Christopher's Song (Indefinite Hiatus)

Chapter 10

When they got home, Jennifer headed to her room while Daniel bounded up the stairs. Bypassing his room, he threw open the door to Ethan's bedroom. The book with keys inserted sat abandoned on Ethan's desk. The room was empty.

Hey, Eth, what's up? Where are you? Daniel pathed.

In the park, was Ethan's mental reply. I'm here with Mike. Becki sorta broke things off with him. He's pretty shaken up. I've never seen him like this. I'm sort of afraid to leave him alone; he's really down. I don't think he's suicidal, but you never know.

Maybe we can sing the edge off, Daniel suggested.

I suppose we could try, Ethan responded. But you know that our magic seems to be short lived when it comes to strong emotion. Remember when Greg's brother was in that bad wreck and in a coma in Vancouver? Greg felt bad because they fought before Brad left on the motorcycle road trip. We tried singing Greg out of the funk, but every time we stopped he just seemed to sink lower than before. I'm afraid if Mike gets any lower ,he'll be a danger to himself, and we can't stay awake day and night singing. I think maybe this time he just needs a human shoulder to cry on. I'm going to stay with him for a while. Write a note and sign my name and give it to Mom so she won't worry about me being gone. You try your luck on the book. I'll be back when Mike seems to be better.

Okay, Daniel channeled. Just holler if you decide a song might help.

Daniel quickly dashed off a note and carried it to Jennifer. Then, returning to Ethan's room, he picked up the book and headed back down the hallway to his own lair. It was strange. Even though he was excited about trying to open the book, he felt slightly depressed because Ethan wasn't there to share the moment. It was as though the book sensed his mood. It seemed to be sending out negative vibes, giving him a feeling of unease as he sank into his chair. He laid the book in his lap and put his hands on the two keys. When he tried to turn the keys, a mild shock traveled through his thumb and up his left arm. Sticking the offending thumb in his mouth to suck away the pain, Daniel wiggled his fingers and looked questioningly at the book. Then he looked up at his room and the chaos that still reigned. What a mess!

Thoughtfully, he looked back down at the keys that Ethan had said were cemented in the holes. Gingerly he reached down and took hold of the keys. When no sensation shot up his arm, he jerked the keys in an attempt to free them from the book's hold. To his surprise, his hands flew upward with the keys, while the book flew out of his lap and landed among the chaos already littering the floor. His astonishment was so great that one of the keys flew out of his left hand, flipping upwards toward the ceiling and then making a few lazy arches before landing at Sky's feet.

"Okay," Daniel thought, keeping a tight shield on his thoughts, so as not to interrupt his brother's vigil. "What are you trying to tell me?"

He picked up the book and then walked over to Sky and retrieved the errant key. Looking from the key to the book and then to the bear, he puzzled aloud. "Do you bears hold another key, Sky?"

Realizing that the key at Sky's feet was the one that had administered the shock, Daniel took the bear and returned to his chair. He put both keys back in the holes from which they had originally come. Then using Sky's paw as a buffer between his hand and the left key, he tried turning the keys again. The keys did not budge, but rather the left key administered another nasty jolt of electricity. This jolt was much stronger than the last, so much so that if Daniel had not had Sky's paw insulating his fingers, he was afraid he would have developed a mild burn. This suspicion was borne out by singed fur on Sky's pad.

Recognizing the futility of trying again, Daniel sat the book in the chair. He began to pace while he pondered his dilemma. Ethan said he had been shocked by the keys then they had stuck in the book. He himself had been shocked by one key but the keys weren't stuck. They were actually loose when he tried to remove them. It was as though the keys could read his mind. They resisted when he wanted to turn them but cooperated when he wanted to remove them. But with Ethan they were simply uncooperative. Whether that meant anything, he hadn't a clue.