Haeven by S. M. Bowles

table. Herrik's were the strongest
and most prominent at first but it was too chaotic to make any
sense of whatever it was he was thinking or feeling. Then I felt
Herrik brushing anything irrelevant and unimportant to the moment
aside. He seemed to sort through all our thoughts and ideas and
when he came to my mind focused on the information he wanted and
brought it to the forefront of everyone else's.
    There they were; the events exactly as they
happened. I was in the hallway ringing Jesse's buzzer. He was
introducing me to his friends then inviting me to the show. They
heard our conversations and saw our actions from the time I showed
up at his apartment until the time Avery delivered me home. The
images were crystal clear; a precise record of everything that had
taken place.
    When it was over I felt the others drawing
away from us one by one until finally it was just Herrik and me. He
carefully extracted himself from my thoughts then let go of my
hand. "He took a deep breath, "You've seen. Now you must
decide."
    Artur stood up and looked at each of the
people that were sitting around the table. Richard nodded then
someone I didn't recognize from Jesse's side stood up and
reluctantly seconded his acquiescence to Artur.
    "Jesse, however inadvertently and
unknowingly, has forfeited his right to live among us." Artur
flatly stated.
    My eyes flooded with tears as I watched
Jesse's face fall in shock and disappointment. Avery seized him a
moment later and led him away.
    "Penny," Herrik called her to everyone's
attention. She nervously stood up for a brief moment and
acknowledged him then sat back down.
    We linked hands again but this time Herrik
sifted through Penny's memories and shared them with everyone
seated around the table. When it was over no one seemed to know
what to do. Penny hadn't really done anything wrong other than
leaving me in my apartment alone. Herrik had never specifically
said that she was supposed to stay with me or given any explicit
instructions for her to follow. At least that seemed to be how she
remembered it.
    I turned to Herrik but he wouldn't look at
me. I felt my hand still firmly grasped in his and briefly fought
to get away but he squeezed it tighter sending a shiver of pain
through my palm. I wanted to cry, I could feel the tears
threatening to spill down my cheeks. I could still feel him like a
ghost in my thoughts. It was agonizing and I realized that it
wasn't just my own distress that I was feeling but his as well.
    After several minutes of indecision Artur
stood up and he met the eyes of each of the people seated around
the table. One by one they either nodded or shook their heads. They
seemed to be having a vote of sorts and once I realized what was
happening I tried counting the yesses and no's to see if I could
figure out if the same fate would be decided for Penny as it was
for Jesse.
    I missed the first few responses but by the
time they were done it appeared to be a split decision. Herrik was
the only one who hadn't offered an answer.
    Artur turned to him, "Herrik?"
    Herrik shook his head no then, "No," he
mumbled.
    It was over. Everyone stood up and began
filing from the room. There were whispered conversations all around
but between the noise of the crowd exiting and the murmur of all
their collective voices I couldn't make any sense of what they had
decided and whether they were satisfied with the ruling Herrik had
so obviously made.
    "I don't understand," I leaned towards Herrik
and whispered. "What's happening? What's going to happen to
Penny?"
    Artur was the last to stand up and when he
did he tossed a look of disapproval to Herrik said goodbye to me
then turned and walked away.
    "What is it Herrik? What's wrong? Why is
Artur so angry?"
    I didn't understand; wanted desperately to
know what was wrong but he wouldn't answer. "Come, I'll take you
home."
    I was so frustrated by then that I lost my
temper and screamed at Herrik, "This will never be my home!"
    He looked down at me,