clothes next to it.

“Me pensa ce tre camisas T, un pantalon, un pantala, tre recambias de vestetas, tre duples de calsetas e un sueter va sufisi.”

“I figure that three t-shirts, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, three changes of underwear, three pairs of socks and a sweater will do it.”

El ia inversa sua saco de sporte per trova sua articles de cura personal. “Ta ce me recorda ajunta mea brosa de dentes a la matina doman ante parti per la Sentro Munisipal.”

She dumped out her gym bag and picked out her toiletries. “I’ll have to remember to stick my toothbrush in tomorrow morning before I head down to Civic Center.”

Regarda sua modo de paci ia es impresante. El ia fa tota sin compatia. Lo ia es ance asustante – lo ia fa ce me comprende ce a la dia seguente me va vade a via. Cisa per un tempo longa. Cisa per sempre.

Watching her pack was impressive. She was ruthless about it all. It was also freaky – it made me realize that the next day, I was going to go away. Maybe for a long time. Maybe forever.

“Esce me ta trae mea Xbox?” – el ia demanda. “Me ave un monton de cosas a la disco: notas e desinietas e epostas. Me no ta vole ce los ariva en mal manos.”

“Do I bring my Xbox?” she asked. “I’ve got a ton of stuff on the hard-drive, notes and sketches and email. I wouldn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands.”

“Tota es sifrida.” – me ia dise. “Esta es normal en Xbox Paranoica. Ma lasa la Xbox asi: on va ave multe de los en Los Angeles. Crea simple un conta de Partito Piratin e eposta a tu un copia de tua disco. Me va fa la mesma pos reveni a casa.”

“It’s all encrypted,” I said. “That’s standard with ParanoidXbox. But leave the Xbox behind, there’ll be plenty of them in LA. Just create a Pirate Party account and email an image of your hard-drive to yourself. I’m going to do the same when I get home.”

El ia fa tal, e ia pone la eposta en filo. Du o tre oras va es nesesada afin tota la datos serpe tra la rede Wi-Fi de sua visina e vade volante a Sveria.

She did so, and queued up the email. It was going to take a couple hours for all the data to squeeze through her neighbor’s WiFi network and wing its way to Sweden.

Alora el ia clui la ala de la saco e ia tensa la coreas compresante. El ia ave aora un cosa con grandia de un bal de futbal pendente sur sua dorso, e me ia regarda amirante lo. El ta pote pasea longo la strada con esta su sua spala e nun ta atende lo – el ia aspeta como si el es en via a scola.

Then she closed the flap on the bag and tightened the compression straps. She had something the size of a soccer-ball slung over her back now, and I stared admiringly at it. She could walk down the street with that under her shoulder and no one would look twice – she looked like she was on her way to school.

“Un plu cosa.” – el ia dise, e ia vade a sua comodeta e ia estrae la condomes. El ia prende la sacetas de la caxa e ia abri la saco e ia pone los a en, ante colpeta mea culo.

“One more thing,” she said, and went to her bedside table and took out the condoms. She took the strips of rubbers out of the box and opened the bag and stuck them inside, then gave me a slap on the ass.

“E aora?” – me ia dise.

“Now what?” I said.

“Aora nos vade a tua casa e prepara tua cosas. Lo es mea tempo per encontra tua jenitores, no?”

“Now we go to your place and do your stuff. It’s time I met your parents, no?”

El ia lasa la saco entre la montones de vestes e bricabrac covrente la solo. El ia es preparada per turna sua dorso a tota, per vade a via, mera per es con me. Mera per suporta la prinsipe. Esta ia coraji me ance.

She left the bag amid the piles of clothes and junk all over the floor. She was ready to turn her back on all of it, walk away, just to be with me. Just to support the cause. It made me feel brave, too.

Mama ia es ja a casa cuando me ia ariva ala. El ia ave sua portable abrida sur la table de cosina e ia responde a epostas en cuando el ia parla a un escutador liada a lo, aidante alga om povre e sua familia de Yorkshire a abitua a la vive en Louisiana.

Mom was already home when I got there. She had her laptop open on the kitchen table and was answering email while talking into a headset connected to it, helping some poor Yorkshireman and his family acclimate to living in Louisiana.

Me ia veni tra la porte e Anj ia segue, loco suriente, ma tan forte teninte mea mano ce me ia pote sensa la osos raspante lunlotra. Me no ia sabe perce el es tan ansiosa. Ultima, lo no va aveni ce el va pasa multe tempo en la presentia de mea jenitores pos esta, an si esta va vade mal.

I came through the door and Ange followed, grinning like mad, but holding my hand so tight I could feel the bones grinding together. I didn’t know what she was so worried about. It wasn’t like she was going to end up spending a lot of time hanging around with my parents after this, even if it went badly.

