Until We Fly

Chapter 5: Blue

Everyone sat around the table, silent and awkward. 

"James? Are you alright? You haven't even touched your dinner."

Natalie watched me, concerned while everyone else ate happily.

All I could do was stare down at the plate, wondering if I'd ever see those weird, cute eyes again.

"So...Natalie? Have you called the police? Are you going to find Köleil?"
Jayden asked, concerned.

Oh yeah.
Jayden had no idea about my small talk with Nim.

"Köleil? Who on earth is that?"
Natalie frowned, resting her cutlery down.

"Jayden, shh. Eat your dinner."
I muttered.

"But...but they-"

"We'll talk about that game character upstairs. Okay?"

"Game charac...oh, right. Okay."

"Boys? Is this another one of your Dark Souls things?"
Natalie looked worried.

"Yeah. I made a character called Köleil and Jayden is obsessed with them. Weirdo."

I spoke to Natalie but made sure to keep my eyes on Jayden so he didn't say anything else stupid.

After forcing down some food, Jayden and I got into my bedroom and shut the door.

"Right, James, what the hell is going on? How come they can't remember Köleil?"

"Look, I don't even know how they 'remembered' her in the first place but apparently Köleil did something before but that other girl said she'd fix things."

"Other girl? You've spoken to someone else?"

"Yeah. I've been so confused trying to figure out everything about this so I am not just letting some idiot drag away the only thing I had to help me figure it out."
I sighed.

"Well...what are we going to do?"

"I...need to go somewhere...can you wait here?"

"No, I want to come this time!"
Jayden fought, standing up.

"You shouldn't. Please, I'll try to be as fast as I can. But...just...please, stay."

Nodding sadly, Jayden stepped back, slumping down onto the bean bag and picking up the controller.

"...thanks, Jayden. I'm sorry."

*****

The sky was dark and the rain pounded hard against my head, matting my hair and clothes down to my body.

My bike slipped and slid along the wet floor, making it very difficult to keep control.
But I did.

It didn't take too long to reach the willow tree and lake.
But it was so damn dark that I couldn't tell if she was there.

Lifting the long, thin branches, I saw no shadow, no figure.

I sighed heavily, slumping down against the bark and on the soft, damp grass.

I leaned my head back, allowing random, empty thoughts to flood back inside my mind.

"Oh...so you actually came?"

I opened my eyes, seeing the small shadow of Nim stood before me.

"Yeah, I came. I came to get Köleil back."

"Then why come here?"
She wondered, tilting her head.

"Because you said you could help."

"Did I?"