A Nightmare

Waxing Gibbous Moon

Alain gently pushed open the large entrance door with Khajul at his heels, who was intimidated by the mansion's size. No sooner had they reached the stairs than a door opened behind them and the striking face of another boy appeared whom Khajul guessed to be around his age.

„Hey, bro, how's it going? Still as cool as a cucumber?"

„Mind your own business," Alain replied slightly annoyed. Without even noticing it himself, Khajul had slipped into the shadow of his companion, intimidated by the dominant presence of the boy who had meanwhile stepped into the middle of the room.

„Who is that?" Kira did not let himself be shaken off so quickly. „Your new errand boy? The things you can have when you're incredibly rich, huh? Hey, kid! You better stay away from him!"

Alain quickly pulled Khajul behind him and did not stop walking until they disappeared into his room.

While Alain went in search of bandages and tincture, Khajul marvelled at the oversized bedroom. To his right, there was a large canopy bed, that was more beautiful than he had been able to imagine even in his most beautiful dreams. A thick mattress decorated with a pile of red cushions invited to lie down. To resist the compulsion to jump onto the bed, he turned his eyes to the right. Next to a bookcase, bulging with sophisticated-looking books, stood a large, elegant desk. The next thing he noticed was the door next to it. What was hidden behind it? A guest room? A bathroom? Maybe a storage room? His gaze glided to the ceiling in search of the light source that bathed the entire room in soft tones. A huge chandelier floated proudly above the room.

The door flew open, and Alain entered the room loaded with first aid items. He commanded his young friend to his bed and sat down beside him. Alain gently took the injured hand in his own and cleaned the wound. Khajul watched his every movement. As the first drop of the brown liquid fell on the scratch, a stinging sensation twitched through his body like an electric shock, and he tried to pull his hand back abruptly. Alain didn't seem to bother and carried on. Khajul's body was tense down to the last fibre. Alain leaned closer to the wound. He was now so close that his breath tickled the skin on Khajul's hand. Unconsciously, he held his breath and felt the desire to do it treat it all himself. His gaze glided along the profile of Alain. Striking jaw, but not exaggerated, typical eagle nose, his hair hanging loosely in his face, his eyes focused on the task in front of him.

Khajul stared into emptiness and didn't notice Alain turn his face towards him and catch his gaze. A gentle twitch rippled around his mouth and he began to grin.

„Do I have something on my face?" he asked cheekily. Khajul's cheeks became hot as they turned a soft red. Through the window, the moon reflected in his eyes. Gently, Alain touched Khajul's cheek and began to caress it. The boy flinched back with a bright red head and stared at the floor next to the bed, embarrassed by what had just happened.

Kira started to breath quickly. Anger and humiliation took a hold of his whole body. Mechanically he put one foot before the other. Having arrived at his destination, he followed the action, which was reflected in his green eyes. A sneering smile spread across his face. He found what he had been searching in vain for so long.

„Tell me... who was that earlier?" asked Khajul, clumsily trying to bring Alain on a different thought.

„Oh, that... that was my stepbrother. 'on't pay any attention to him."

Khajul, who couldn't hide his curiosity, asked: „Does your father keep a harem?"

„No", Alain replied with a laugh.

He told Khajul that his mother died giving birth to him. Shortly after that a new woman moved in with his father, and he found himself having a brother. He admitted that he couldn't remember his childhood too well but that he knew that his father had always supported him so that he'd never really felt bad.

„What about your parents?" Alain returned the question.

„Mine died in a car accident when I was eight. I can only remember them vaguely. I live with my uncle now," Khajul answered confidently. When  silence threatened to take over again, he jumped up and insisted that he now had to go home.

Kira swiftly disappeared behind thick curtains.

Alain and Khajul passed a large window in the corridor. Almost hypnotized by the light of the moon, they stopped.

„Soon there will be full moon...", said Khajul.