Mama ia fini la telefoni con la om de Yorkshire cuando nos ia entra.

Mom hung up on the Yorkshireman when we got in.

“Alo, Marcus.” – el ia dise, donante un besa a mea jena. “E ci es esta?”

“Hello, Marcus,” she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “And who is this?”

“Mama, me presenta Anj. Anj, esta es mea Mama, Lillian.” Mama ia sta se e ia abrasa Anj.

“Mom, meet Ange. Ange, this is my Mom, Lillian.” Mom stood up and gave Ange a hug.

“Me es deletada en encontra tu, cara.” – el ia dise, regardante el de supra a su. Anj ia aspeta multe asetable, me pensa. El ia vesti se en modo bon e restrinjeda, e on ia pote vide como intelijente el es par mera un regarda a el.

“It’s very good to meet you, darling,” she said, looking her over from top to bottom. Ange looked pretty acceptable, I think. She dressed well, and low-key, and you could tell how smart she was just by looking at her.

“Encantada par encontra tu, Sra Yallow.” – el ia dise. El ia sona multe serta e autofidante. Multe plu bon ca me cuando me ia encontra sua mama.

“A pleasure to meet you, Mrs Yallow,” she said. She sounded very confident and self-assured. Much better than I had when I’d met her mom.

“Nomi me Lillian, ameta.” – el ia dise. El ia asorbe cada detalia. “Tu va resta per come?”

“It’s Lillian, love,” she said. She was taking in every detail. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“Me ta gusta multe acel.” – el ia dise.

“I’d love that,” she said.

“Esce tu come carne?” Mama es ja abituada a la vive en California.

“Do you eat meat?” Mom’s pretty acclimated to living in California.

“Me come cualce cosa cual no come me a ante.” – el ia dise.

“I eat anything that doesn’t eat me first,” she said.

“El es manica per salsa calda.” – me ia dise. “Tu ta pote servi numaticos vea a el e el ta come los si el ta pote empapa los en salsa spisosa.”

“She’s a hot-sauce junkie,” I said. “You could serve her old tires and she’d eat ‘em if she could smother them in salsa.”

Anj ia colpa debil mea spala.

Ange socked me gently in the shoulder.

“Me ia intende comanda un come tai.” – Mama ia dise. “Me va ajunta a la comanda du de sua platos de sinco txilis.”

“I was going to order Thai,” Mom said. “I’ll add a couple of their five-chili dishes to the order.”

Anj ia grasia cortes el, e Mama ia ocupa se de asi a ala en la cosina, traente a nos vitros de jus e un plato de biscotos e demandante a tre veses esce nos desira te. Me ia contorse pico.

Ange thanked her politely and Mom bustled around the kitchen, getting us glasses of juice and a plate of biscuits and asking three times if we wanted any tea. I squirmed a little.

“Grasias, Mama.” – me ia dise. “Nos va vade a supra per un tempo.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said. “We’re going to go upstairs for a while.”

Mama ia clui partal sua oios per un secondo, ante surie denova. “Natural.” – el ia dise. “Tua padre va reveni pos un ora. Nos va come alora.”

Mom’s eyes narrowed for a second, then she smiled again. “Of course,” she said. “Your father will be home in an hour, we’ll eat then.”

Me ia ave tota mea cosas de vampir locada a la retro de mea armario. Me ia lasa Anj a esamina los en cuando me ia esplora mea vestes. Me va vade sola asta Los Angeles. On va ave botecas ala, tota la vestes posible cual me va nesesa. Me ia debe sola asembla tre o cuatro camisas T favoreda e un jina favoreda, un tubo de desodorinte, un enrola de filo dental.

I had my vampire stuff all stashed in the back of my closet. I let Ange sort through it while I went through my clothes. I was only going as far as LA. They had stores there, all the clothing I could need. I just needed to get together three or four favorite tees and a favorite pair of jeans, a tube of deodorant, a roll of dental floss.

“Mone!” – me ia dise.

“Money!” I said.

“Si.” – el ia dise. “Me ia intende vacui mea conta de banco a un automata en via a casa. Me ave cisa sincosento gardada.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I was going to clean out my bank account on the way home at an ATM. I’ve got maybe five hundred saved up.”

“Vera?”

“Really?”

“A cua me ta spende lo?” – el ia dise. “De pos Rede X, me no ia debe paia an per la servi de interede.”

“What am I going to spend it on?” she said. “Ever since the Xnet, I haven’t had to even pay any service charges.”

“Me pensa ce me ave sirca tresento.”

“I think I’ve got three hundred or so.”

“Bon, no problem. Prende lo en via a la Sentro Munisipal en la matina.”

