Dimokre Chronicles Book 1: Crossed Paths

Chapter 19 - Don't Get Attached

The next morning, Sarah woke up in her own bed in her own room. Without any punishments or dread hanging over her, she let her parents know she was going to Michael's. On her way out, her mom handed her a Tupperware container of cookies for Kael, and she darted over to Michael's house. She knocked a few times, and finally, the door opened.

Lynette smiled at her. "Hi there. I saw you last night, I think? Remind me what your name is again?"

"Sarah. It's nice to meet you. You're Kael's mom, Lynette, right?"

"Oh! Sarah, yes, Michael and Kael both talked about you." She smiled and opened the door wider. "Come on in. They're both still asleep, but you can wait inside, at least."

"Oh, thanks," Sarah mumbled, slipping inside. She set the cookies down on the counter. Lynette busied herself with the tea she was in the middle of making.

"Do you want some?"

Sarah shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm good, thanks."

"Yeah, Michael's not much of a tea-drinker either." Lynette grinned. "He just keeps it here since he knows Kael and I like it."

Sarah grinned. "Sounds like Michael. Excuse me; I need to use the bathroom for a second." Lynette nodded, and Sarah disappeared in the back.

She splashed water on her face, sighing. Lynette was nice, but she felt awkward anyway. Sarah slipped out of the bathroom and, still in the middle of the hallway, debated where she should go. She tip-toed over to Michael's room and creaked the door open slowly. She thought about knocking, but she didn't want to wake them up. Sarah slapped her hand onto her mouth to keep from laughing at what she saw.

For a six-year-old, Kael took up a lot of space. He had sprawled across the bed in a starfish position, lying on his back. Some drool threatened to fall off his cheek onto a damp spot on the pillow case. Kael's eyes were glued shut. His chest heaved up and down in a deep sleep.

Michael, on the other hand, laid in a fetal position on the side of the bed, closest to the door, his body on the brink of falling off the bed. Michael's eyes locked on Sarah. He smiled.

She smiled back and whispered, "Couch is open."

He turned carefully to look at Kael and slid off the bed like Kael was a sleeping bear. He crept towards Sarah. She backed away clumsily, and he gently closed it behind him. He glanced at her. "Hey."

"Hi." Why is my heart pounding so fast? She leaned back against the wall, but the two were still rather close together in the narrow hallway. "Uhm. Happy Saturday." She swallowed.

"You too."

Sarah swiped her hair behind her ears. "Kael seems to be doing well now."

"Yeah. I think he had a nightmare at some point last night, but he's been sound asleep ever since." He rubbed his arm that Kael must've kicked during his nightmare.

"Yeah... Listen, about that, I have a few guesses about what could be causing those."

"What do you mean? He told you they're reoccurring?"

"Not technically." She fiddled with her sleeves. "I think he's been bottling up some things that have been bothering him, and his new powers forced his feelings out into the open. I promised I wouldn't tell, so I'm not gonna say anything more than that. But, I think you should talk to him."

She knew this wasn't going to mean much. Why would it? They've barely known each other for a few days. Michael and Kael were obviously very close. So close, in fact, they think of each other as brothers. Why would Michael trust her opinion of such a close relationship?