When He Calls (Moons of Nibiru - Book #1)

chpt - 28: mistaken for your past

"HEY, BUDDY? YOU OKAY?" KENDRICK LOOKED up from the unknown and saw Dean Knowles in front of him, a wooden counter separating the two. He looked behind him and saw a line of people impatiently waiting for him to return from his thoughts.

"Yah," he whispered unsurely before turning back to Dean and his hand holding a brown paper bag out for Kendrick to take.

The boy's confused expression made Dean realize his absence to the now. "Your dad's refilled inhaler?"

It dawned on Kendrick then where he was and why he was there. His father was at work and asked Kendrick to refill his inhaler at the pharmacy.

"Right," he said finally. "Thanks." He took the paper bag from Dean and stepped away from the line. He was unsure if he paid or not, but the fact that Dean did not call him back meant he did. Or maybe his father paid in advance?

Kendrick left the building with his feet put on backwards. The wicked nightmare that suffocated him two days ago still poked at his sleep-deprived eyes. His head was heavy with exhaustion and he wondered if he was even awake. Was this all a dream? He'd had weirder dreams before. Once, Kendrick dreamed of an ice-cream truck handing out puppies with top hats that peed rainbows. He never looked at a dog the same way after licking those puppies in his dreams until they melted over the cone and hands.

He walked through groups of talking people. A TV shop passed him by with different televisions in the display window, all of them playing news broadcasts of the happenings in the world: war, uncertainty, unpromising antidotes, doubtful speeches delivered by powerful leaders, confusion from the people, protests and streets littered with bodies, unanswered prayers and fear.

The boy's cell phone remained cold against his thigh in the pocket of his blue shorts. When aware of the device, Kendrick had the temptation to call Olivia or any of his friends — maybe Olivia? But then the nauseating memory of his nightmare and unexpected visitor pissed on his plans. Although he was desperate to tell his friends about his findings; importantly that his visitor might have been the cause of the horrific discord in their lives; the images of their mutilated bodies rushed by him, and the fear that involving them more would lead to their demise walked alongside him as he turned a corner and in the direction of home. Then again, they were already in too deep. They had an encounter with this 'creature' in Stuart House as it tried to keep them from the grimoire. Though they gained little knowledge from the book, it was still a power Kendrick was sure they could use to their advantage.

He stopped abruptly when a black Buick drove past him, the rush of wind following it gracing Kendrick just in time to prevent him being run over. His heart raced faster. He needed sleep. But it all weighed heavily on him. What was he to do about the situation? All alone? He would have to be a fool not to involve the only people other than himself aware of the rot in Marbel that may or may not have disrupted the natural order of the world; though an order of racism, sexism, injustice and greed.

Kendrick decided finally: he would organize a meeting and tell his friends — all of them. He reached into his pocket and extracted his cell phone. He absently dialled Olivia's number first, but he stopped himself from pressing the call-button when in his surrounding peripheral vision he caught a familiar blur across the street. His head raised, Kendrick saw Brendon Bourne across the street suspiciously glancing over his own shoulder as he turned into an even more suspicious alleyway.

Kendrick didn't know why, but before he knew it he was following his suspicious friend. He arrived on the lane Brendon had walked and closed in on the alleyway. His heart must have stopped, because a sting of pain shot into his brain when Brendon came back out from the alleyway. As quickly as he could, Kendrick spun around and walked in the opposite direction hoping Brendon hadn't seen him.