Awakening

11: Appearance

Blake peeked into Alisha's room, but was shocked to discover that while the sheets were messy, the bed was empty. He snorted in disbelief.

She's still not feeling well, especially after Thursday, he thought, frustrated. Why's she still going to the pharmacy, and so early?

Before he took a step in the hallway, he breathed in, and out, trying to remember June's words from yesterday. He knew he needed not to worry so much...but how could he not?

Not right now, he told himself. With his right hand clutching the scythe in a tight and nervous manner, Blake opened the front door but stood completely still. He looked outside and around, his mind whirling with emotions.

Suddenly June appeared at the sidewalk, coming from the right. She turned her body towards the front yard fence, and stopped, staring right in his direction.

As soon as she'd appeared in his sights, Blake breathed in with a sharp gasp, and ever so slowly pulled a part of the blade into June's line of sight. He gripped the staff of the weapon tightly, keeping his hand behind his back. He did his damnedest to hide all traces of the nervousness wracking his brain and body. The moment his friend raised her eyebrow he froze in place, and waited. Her mouth opened ever so slightly, and finally she tilted her head the tiniest bit.

"What are you doing standing around?"

After a few moments of processing, Blake then realized that his initial suspicions may have been correct: other people could not see the scythe, for whatever reason. But more than that, he came to the conclusion that he could not wait any longer; he needed to talk to his mother about this. She might be the only one at this point that could help him figure out what was going on.

"What's up with you, everything alright?"

June's sudden words broke him from his trance, and Blake shook his head to pull himself out of his own thoughts. He tried thinking of a response for June's question but couldn't, and instead he awkwardly shuffled around to grab hold of the door. In the same instance he tossed the scythe into the corner of the room behind the door; even if June had confirmed his suspicion, he didn't want to push it too far.

Blake pulled the door shut behind him as he left his house, and locked it.

"Sorry, sorry" he replied while hurrying down the sidewalk. "Just, staring off into space a little."

"Okay well, hurry up, we've got to get to school."

A surprised Blake strolled down the sidewalk with June at his side, curious as to why she had not pressed him further. At the very least he figured she would ask him more about why he stared off for so long. Maybe she waited to ask? The first couple minutes of their walk was shrouded in complete silence, and the longer it went on the more he clenched his jaw. Eventually he just cast a sideways glance at his friend. June's chin remained down the entire time he look at her. He also noticed her lip was curled inward, and her brows were just slightly furrowed. Her right hand was near her neck the entire time, fingers gently caressing the same necklace she always wore.

Shoot, he thought. Why didn't I say something sooner?

"Hey, um."

It took a moment for June to look his way at all, and the previous oddities on her face disappeared and were replaced by a quizzical look.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You doing alright this morning?"

"Oh. I guess." June closed her mouth, but Blake stared at her long enough that she continued. "I didn't sleep too great last night."