Cracking Zeenath

To Evelyn: The Moon Only Shines When the Lights Are Out

I'll always remember the day you told me your biggest secret.

     It was when we were nine. You were over at my house for a sleepover. I was sitting on the side of the bed watching you jump around in your sleeping bag. You wouldn't let me turn out the light so I tossed and turned before giving up and watching you instead. You weren't even trying to sleep. Instead, you had thrown all the pillows and sheets around my room and jumped from one pillow to the other, trying to avoid falling into the lava floor like Milo in Secrets of Atlantis. I rolled my eyes at you, all bundled up in a sleeping bag like you were some human jumping bean. I sighed at looked at the time while you counted off. 10:24 a.m. "One, two, three...eleven, twelve....thirty five, thirty six..."

I flopped backwards onto my bed and groaned. "Evelyn. I'm sleepy. Why won't you sleep?"

You stopped and looked at me for a second. "Can't you see? I'm stuck in lava. I can't just go to sleep. I'll die."

I sighed.

You kept counting. "Fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six..."

"Can you jump in the dark, quietly?" I asked.

You shook your head hard. "No. I..I-I need to stay awake, I told you." You looked away and kept jumping.

I got back up and stared at you.

You'd stuttered.

Evelyn Grace Young didn't stutter. Evelyn Grace Young was like a train. Full speed ahead for everything. Including sleep.

I narrowed my eyes. "You sure?"

You simply nodded and kept going. Your breathing was getting harder, and I could see that you weren't really into jumping around anymore. You looked tired, but you weren't stopping.

"Evelyn stop."

"No."

"Stop."

"I can't!" You started looking desperate.

I stood up. "Well, that's it, I guess." I tackled you to the floor, making you stop. You glared at me before looking away.

"What are you doing?"

I grinned. "You lied."

You stopped for a second and glared at me again. "No, I didn't. I am trying not to f-fall in the...the lava."

I laughed. "Evelyn, stop. You can't lie to me, you stutter too much."

You turned your head to stare at the carpet instead of my face, silent.

"What's the real reason you're not going to sleep?"

You shook your head.

"Tell me," I pressed.

"You'll laugh."

"No I won't."

"Yes you will!" You pushed me off and sat up. "Everyone will."

I wasn't having it. "Don't try to tell me what to do. Tell me, Evelyn." I widened my eyes to make my point.

You mumbled something.

"What? I can't hear you."

"....dark... I can't."

Then it clicked and I sat up. "You're scared of the dark?" I asked, a smile slowly spreading across my face.

You let out a huff, frustrated. "Yes. Happy now? I'm scared of the dark. No one else is. Everyone else is too old for it. But I'm scared of the dark," you looked at me. "You can call me a big sissy now."

I shook my head. "I won't do that."

I looked at you for a second then grabbed your arm. "Let's do this, then. You can sleep beside me instead of in your sleeping bag, and I'll make sure you're not eaten alive by monsters," I teased.

You hit my leg. "Stop it! I'm being serious."

I looked at you. "Me too."

Five minutes later, we were curled up on the bed beside each other, and I finally reached over and turned out the light. The liquid moonlight cascaded in through the window and landed on the bed, reflecting off your hair, making a sideways halo.

"See? It's not too bad." I smiled.

You slowly nodded your head and your hand loosened in mine. "It's pretty."

I looked at the sky through the open curtains. "Yeah."

I giggled. "And there's your star. I see it."

You snorted. "You still remember that?"

I paused and pulled the blanket up to my eyes. "Yes."

You closed your eyes and smiled. "Good. Me too."

I waited until you fell asleep before trying to pull my hand away from yours. You tightened your grip in your sleep and held on harder.

"Don't..leave me..." You mumbled before your body relaxed completely.

A smile settled over my lips.

"I won't."

I closed my fingers back over yours and shut my eyes.

This is where dreams come from.

~Love you,

forever and always,

Zeenath.

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Okay. I get it. I have no self-control. *slams face on desk* asd;lfkjsf. 

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~October.