Crackerjack II

Chpt. 27: Check-Ups

"I don't know if we should be leavin' you alone." Kristen chewed her lip as Ernold plopped into his bed. "I mean, you did just almost die f'r an unknown reason. What if you have a relapse or somethin'?"

"Aw, don't worry." Amelia waved both hands. "See? Air. He won't drown in this stuff."

"Don't underestimate me."

Kristen shook her head. "But—"

"Lorrie said she didn't think there would be any more trouble." Ernold shrugged into his blankets. "Never has been before."

"Well, you have been settin' school precedents today," Kristen muttered.

Amelia grinned and, throwing an arm around Kristen's shoulders, guided her to the door. "Don't stress! We'll check on him first thing in the morning, and if he's dead, we'll blame Lorrie."

"Yeah!" Ernold waved. "Close the door on your way out!"

Once outside, Kristen planted her feet. "We are checkin' on him in the mornin'."

"Sure."

"First thing."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Of course. Say, eight?"

"Why not seven?"

Her nose wrinkled, but then she sighed. "Alright. Guess it couldn't hurt." She waved and started toward the crackerjack section. "See you at seven."

"Sharp!" Kristen called. With a glance at the closed door, she started for bed herself.

Before she even turned the corner to her cabin, Kristen could feel Scorch's lingering anger. She'd almost forgotten about it with the distance between them. Even with its renewed strength, though, she couldn't tell if the frustration was aimed at her or himself.

To be safe, she slunk in as quietly as she could. The sun was only just below the building line, but Scorch was already curled on his cushion, and she didn't want to disturb him if he was asleep. Worry for Ernold chewed on the edges of her mind as she lay beneath her blanket, throwing images of what tomorrow's training might be onto the ceiling.

~

The next morning, she tiptoed out before light trickled in and met Amelia in front of Ernold's porch.

Amelia yawned. "Let's see if he's still alive."

"Be nice."

"It's seven in the morning. I'll be nice after nine."

Kristen rolled her eyes with a smile and knocked. Amelia rocked onto her heels while they waited.

"He probably hasn't even gone to bed yet, honestly." She yawned again. "Or he might have gone to sleep ten minutes ago."

With a frown, Kristen knocked again. "He wouldn't have left, right?"

"Where the heck would he go at seven in the morning?" Amelia's yawn almost snapped her jaw out of place. "I'm telling you, he's a zombie right now."

At that moment, a series of thuds preceded the door's opening.

Ernold squinted from the crack with disheveled hair, wrinkled clothes, and a blanket thrown around his shoulders. 

Amelia nodded. "See?"

"Hu-llo? What're you doing here?" Ernold's eyes raised. "The sun's not even up."

"We wanted to make sure you're feelin' okay." 

Ernold blinked without letting up on his squinting. "If you wanna catch me in two hours, I can tell you."