When All is Null and Void

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Snow storms were rare in the Willamette Valley, but this year the weather paraded a wicked deluge of falling powder until the world seemed dark and desolate. At five in the morning, Alexander shook Caleb awake. "It may be your birthday, but that doesn't mean you get out of training this morning!"

Caleb, still groggy and disoriented, grunted. "Isn't that the point of birthdays?" The dream of Danielle being consumed by the falling shadows had already placed Caleb in an exceedingly bad mood. He didn't care about his sixteenth birthday; Caleb wanted to go back to sleep where his ring finger didn't ache.

"I'll make you the best breakfast in the entire world," Alexander said with the tone of someone holding a large steak in front of a sniffing dog. And Caleb took the bait, to his own disdain.

"Okay, but what's the best breakfast?" He clambered of bed and began yanking on his running clothes slowly but surely.

"Cinnamon roll pancakes sound good?"

Caleb's stomach was the first to answer, with a wild growl. "It has spoken," Caleb said, with a pat on his midsection.

They were soon out outside, but he ground, where snow hadn't covered it, was slick and impossible. A howling wind chased the two back inside. After slamming the door, Alexander flicked on the fireplace. "The weather should lighten up before tonight," Alexander said bracingly. They were supposed to meet Danielle for a Christmas bazaar held by her church. Caleb didn't expect the snow to stop, and he wondered if they would miss the chance to drive through the neighborhoods bedecked in lights.

"How does it feel to be sixteen?" Alexander asked as he handed Caleb a steaming mug of spiced hot chocolate.

Caleb shrugged. "It feels the same." He flicked his wrist wildly, "but now I'm married."

Alexander held back a smirk. "I don't remember getting an invite to the wedding."

Caleb snorted. "Yeah, me neither."

Twenty minutes later they were sitting at the kitchen table. Caleb had his left foot up on the seat with him and was leaning his chin onto his knee. The pancakes were wafting the scent of cinnamon and cream cheese frosting into his nose, but he was waiting for Alexander to return. Caleb heard the clatter of the contents of a drawer being rummaged through, and finally Alexander emerged with a small cardboard box clutched in his left hand.

"Candles!" he said jovially. "Gotta celebrate it right." He poked 15 of the little wax sticks into the pancakes, but there weren't any more. "We're going to have to improvise!" He grabbed the lighter and, after lighting the tiny candles, held the light straight in the air and started to sing. Caleb had never heard his mentor sing full out before, but he was doing it now. His voice was a comforting sort of baritone, and though he coughed a little bit, he wasn't half bad.

"Make a wish!" Alexander applauded when Caleb blew out the candle—including the lighter.

His mentor collected the candles from the pancake and tossed them in the trash. Caleb dug into the pancakes, and groaned with delight. "Dude, these are amazing—" he squinted. "I never say dude."

Alexander sat across from Caleb. "They've got magical qualities I guess, too. Give you a new vocabulary."

"Gueff fo," he said over a mouthful.

"So what did you wish for?" Alexander asked a few minutes of silence later.

Caleb looked up at his mentor with innocence and puppy dog eyes. "To Hop with Danielle."

Alexander rolled his eyes. "You know that when you actually say your wish it doesn't come true?"

Caleb took the last bite of his pancakes before setting his eyes on the stacks of bacon in front of him. "Can we please just go somewhere cool with her? Just once. I won't beg any more after that. I promise."