Always Remembered Read Online Free PDF Page A

hockey.
Hockey was an easy subject, and he enjoyed explaining the game to
her. Deanna was fascinated by the idea of a sport played on ice
with sticks and a puck. Every time he tried to breeze over a rule
or position in the game, she would stop him to ask for
clarification. It surprised him how much he liked talking to her.
He was pleased by her interest in hockey, too, especially since he
loved it. Meara came to several of his games last year, but he got
the impression she only tolerated the sport.
    When the food was gone, they took their trays
to the front of the cave. He couldn’t shake the cafeteria vibe. It
made him want to laugh, but he didn’t want to offend Deanna.
Instead, he asked, “Do you always eat here?”
    “A few times a week,” she said. “Why? Do you
prefer to hunt?”
    “I prefer McDonald’s,” he answered and
laughed.
    She looked at him quizzically. “Who’s Mac
Donald?”
    “McDonald’s is a fast food restaurant. You
know, hamburgers, fries…” He tapered off when he realized she had
no clue what he was saying. “Don’t you ever go anywhere else on
land besides that club?”
    “Not many places.” She tilted her head and
studied him, her pale green hair floating in a halo around her
head. Although it partially hid her expression, he could see she
looked uncomfortable again. He wished he knew what topics were
taboo.
    Never mind , he thought, better to
just drop it and move on . “What do you do here?”
    “What do you mean?” Her voice sounded
guarded.
    “Do you have hobbies or interests?” He looked
back into the cavern, which was now half empty. “When everybody
finishes eating, what do they do?”
    “Whatever they want.” Her eyebrows drew
together in confusion. “Do you want to see the rest of the city
now?”
    Evan gave up. She didn’t understand what he
was asking. He wondered how many of the Sirens or Blue Men had
never even been on land. Did they all have limited exposure to
humans? He shouldn’t criticize. He had no experience with sea life.
He was just as naïve about ocean creatures as Deanna was about
land. With any luck, her tour of their settlement would clue him
into the underwater lifestyle. Deanna cleared her throat, and he
realized she was waiting for an answer.
    “Sure,” he said. “I’d love to see the
city.”
    Her smile lit her face . She’s really
pretty, Evan thought before he could help himself. With a shake
of his head, he followed her out of the cavern.
    His thoughts soon shifted to the world around
him. They were deep enough that the water didn’t transition from
day to night. The sun was too far away. The citizens of Belle
Trésor marked the passage from day to night in their own way. The
beautiful reds, golds, and oranges of the day changed to blues,
purples, and greens at night. It couldn’t be a natural occurrence,
but their magic was beautiful. From warm to cool, the treasure box
that was their home alternated rubies with sapphires. The effect
was stunning. It was more beautiful than stained glass in a
cathedral because the movement in the water made it come alive.
    While scuba diving last summer, Evan wondered
what it would feel like to swim unencumbered by heavy diving
equipment. He envied Meara’s ability to transform into a seal. Now
he knew firsthand what if felt like to be a creature of the sea. It
was glorious. He would trade television, movies, his car, well,
almost anything, for this feeling of freedom. No gravity holding
him back, no fear of drowning.
    “Evan?” Deanna treaded nearby, wearing a
curious expression. “Are you okay?”
    “I’m great. Sorry, just lost in my own
thoughts.”
    “No problem. I asked if you want to enter The
Chamber.” She pointed to a large, glass dome behind her. The smoked
glass made it impossible to see in, but it looked like a
greenhouse. It was embarrassing that he was daydreaming so deeply
that he hadn’t noticed the huge structure.
    “What is it?”
    “It’s dry inside. Um…” She