The Strange Suite: The Meteor

Chapter 1: The Meteor

"Fuck! Ow!" Well, that could have been more eloquent, but as Karla stuck her finger in her mouth and hissed at the stinging sensation, there was not much else that came to mind. She ignored the concerned look coming from Daniel and simply waved him off. In response, he made a quick movement with his hands and walked off towards the front of the classroom. "I am getting the teacher." He had signed to her, and true to his word, he and the teacher came back to their shared culinary counter with a bandaid, clean cloth, and some disinfectant.

"Where are you hurt?" The teacher stated, used to this sort of incident coming from her class. Karla pulled her finger from her mouth to show the thin cut that had been inflicted on herself that had almost stopped bleeding.

"Knife slipped... sorry sir." Karla apologized sheepishly as the teacher put the cloth under her hand and poured the disinfectant over the wound, making her hiss again. After dabbing it up he wrapped the bandage around it and went back to the front of the class to do whatever he was doing.

"You have to be more careful. Daydreaming is painful." Daniel signed to her, his hands-free after he put the knife in the sink to clean again.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Reprimand me later. You didn't hear what I saw this morning." Karla murmured back to him as she brought over the rest of their cooking supplies.

"Something you still refuse to tell me about."

"I don't even know if I believe it myself."

"Would not hurt to have a second opinion."

"Fine." Karla relented. If there was anyone she could trust to not call her insane, it was Daniel, "I saw a meteor. But... it also wasn't? I mean, there wasn't a crash or anything from in town, which is where it was heading... no one else seems to have seen it. No one else even talking about it." She paused and looked about the room slowly before leaning in, "I think I saw a falling angel."

"Not possible." Daniel shook his head slowly, "The angels do not have a reason to fall."

"Maybe this one did? The meteor broke apart, Daniel. It broke into two pieces..." This put a contemplative look on Daniel's face as he took in the meaning.

"Two?"

"Two." Karla looked at him expectantly as Daniel made a huffing sound, like air being pushed out of a bike pump, and went back to the sink, "Fine, don't believe me. I'm sticking by it." The boy did nothing else to respond but instead, finished cleaning up their workspace.

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The rest of the day was uneventful, fitness day in the gym, Beowulf in English, French 3. It ended with them picking up his sister at the middle school next door and walking to the café-by-day, bar-by-night, that her uncle owned.

"And today! I made this!" Danna exclaimed happily as she pulled out a small aluminium sculpture that was immaculately made. A small person sitting on a large flower, "The teacher said it reminded him of Thumbelina."

"Is that who it is?" Daniel signed inquisitively.

"Not really. It was supposed to be Mom..." Her excited demeanour diminished and she looked back to the porcelain figure and frowned. Daniel rubbed her back, trying to be comforting, and gives a small gesture, circling his curled palm around his face.

"Beautiful."

Karla smiled at the two as Daniel passed their school bags to her and lifted Danna onto his shoulders, bounding further down the sidewalk and through the doors of The Veil. She joined them moments later, Daniel already picking up their drinks from the counter and passing Danna's up to her. A few steps forward to the counter, her hand was stopped from taking her own drink by another.

"Karla, girl... What happened to your hand?" She cringed at the tone in the voice and sheepily looked up to her auncle, Sam. For a moment, she actually debated whether or not to lie to them, but the knowledge that Daniel was also there made her relent. If she wasn't honest, he would be.

"I had a bit of an incident with a knife in culinary..." She slipped her hand out from under theirs, quickly taking her mug and sipping the tea within.

"What is with you, child?" Sam admonishes as they give her a gentle smack on the side of her head, shaking their own and gesturing to the bandage around the base of her thumb and wrist, "It hasn't even been a week since the last time you hurt yourself."

"Yeah, and it's been a week since you let me ride my bike. You have to let that go." Karla mutters as she sips her drink.

"I'll let it go once you stop taking it over dirt mounds that are taller than this building." Sam snips back at her and slides her a cookie on a dish. She accepted it with an eye roll and started munching.

"I'll stop going over hills when the world stops being so beautiful from the top." Karla playfully winked at Sam, her gaze turning and flowing over the patrons. Simple folk. Men and women from the small town they lived in and even a few wayward travellers. A shimmer in the air and her eyes catch the flick of an ear, the swish of something not there. Something she'd never see dead on. Looking to Sam, she smiles, "Out of towners?"

"Just a lovely couple from overseas." Sam spoke softly, "I made sure to let them know they were safe here. Would you mind?" They gesture to a pair of bowls and cups. Tea and Dabo kolo. Karla simply nodded and stood, taking the dishes with her over to the couple.

"Here you go. Tea and Dabo kolo. Welcome to The Veil." Karla set the treats down with a polite smile, "Feel free to call us should you need anything else." The couple silently thanked her, the woman of the duo's eyes regarding her curiously before they returned to their meals, leaving Karla to return to the bar.

"I wonder if it's Lion or Panther."

"Whichever they are... I've granted them hunting access to our lands. Until they continue on." Sam murmurs softly as they clean a cup out, "Don't go prying either. I raised -"

"You raised me better than that. I know." Karla interjected with a smile, "I know. I'll be respectful. I've got homework to finish. See you up in the apartment for mid-shift?" She gathered her school things as she spoke. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Sam simply nodded and let her leave the small ground-floor Cafe, turning to greet the next guests to enter.