Divine Mortals by J Allison

shrugged, “Let’s just say I won’t be entering any rodeos soon.”
    “Sooo,” She continued, “What did your Grandpop say about the fact that you had gone up the hill, was he mad?”
    “I’m not allowed to go to the Ranchers Ball.” I could tell her this quite easily and with no regret, I hadn’t wanted to go anyway.
    “What!” her reaction made me jump.
    “That’s not fair, surely he could ground you from doing something else.” I was starting to suspect that the Ranchers Ball was the social calendar event of the summer here, similar to Prom, sans Teachers, making it even more appealing to attend.
    “Not much I can do about it now.” I answered, trying my best to sound disappointed, although I couldn’t really have cared less, I was beginning to regret my choice of conversation.
    “So has Robert asked you to go yet?” I moved towards the water, directing the question over my shoulder. The river was a little too cool when I dipped my toes in, although it would feel amazing on my bruises so I started to wade out, trying not to gasp as the cold water rushed around legs, all the fine hairs on my body standing on end as I rippled with goose bumps. I turned when I was up to my waist, surprised Sally hadn’t answered me yet, Robert after all was her favorite subject. She was staring at me, a strange bewildered expression on her face, her mouth hanging open so wide I thought her chin would land on her knees at any moment.
    I had to laugh, not that I wanted to, it sent painful shock waves through my ribs.
    “What?” I asked, still chuckling.
    Sally glanced up, meeting my gaze briefly, before dropping her eyes down towards the rocky shore, a deep line forming between her golden brows.
    “Sally, What?” She was looking at me really weird now and I was starting to feel a little anxious.
    “Your back…” her voice was stiff,
    “Oh,” I laughed again, “Did I bruise there too? Beaut, or should I say Brute,” I smiled at my own joke, had I really only just thought to call him that,
    “He managed to dump me in most rocky spot he could, don’t worry I’m thinking of asking Grandpop if he will consider making him into dog sausage.”
    Even now Sally didn’t smile, her expression was starting to frighten me.
    “Look you’re really going to have to tell me what’s going on, your starting to freak me out.” I demanded, angry that I could hear fear in my voice. What was wrong with me now?
    “You have a bruise on your back, it’s in the shape of a… well… it’s in the shape of a hand.” She finished in a whisper.
    “What?” I really laughed now, it made me ache all over, “Sal it probably just looks like a hand I have a
lot
of bruises.”
    “No,” she almost whispered, “It’s a hand, palm, fingers, thumb, even the start of a wrist,” She looked terrified, I could see she was struggling with her next question, her knuckles were turning white where she gripped her knees.
    “Did your Grandpop hit you Ava?”
    “NO.” I answered quickly, the fact that she would even consider it made me feel sick to my stomach, Grandpop wouldn’t hurt a fly, as cliché as that was, he was one of the most humane people I had ever met.
    “No,” I repeated again a little more calmly, “Grandpop can yell, but he would never hit me Sal,” I smiled, trying to make light of it.
    “Honestly it’s just a really strange freak of nature that the bruising took that shape.” I ducked beneath the water so that it lapped around my shoulders, I didn’t want to turn and let her analyze my back again. I was dying to get home and look in the mirror, even though I had told her she was imagining it I believed her, how could I not, after seeing Roberts strength yesterday and then, I had been in his arms more than once over the last twenty four hours.
    “Now,” I spoke calmly, trying to sound casual again, I dragged my fingers slowly through the water in front of me, watching as it rippled away from my hand.
    “Has