Between the Barn and the Stage

16

"You evil thing, get off me!" my cousin Ian said, disgruntled. I pressed my eyes tighter and muttered, "Sleep is good for me, so shut up, my gracious pillow."

"I'm not even fluffy." He muttered, and I just dug my elbow into his ribs. He shoved me off, and I rolled on the floor. "Cousins are not another word for mattress. Use the floor or something." He told me, and I stuck my tongue out at him, crawling to my dad's bed. Nobody had left, in fact, I think more people showed up. Ian's wife was here now, with the twins. One of my aunts boyfriend's showed up, bringing their Husky, Furball.

Sam was still asleep, and I rubbed my eyes. My phone fell into my lap, and my uncle smiled and signed--in KSL, which I needed to practice a little more--How was sleeping on my nephew?

Very bad. He's so bony.

As expected. This is Samuel?

Yes. He...call him Sam.

Okay. You should get home, your phone has been exploding. Buzzing in my hand the past hour.

I gave him a thumbs up and picked Sam up gently. I walked out of the room after kissing all of my relatives and Furball--the latter of whom returned the kisses with happy barking--and carefully put my brother into a piggy-back ride. I took out my phone, six in the morning and fifty-two messages. I didn't even get that many when I landed in the hospital because I hit my head on the pool deck.

I almost laughed when all but two were from Chatham.

The other two were my mom. The first on said, HONEY WHERE ARE YOU?!?! and the second one an hour later as an after thought, If this is because I hit you IM VERY SORRY I dont know what came over me please come back.

I rolled my eyes and went to Chatham's. I scrolled to where he began, and they went in this order.

R u still up

No?

Good

Mostly

Ugh im bored af nobody is up rn

Know what ima blow up your phone so when you open it it has exactly fifty messages

Im so evil I know kill me later I got a tour when summer starts up and a new album to release on christmas

Though, um, I havent exactly made more than four songs

Hmm how else can I blow up your phone....

I know!

Hi

Hi

Hi

Hi

And he sent thirty-six more Hi's before he went silent around an hour ago. I noted he had sent each text five minutes apart. Why did he stay up all night?

I decided to pay him back and stopped in the parking lot, softly hefting Sam up from where he was slipping. I then sent Chatham fifty Hello's, feeling devious. He saw them all, too. I turned my phone off and let it buzz in my pocket as I crossed the street and walked along the sidewalk. It buzzed again, and a single message was on the screen. You have awakened.