Lunar

Chapter 14

I awoke the next morning before Kellan did, my alarm telling me that it's time to go get the kids up and ready for school. However, I've decided that us adults are going to take the day off today, to process all of our new information and try to devise a plan to get our people back and finally get rid of Tony.

I quietly leave the room so that Kellan can remain peacefully sleeping, and continue to tip-toe my way down the hallway and into the kid's rooms. We all went to bed really late last night, the least I could do is let the others sleep in for a while.

I have all the children get up and quietly make their way to their bathrooms while I get their clothes picked out. I lay their outfits out on their beds, and make my way downstairs to begin fixing them breakfast – which will hopefully turn out to be relatively edible.

Except, I was greeted by a whistling Henry, scooping a pan-full of scrambled eggs onto a large plate.

Why was he awake?

And since when did he learn how to cook?

"Hey, dude," I said, almost apprehensively.

"Good morning, Boss!" He cheered, rinsing off the dirty pan in the sink.

"What's going on here, pal?" I laughed, "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, I couldn't. I woke up at around four and just couldn't fall back asleep," he answered.

"What's going on? Is something wrong? Are you okay?" I asked in a rapid pace.

"Alaska," he teased, "I am more than okay. I'm not sure why I couldn't sleep, I just couldn't. But I don't think it's for a bad reason, though, I actually feel really good about today."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously. Not, that I didn't believe what he was saying, it's just that he's acting weird – even for Henry.

"I figured we could stay home from school today, since we stayed up late last night and we really should come up with a plan for sneaking into the Rogues territory."

"You know that's fine by me. I'll have to go into school around lunch time because I have that Government test today but that's all."

"Hey, maybe that's why you feel so good about today, Henry. You were studying pretty hard for that the other day, maybe you're just subconsciously confident that you'll ace it."

"You might be right, Boss. Do you mind putting the kid's breakfasts on their plates? I'll run upstairs and let them know it's ready for them."

He left the kitchen and sprinted up the stairs as I did as instructed. Just as I was pouring our glasses of apple juice, I heard their hushed whispers and quiet pattering as they quietly came downstairs.

"'Laska! Uncle Henry told me that you and him are going to take us to school today! You'll get to see all of our friends!" Chase spoke so quickly that he was out of breath by the end of his sentence.

I smiled and made eye contact with Henry, a silent conversation which basically consisted of 'Hey, I know we didn't discuss these plans but I also know that you won't mind' and me smiling even wider in return at the thought of getting to spend even more time with them.

Looking back at Chase, I crouched down to his level, "You heard right, little man! And I can't wait to see all of your friends! Will Uncle Henry and I get to meet them?"

All four of them suddenly had a very uneasy look on their faces and immediately stopped shoveling their breakfast into their mouths.

"Um, I don't know, 'Laska," Morgan said.