The Witcher

Bittersweet Sixteen

Raelle stood outside in front of her brother's room with her mother, holding a plate of birthday pancakes. Raelle was holding a wrapped box in her hands. Today was Jim's sixteenth birthday. Jim normally didn't like to celebrate his birthday because of what happened when he was younger, but Barbara and Raelle thought this birthday was one that he should celebrate. Raelle got chills running down her spine and goosebumps, but she quickly dismissed them.

Raelle opened the door for her mother. Jim sat awake in his bed. He looked at the door as it opened and saw his mother with a tray in her hands and his sister.

"Wake up, wake up!" Barbara called as she advanced toward her son with Raelle, "Don't want to sleep through your big day."

"Big day?" Jim asked gently with an unsure smile.

"The big day you start with--" Barbara sat on the edge of the bed. She gasps before saying, "Mom's special birthday pancakes!"

Barbara handed the tray to Jim with a smile as her son took the breakfast tray from her. Jim looked at the meal with a sad look. A candle had been stuck in the stack of flapjacks, and a syrup trail had created a disturbing smile. One of the syrup eyes slowly dripped.

"He looks like he's screaming," Jim mentioned.

"He's excited. I know, I know. You always hate your birthday," Barbara stood up and placed a book that had been lying helplessly on the floor, back onto a shelf, "But you're sixteen! This is a big one. We should do something tonight."

"Oh, Mom, you know I don't want to-" Jim began.

"This isn't up for discussion. No one should be alone on their birthday," Barbara argued with a smile as she opened his window, letting the fresh air flow in and greet the birthday boy.

Jim groaned with a roll of his eyes as his mother headed to the door while his sister stayed.

"When you've had your fill, I have another surprise for you downstairs."

Barbara headed down the steps as Jim sighed again before glancing at his pancakes, the candle still lit.

"I would recommend not eating the pancakes. I'm not sure, but I think mom skipped an ingredient or two," Raelle warned her brother, who took her advice and put the plate on the desk. Raelle held out the wrapped box to her brother, "Happy Birthday, Jim."

Jim accepted the gift and unwrapped the paper on the box. He removed the lid to find a Vespa Owner's Workshop Manual. Raelle saw the smile on her brother's face forming and could not help but smile herself.

"Wow! This is incredible, Rae! Thank you," Jim said.

"You're welcome. I figured with you wanting a Vespa, you should have one of these and do some homework," Raelle said.

The familiar call of the walkie-talkie pulled Jim from his misery and into a sudden shock.

"Warhammer to Trollhunter. Copy?" Toby said.

Jim dove into his desk chair and picked up his own before speaking to his best friend.

"Copy. What is it, Tobes?" Jim asked.

"Look out your window!" Toby told Jim excitedly with a smile.

Jim and Raelle quickly stood over Jim's desk, peering out the window only to find Toby standing in his room waving his arm happily as he held a paper birthday cake that had been bitten into.

The cutout cake had been drawn with two layers, and three candles were on top. The first layer, which had been missing a chunk, said: Jim. But part of the 'm' was missing. The bottom layer, fortunately still intact, had the number Sixteen written on it.