Back from the Dead

Chapter 6- Morning Pancakes, Evening Drinks

Chapter 6

I stood at the stove and scooped pancakes onto a plate. Carina wasn't up yet and that gave me enough time to think about my dream. Well, nightmare. Except this nightmare had once come true. At the time, I didn't realize how these events would affect my future and make me the person I am today.

I got a glimpse into my past last night. Something that hasn't happened since the night the boys died. I built my walls up high. It scared me to think that they were breakable. That there were already cracks forming.

Not anymore. No more vulnerability. No more trusting. Carina knew enough now. I loved my best friend but I also loved the boys. And look what happened to them.

I heard Carina's sleepy footsteps echoing down the hall.

"Good morning Adar- Dannie." She corrected herself quickly and swore. "I swear I'll get it right one day."

I just looked from her, to the clock, and back. "Good afternoon."

She paused. "It's the afternoon?" She squealed squinting at the clock. "3 pm. Wow. I slept 14 hours. I'm proud of myself. It's my new personal best."

I rolled my eyes at my idiotic friend. Leave it to her to find pride in such a silly matter. "Congratulations. Here, eat some pancakes." I said, my voice dripping in sarcasm, as I handed her the plate.

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Thank you." She said gratefully as she accepted the plate. She turned around but froze.

"What's the matter? Have you seen another spider?" I asked truthfully.

I was referring to a time back in Hawaii when we were both 5 years old and I was woken up in the middle of the night by Carina throwing books at the ceiling. We were having a sleepover and she got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I guess when she saw the spider on the ceiling, she decided to give it death by audio books, 'Goodnight Silly Cow'. It had once been my favorite book, that is until it became covered in spider guts. Something like that could really traumatized a kid. It was quite a sight to wake up to. Carina was throwing the book at the ceiling only to have it land back on the floor, open, with a loud, lasting 'moo'.

"No!" She exclaimed. I could tell by the bright red of her face that she was reliving the memory too.

"Sure, sure." I responded mockingly.

Carina tried to glare at me but ruined it by smiling. It was really creepy. The wildly sprung brown curls sitting around her face did not help the case.

"Are you okay?" I asked her being completely sincere now. She looked insane. 'It's the bed head', I concluded.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked back with the same expression on her face.

I opened my mouth to tell her that she looked like someone who would be criminally incarcerated for multiple accounts of homicide but decided not to.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked and she stopped glaring but continued smiling. I was grateful. I never wanted to see that expression on her face ever again.

"You." She responded simply.

"I didn't do anything." I defended.

"You used sarcasm." She explained.

"So..." I was confused.

"I've been here for two weeks and that's the first time you had an ounce of emotion." Her grin grew but then faded. "Are you okay?"

The pity in her voice made me wince. "Carina, they died 11 months and two weeks ago. The one year anniversary is coming up and I don't know how I'm supposed to react."