11: Arduous Challenge

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"Zayn?"

"Yep. It's me."

The door opened and Harry backed out of the way. "Can you lock the door for me, please?"

"Sure."

It was dark in the house so after he locked it, he felt his way into the kitchen and turned on the light. Now he was really able to take note of his surroundings. Something was being read through the speakers of Harry's phone.

Actually, Stanley had been impressed when he first found out that his great-grandfather was robbed by Kissin' Kate Barlow. True, he would have preferred living on the beach in California, but it was still kind of cool to have someone in your family robbed by a famous outlaw. Kate Barlow didn't actually kiss Stanley's great-grandfather. That would have been really cool, but she only kissed the men she killed. Instead, she robbed him and left him stranded in the middle of the desert.

"Um... What are you listening to?"

"A story called Holes."

He was lucky to have survived," Stanley's mother was quick to point out. The bus was slowing down. The guard grunted as he stretched his arms. "Welcome to Camp Green Lake," said the driver. Stanley looked out the dirty window. He couldn't see a lake. And hardly anything was green.

"Holes... Interesting."

"It is. By the way, when do we discuss the color green?" Harry questioned.

"Not for a while. Why?"

"Because Stanley is going to a place called Camp Green Lake in the story I'm listening to. I was curious about the color. That's all."

"Oh." Zayn pointed toward the door, using his thumb. "I um... I noticed Mindy's car is out there. Is she here?"

"Yeah. She's having a nap. We went grocery shopping earlier and she was tired. I was hoping we'd all have dinner together if she wakes in time."

"Oh."

"But I made plenty for all three of us. Don't worry. She helped me with the portions before I shooed her out of the kitchen so I'm sure there is enough."

"Okay."

"How about you go have a seat in the living room for now. You'll learn how I cook and prepare meals later on. It's not time yet."

"Alright. Fine."

"And don't stay in here just because I can't see you either. I will know."

"Come on. I'm not gonna do that to you."

"Goodbye, Zayn."

He left the kitchen and went to the living room where he turned on more light and took a seat in one of the chairs with his blindfold in hand. Now that Harry sort of brought it to his attention, he did wonder how Harry was preparing everything. He guessed the best part about it was that Harry said he'd show him another day. So that was something else he could add to the list of things to look forward to learning about him.

Much to his satisfaction, while listening to the noises Harry made, he never once heard a plate or any silverware drop to the ground. So Harry really did know what he was doing. And even though Harry always easily gave off the idea that he did, it was still very impressive.

While he waited, he also thought ahead of the game and opened his blindfold and put it on his head. But he didn't pull it down over his eyes just yet. Moments later, Harry finally called him for dinner.

"Alright, Zayn. It's ready! Go wash your hands and then come eat!"

He sprang from the couch rather quickly and rushed to the bathroom. When he was finished in there, he got up and went to the kitchen with Harry. "I'm here. He said. When he saw the plates of chicken and rice on the table, he immediately wanted to scream. But why? He wasn't sure. He just did. Somehow, a blind man fixing a full plate of food for him made him really edgy. But in a good I'm-so-amazed-by-you-my-screams-might-make-more-sense-than-my-actual-words kind of way.

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