“Well, there you go. Grab it on the way to Civic Center in the morning.”

Me ia ave un saco grande per libros cual me ia tende usa per tira montones de cosas tra la vila. Lo ia atrae min atende ca mea bolson de campa. Anj ia esplora mea pilas sin compatia e ia redui los a sua favoredas.

I had a big book-bag I used when I was hauling lots of gear around town. It was less conspicuous than my camping pack. Ange went through my piles mercilessly and culled them down to her favorites.

Cuando lo ia es pacida e su mea leto, ambos nos ia senta.

Once it was packed and under my bed, we both sat down.

“Nos va debe leva vera temprana doman.” – el ia dise.

“We’re going to have to get up really early tomorrow,” she said.

“Si, un dia grande.”

“Yeah, big day.”

La scema ia es ce nos va distribui doman mesajes referente a alga locas falsa per la manadi, enviante persones a puntos solitar a distantia de poca minutos par pede de la Sentro Munisipal. Nos ia talia un stensil per pinta de airosol con sola la testo VAMPIRES MANADI MUNISIPAL → → cual nos va pinti en acel puntos sirca 05:00. Esta va preveni Securia Interna de enclui la Sentro Munisipal ante nosa ariva. Me ia prepara la epostador per distribui la mesajes a 07:00 – me va lasa simple mea Xbox funsionante pos mea sorti.

The plan was to get messages out with a bunch of fake VampMob locations tomorrow, sending people out to secluded spots within a few minutes’ walk of Civic Center. We’d cut out a spray-paint stencil that just said VAMPMOB CIVIC CENTER → → that we would spray-paint at those spots around 5AM. That would keep the DHS from locking down the Civic Center before we got there. I had the mailbot ready to send out the messages at 7AM – I’d just leave my Xbox running when I went out.

“Per cuanto tempo…” Sua vose ia diminui a silentia.

“How long…” She trailed off.

“Me fa la mesma demanda, ance.” – me ia dise. “Cisa lo va es un tempo longa, me suposa. Ma ci sabe? Pos la apare de la article de Barbara” – me ia pone en filo ja ance un eposta a el per la matina seguente – “e plu, cisa nos va es eroes pos du semanas.”

“That’s what I’ve been wondering, too,” I said. “It could be a long time, I suppose. But who knows? With Barbara’s article coming out –” I’d queued an email to her for the next morning, too – “and all, maybe we’ll be heroes in two weeks.”

“Cisa.” – el ia dise e ia suspira.

“Maybe,” she said and sighed.

Me ia pone mea braso sirca el. Sua spalas ia trema.

I put my arm around her. Her shoulders were shaking.

“Me senti teror.” – me ia dise. “Me pensa ce lo ta es asurda si nos no ta senti teror.”

“I’m terrified,” I said. “I think that it would be crazy not to be terrified.”

“Si.” – el ia dise. “Si.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Yeah.”

Mama ia clama nos a come. Papa ia presa manos con Anj. El ia aspeta nonrasada e ansiosa, como sempre pos nosa visita a Barbara, ma a la encontra con Anj, un pico de la Papa vea ia reveni. Anj ia besa sua jena e Papa ia insiste ce el nomi el Drew.

Mom called us to dinner. Dad shook Ange’s hand. He looked unshaved and worried, the way he had since we’d gone to see Barbara, but on meeting Ange, a little of the old Dad came back. She kissed him on the cheek and he insisted that she call him Drew.

La come ia es vera bon, en fato. La jelo ia rompe cuando Anj ia estrae sua neblador de salsa calda e ia trata sua plato, e ia esplica la scala de Scoville. Papa ia proba un force de sua comeda e ia vade bambolante a la cosina per bevi un galon de lete. Crede lo o no, ma Mama ia proba lo an pos acel, e ia fa tota impresas ce el ama lo. Mama, lo ia evidenti, es un talentosa per comedas spisosa, un natural.

Dinner was actually really good. The ice broke when Ange took out her hot-sauce mister and treated her plate, and explained about Scoville units. Dad tried a forkful of her food and went reeling into the kitchen to drink a gallon of milk. Believe it or not, Mom still tried it after that and gave every impression of loving it. Mom, it turned out, was an undiscovered spicy food prodigy, a natural.

Ante parti, Anj ia presa la neblador de salsa calda a la manos de Mama. “Me ave un otra a casa.” – el ia dise. Me ia regarda ja cuando el ia paci lo en sua bolson. “Tu pare un fem de la tipo ci debe ave un de estas.”

Before she left, Ange pressed the hot-sauce mister on Mom. “I have a spare at home,” she said. I’d watched her pack it in her backpack. “You seem like the kind of woman who should have one of these.”