Dusk Harbor 1999

Sam's Cafe

It was Sunday. Jake and Olivia, and Mason and Jordan were all together as they usually were on a Sunday. This weekend was different though. No one had felt like being the host, no one wanted to cook, so instead they decided to go out for brunch. They found a little place called Sam's Cafe. With plain wooden chairs, little white tables, and modern-rustic decor. His wife and kids had stayed behind, Sarah and Houston were both sick.

It was quieter than usual. And the dumb cat hadn't found a way in. The drinks were hot and the food wasn't cremated, so that was a plus for everyone involved. He didn't have to hear them whine about his cooking, and they didn't have to eat it.

"Finally, we can eat without Olivia's dumb cat in the way." Mason said as he shoveled scrambled eggs into his mouth.

Olivia glared at Mason, pointed her fork at him.

"Hey, only I can call my cat dumb." She snipped.

"I can call her anything I want." Mason replied.

Jordan didn't look up from his nearly untouched plate of food. He stared into the slabs of french toast like they were immensely important. Let out a dreary sigh.

He was still unsure about the idea that Jordan was Megabyte. It seemed obvious. Everything just lined up. And the more Jake tried to convince himself otherwise he always found three other reasons that made him all the more certain. It was a tricky thing, trying to decide if one of his best friends was also his nemesis. Jake couldn't even bring up the subject, because it would open a whole can of worms, and Jordan might suspect that he was Herald. So he kept a calm, casual composure. Acted like nothing had changed. If he is Megabyte, does Mason know? Does he know I know?

Jake leaned back in his chair, and pushed his plate away. Put three fingers around a half empty cup of green tea and lifted it up.

"Do you guys want to come over for the Blue Devils game?" Jake asked before taking a quick sip. It was lukewarm. He loved tea. Could drink a whole pot of it to himself. His wife liked to call it an addiction, "the kids are at the opposite end of the house, sick, so they won't be all over you."

Olivia ate one last bite of toast, and then shoved her plate away. Took a long sip of hot chocolate. Set it down and wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand. She nodded and gave a thumbs-up. Didn't give a verbal response.

"Eh, Jordan? You up for that?" Mason looked to his brother.

Jordan shrugged as he stared at his food, and traced the tines of the fork around the edge of the plate in a circle. One hand propped his head up, he had the sunken, darkened eyes of someone who hadn't slept in days.

"Hey." Mason nudged him. "What's up?"

"It's nothing. I'm just tired," he stated.

"Not sleeping?" Olivia asked.

Jordan shook his head and exhaled loudly. His eyelids closed. He slumped forward and the heel of his palm dragged against his upper lip, revealing some of his teeth. Mason elbowed him, startling him back awake. They glared at each other.

"Just been having some weird dreams. That's all," he replied, "but sure, let's go watch the game."