Of Stardust and Wishes (A Wish Rewrite)

Chapter 9 - Spartan Accommodations

The third step up squealed. Asha cringed, "I said watch out for the third one," her words were more mouthed than spoken.

"I thought you said sixth," Sol muttered back.

The girl grumbled and batted at the boy's back to get him to keep moving. When he didn't react, she growled, "go," which got him to start climbing. She ran her hand down her face. If only she had left her window unlocked, then they wouldn't be sneaking around like thieves. Well...at least Sol wouldn't have.

By some stray bit of luck, they were able to reach Asha's room without waking anyone up. The boy started to cross the threshold before the girl grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

"What-"

The girl's finger flew to her lips. Sol's hands rose in agitation before settling into an exaggerated, WHY?

She pointed at the thin line of white that glimmered in her doorway. It looked that same as the others that snaked along the floor downstairs. Though, those had been far easier to avoid. He turned back to her and shook his head. She sighed and grabbed his hand. She took her finger and started to trace a word against his palm. Sol started to pull away, still shaking his head, but she yanked his hand back. She traced the word over and over. Even though he couldn't feel it, his eyes eventually adjusted to the movement.

SALT.

"Oh," he breathed in acknowledgment. The girl harrumphed. Took you long enough, her scowl illustrated. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand in return.

SO?

She took her hand back and gestured for him to stay. She walked over to her door and stepped over the line of salt. Granted, it was exaggerated for Sol's benefit, but her point got across. The star followed behind her, minding the little border before closing the door behind him.

"Odd practices you have here. Is it normal to keep your seasonings on the floor?" he whispered.

"No, that would be my mother's specialty," Asha muttered as she made her way over to the chest in front of her bed. She lifted the heavy top and peered at the cobwebs within, "She started doing all this a few years ago. She hasn't been the same since..." a lump formed in her throat at the next thought. She bit the inside of her cheek and started to pull out the random odds and ends that resided within.

Sol sat on the end of her bed, looking over the top of the open lid, "I'm sorry for your loss."

Her head shot up; her lips drawn in a tight line before resuming her work. This time with more rigid movements. The boy sighed and shifted his weight back only for a startled bleat to rise up. Sol flew up in surprise, his head hitting the ceiling. Asha winced in his stead as he floated back down, no worse for wear. The lump he had disturbed started to move, slowly tunneling its way across the bed to reveal a very grumpy goat.

Sol's face spread wide with a smile. Still floating above the bed, he lowered himself fully. Sitting cross legged, he faced across from the disgruntled animal. He bent down, his head cocked to the side, "Hey there little guy."

Valentino's ear flicked.

"Hey..." he reached his hand toward the trepidatious creature.

Asha hauled yet another heavy stack of books from the chest, "Be careful, he bites," she reached for the next dusty tome.

As soon as her eyes were averted the goat clamped on, hard, to Sol's hand. He watched with a curious expression as the tiny animal continued to chomp down, "Huh...so he does."

"Told you," she grunted as she shoved the eclectic mix of junk under her bed. Her eyes peered over the top of the straw mattress, "Doesn't that hurt?"

The star continued to observe as Valentino tried everything within his power to inflict pain. His teeth ground against golden flesh, pinching and nipping. So intent in his task, a line of goat drool dripped from the star's unflinching fingers.