Excerpt: All Who Wander

My miserable life continued. As it turned out, the next few days were chilly and rainy, so we didn't even have a chance to go swimming in the lake. I spent a lot of time holed up in my room, writing little vignettes about nothing in particular. My unpleasant meal plan did not change, making me hungry and grumpy most of the time.
One afternoon, Jules managed to drag me out of my room to watch a movie with her. We were just getting to the good part when Walter barged in and kicked us off because he had to watch the sports news. Jules seemed so crestfallen I invited her up to my room for a while.
Jules had an annoying habit of touching everything she saw in my room, and I remembered too late that I had left my copy of Catcher in the Rye out on the bedside table. I tried to obscure it from view with my body, but Jules spotted it and pounced.
"What's this?" She grabbed the book and flipped through the pages rapidly, as if she could devour the entire story in a single motion. "This isn't from the library!"
"I brought it from home." Striving to remain patient, I held out my hand.
Ignoring it, Jules threw herself onto my bed, opening the book to the first page. I felt paralyzed, unable to look away as she read to herself. Would she recognize the banned book? I found myself wanting to tackle her and wrench the book out of her hands as her expression rapidly changed from playfulness to confusion to shock.
"This isn't a Brandt Code book, is it?" She asked softly. Considering the amount of times Holden swears in the first paragraph, that much had to be clear. I shook my head.
"Jules, please don't say anything."
I knew my plea was useless. Everything she had been taught was telling her not to listen to me. Slowly, solemnly, she stood and began to walk out of the room, the book clutched to her chest.
"I can't. This is for your own good, Piper. Because I care about you." She walked backwards out the door. "And if Daddy finds out I didn't tell..."
I crumpled into my desk chair as she ran down the hall. I heard her footsteps pounding down the stairs. A few minutes later, there was Walter's angry voice.
I couldn't stay here. Desperately, I got up and ran to the window, throwing it open and pushing the screen out. I looked down. There was a ledge from the porch below, and from there it wasn't a big fall. I stuffed some underwear into my laptop bag, packed up Crush, and was stepping out of the window when I heard Walter's voice behind me.
"Piper, get out of that window," He said calmly.
I realized I was doomed. Resigning myself to my fate, I stepped back into the room and faced Walter.
"Put your bag down and follow me."
It was tempting to disregard him and jump out the window anyway, but then I supposed the whole town would be after me, and I wouldn't get far. Then, I would probably be put away in Banebridge. I forced my feet to move after Walter.
He took me down to the kitchen. Brenda and Jules were sitting around the table, stony faced and silent. I stood still, wondering what would happened. Walter removed the grate from one of the stove burners and turned on the gas. A flame sprang up.
While I stood transfixed in horror, Walter took the book jacket off of the book and held it over the burner, letting the flame catch it. The orange carousel horse curdled into ashes, twisting as it burned just as my stomach twisted in disgust.
Walter tore a page out of the middle of the book and held it over the flame. "This..." Another page. "Is..." And another. "...Scum." He started tearing more pages out at a time, throwing them onto the fire. I coughed as smoke filled the room. I felt sick and dizzy with terror and revulsion.
"Take this as a warning." He threw the remains of the book onto the flames, letting the skeleton smolder away into ashes. "I will not tolerate such filth in my household."
I was literally unable to speak. I stared into his dark eyes. Somehow, burning the book disturbed me more than any beating could. After a while, I realized nothing else was going to happen, and I turned and fled.

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(from a later chapter)

The rest of the gig went as smoothly as the first half. At the end, Theo was exhausted but happy. He stashed his guitar backstage for a few minutes and went to get Isaac, who was standing by the stage. Theo jumped down and hugged Isaac, who squirmed, but didn't push him away.
"Sorry. I just feel so good right now. What did you think?"
"It was wonderful." Isaac smiled up at him, his face showing his sincerity.
"We're going out for drinks, but do you want me to walk you home first? I bet this was kind of intense for you."
"I am tired," Isaac admitted. "I really enjoyed it, though."
"I'll just let the guys know." But he couldn't find Marly or Taylor anywhere. He sighed, guessing what they were doing. He beat back a twinge of jealousy and grabbed his guitar, going back to get Isaac. They walked out into the night. It was finally starting to get warmer, and spring was in the air.
"You must be half deaf," Theo remarked. "I saw you right by the speakers."
Isaac nodded. "I liked standing there. I could actually feel the music. Can I go to your next show, too?"
"Definitely." Theo realized Isaac couldn't stay with him indefinitely. Sooner or later, he would want to leave. They walked for a while in silence, and then Theo finally voiced something he had been wondering about for a while. "When he brought you to me, Boss said there was something different about you."
Isaac's stepped slowed, and then he stopped altogether, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his eyes on the sidewalk. Theo felt bad for ruining his good mood. "Look, you know you don't have to talk about it..."
Isaac shook his head. "No. You should know. Boss was right. I am different."
Theo waited for more. Isaac chewed at his lip nervously, still looking away. Silence lingered between them, darkness coming in to fill it. Theo was about to forget it and continue home when Isaac reached out, taking his face between his hands.
"Let me show you."
"What?"
"Just relax."
"Okay." Theo forced himself to remain still, steadying his breathing. Isaac stared into his eyes, his expression going blank. Disturbed, Theo closed his own eyes. Then, he felt something odd. He could only describe it as a tickle in his brain. Colors blossomed behind his eyes. He felt unsteady, as if he was no longer standing on the sidewalk, but floating in space. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm, a feeling of complete and utter serenity. The uncertainty he felt moments earlier vanished entirely. He was completely at peace.
He opened his eyes, and Isaac moved away. Theo gasped, trying to speak, but it was hard to force the words out. "...Empath," he finally managed.
Isaac nodded, smiling ruefully, and then he fell forward and collapsed into Theo's arms. Theo held him up, wrapping his arm around Isaac's shoulders. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just get tired afterwards..." He straightened up, gently sliding out of Theo's grasp. "Do you feel okay?"
"Better than okay. I feel like everything is...perfect." Theo stared at Isaac, unsure whether to be grateful or terrified.
"Don't look at me like that." Isaac stuffed his hands in his pockets again and started walking briskly back in the direction of the apartment. Theo followed, feeling too blissful to think of much of anything. "I need chocolate," Isaac added.
"I think we have some cocoa at the apartment," Theo said.
"That sounds lovely. I get cravings, you see. That's why I was such an animal in your kitchen that first day."
Theo smiled at the memory. "That explains it."
"You're lucky I was too weak to do the opposite of what you just felt," Isaac said. "I was so scared. But now I know how safe I was." He frowned thoughtfully, looking up at Theo.
"Stay with me," Theo said suddenly. Isaac's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Yes. Please."
"I see. You're just going to be addicted to my empathy." Isaac gave an empty little laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous. You need a place to stay, and I have a spare bedroom. Let's just keep things the way they are." Theo opened the door and waved Isaac inside.
"Nothing will ever be exactly the way things are at any moment," Isaac mused. "But I suppose. I'll get a job."
"Work for Boss. We need help," Theo said. Isaac walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, his eyes already sliding closed.
"Mmkay." He yawned and lay down. Theo pulled a blanket around his shoulders.
"Welcome home."