Redemption (Night Marchers #2) Written by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels by Courtney Nuckels, Rebecca Gober

nonetheless. Don't you want to
know if you are still healing that rapidly and why?"
    I think about it for a minute. The anxiety of
what happened to Kai has been stuck in the forefront of my mind so
I really haven't allowed myself too much time to dwell on my fast
healing. I have no idea what's going on or more importantly what’s
causing it. The only two things that I can think of is perhaps it
has to do with the curse that I struck or the drink that Kai gave
me. But, Kaylee is right. I do need to find out if I'm still
healing fast or if it's slowing down. "Okay, but a small cut and I
will do it myself." I say resolutely.
    "Um, of course Emma. I don't feel like
slicing up my best friend. I'm not that much of a lunatic." She
says laughing.
    I just look at her nervously and position the
knife over the inside of my forearm. I take a deep breath and make
a slow slash. It's no deeper than a paper cut but it stings like
the dickens.
    We both stand there for five minutes staring
at my bleeding arm. Kaylee hands me a few tissues when some of the
blood starts dripping over. Both of us are so silent that you could
hear a pin drop. After a few more minutes we both look up at each
other and then start cracking up uncontrollably. My arm is still
covered in blood, but what did we think? That we would just stand
there and watch it close up like on some kind of crazy sci-fi
movie?
    Laughing with Kaylee is one of the first
normal moments that I've had in several days. When our giggling
dies down, Kaylee suggests, "Why don't you go clean that off. I
don't want to get your blood all over my nice pink rug."
    "Yeah, we wouldn't want that." I say smiling,
then turn towards her attached bathroom to rinse it off. As I'm
washing my arm off I steal a glance of my reflection in the mirror.
I look pretty haggard. My dark hair is oily and flat and my brown
eyes look red and tired. I desperately need to get some sleep.
    When I go to turn off the water I look at my
arm and my breath goes whooshing out of me. I barely find myself
able to stutter, "Kkayllee."
    She comes running in and we are both stunned
into complete sober silence as we stare at my bare forearm. Other
than a fading white scar, there is no evidence that I just cut
myself a few minutes before. I look at Kaylee in complete shock.
I'm grateful that she has the same shock on her face, which tells
me that I'm not crazy. After all if I were crazy, she would not be
as surprised as I am that my arm has healed so quickly. I pick up
the tissue that has my blood on it, proof that my arm had been
bleeding.
    "OMG, Emma. This is totally nuts. Do you know
what this means?"
    I look at her in question and answer,
"No..."
    "You’re immortal! Maybe you’re a vampire or
something. Or a werewolf or something as equally impressive!" She
says, her words spitting out a thousand miles a minute.
    Raising my eyebrows I give her a serious look
and then bust out laughing. I laugh so hard that I can't stand. I
sit down on her bathroom floor unable to contain my hysterical
cackling. "Yeah, or maybe I'm Wonder Woman now. Maybe I can fly!" I
can't help myself I'm cracking up so bad.
    "Hey!" Kaylee says hands on her hips, trying
to act annoyed even though I can tell she's doing her best to
suppress her giggles. "Okay, okay, maybe you aren't a super hero.
But, you have to admit, this is pure craziness."
    Calming down a little, since laughing is now
making my side hurt, I reply, "Yes, it's crazy but Kaylee, you have
been reading way too much paranormal teen fiction. I am quite
positive that I'm not immortal or some type of new breed. I'm not
certain what is going on with me, but I have much bigger fish to
fry." Thinking about the last part sobers me up completely.
    Kaylee sees my change in mood and sits down
next to me. She traces over the scar on my arm with her finger as
if she needed to do that to really believe that what she saw was
reality. Then turning towards me she says assuredly, "It's all
good, whatever it is Emma.