“Oh puh-leeeze don’t do another history lessonnnnnnnn!” I groaned. “But I have a new book on it, and it has even more amazing facts!!!” Gale complained hilariously. I didn’t want a history lesson, but I also didn’t want to hurt Gale’s feelings. I weighed my two options, and then I realized that Gale was going to tell me even if I went to the moonica to avoid him. (I think you humans call it a moon. Sounds strange to me.) Then he said something actually interesting in a history lesson for a change. “Leprechauns and humans used to live together, in peace.” I couldn’t believe that. “That’s a bunch of bunk! Humans and Leprechauns?! They must be insane!” (Not bunk beds, y’all. It’s an expression.) “No, it’s true!” Gale said. “There are still leprechauns and humans living together, even now!” “Yeah right! Leprechauns living in a jail cell! Or a TRAP!” I exclaimed. “Everyone knows that Leprechauns and Humans are mortal enemies!” “But for what reason? Because of a stupid war 100 years ago!!” Gale shouted. “YEAH! I KNOW!” I screamed. “Do we even know what the war was about?” Gale asked, suddenly quiet. “Yes.” I said, softer. “The Everblaze…” I whispered as quietly as I could, as if saying it hushfully would make the word even less horrible and horrifying. “Don’t say that word!!!” Gale yelled. “It is the worst thing ever created! I hate you!” “NO WAIT! GALE! COME BACK!” I screamed, but it was too late. Gale was gone. I hate that Gale is so afraid of the Everblaze. I’m not too fond of it myself. I don’t like that Gale is scared by the Everblaze. His family got killed by the Everblaze, and it has made him fear for his life ever since. You see, Leprechauns live a very long time. In human years, I am 1,381 years old. But in Leprechaun years, I am only 11. The war was not actually 100 years ago for us. It was barely 1 year past it. Gale helped out around one of the Leprechaun war camps. His family fought in the war. Gale’s family and my family both fought in the war, and me and Gale both helped out around our camps. We got to know each other because our families both got transferred to a new camp, which was where we met. Only a month in human years after we met, there was a human attack on Leprechaun camps. The night of that attack, the Leprechauns who were on the human side used their magic to attack us with the Everblaze. Gale’s family was trying to defend the camp, shouting that the humans were attacking with Everblaze and that there were rebels. The rebels saw them, and didn’t want Gale’s family to spoil their fun, so they grabbed Gale and me, hung us from a pole, and melted Gale’s parents with the Everblaze right in front of us. It was horrible. I screamed and kicked and shot the rebels as much as I could, and Gale did too. It made us fear for our lives. It destroyed our confidence. It made us scared of everything. I think it had a worse impact on Gale though. He only smiles every once in a while. He laughs almost never. Me? I’ve seen worse. I’ve seen my best friend, Soila, killed. I’ve even seen someone kill themselves. I can still laugh on holidays, my birthday, and when someone says or does something funny, but only halfheartedly. I’m afraid I might have also just lost my best friend.