This Girl Is A Delinquent!, Vol. 2

Chapter 18: Shelter From The Storm

With no regard to vacation plans, the fledgling days of summer whittled on. Despite the exhaustion that accompanied their prolonged days in the sweltering sun, the Astarillian students woke up each morning with a newfound invigoration. The days brought new experiences and benign interactions that tugged at the interconnecting threads of the group of friends and left them feeling even closer than when they arrived. However, the halcyon times could not last forever and, before they knew it, it was already Thursday night. After a rather large meal inspired by a friendly rivalry between Mary and Delilah, Ken found himself full in both body and heart as he melted into his bed. With visions of the guest room ceiling and the soft sounds of Lucas snoring nearby, he slipped into the space between consciousness and dreaming.

At some point he fully crossed over as he now felt himself falling through a cool darkness. It was a sensation he had grown quite familiar with over time due to his periodically vivid dreams. Awaiting the next story that his mind would produce, Ken heard what sounded like a soft thud. All of a sudden, he was surrounded by light as his field of vision was filled with the sight of the beach. Yet, the nostalgia was short-lived as he quickly realized that he was floating high in the sky looking down at a place he had been only hours prior. Ice filled his chest as he began to plummet towards the beachfront. Ken tried to control his breathing as he struggled to gain control over his dream. With the view of the ground rapidly growing closer, he clenched his jaw as the golden sand moved within inches of his face.

CRACK!

"Ha-ah!"

A yell merged with a gasp as Ken violently sat up in his bed while the distant roar of thunder crackled through the building. Glancing at Lucas, Ken could faintly see the outline of his sleeping form and that he was unaffected by the unexpected noise. He brought a hand to his head, and let his thoughts travel back to his dream. While it wasn't his first falling dream, it had been some time since he had experienced one. Moving his hand to his chest, he felt the quick pace of his heart begin to slowly calm down. However, he couldn't shake a general sense of unease and quietly rose from the bed with the intention of getting a glass of water.

While moving down the hallway, his night vision finally settled in and he could see a dull glow from the television set flickering from beyond the couch in the living room. He suppressed a yawn and took a step across the threshold into the room when a whisper made him jolt.

"Big brother!"

Turning his head towards the source, Ken saw the familiar face of his sister clad in her pajamas looking up at him. As he was about to berate her for scaring him, something made him hesitate. Her eyes wavered as she looked at him while her mouth contorted into a worried frown. Softening his tone, Ken whispered back.

"Huh? Lyra? Why are you up right now? Did the thunder wake you up too?"

Shaking her head in denial, Lyra gently tugged Ken's shirt and met his gaze with a pleading expression.

"No, it's not that! It's... Sonya! She's gone..."

"What do you mean..."

The words felt almost foreign to his ears and he was left unsure how to respond. Upon seeing his confusion, Lyra furrowed her brow and spoke again.

"Look..."

Using his shirt as a lead, Lyra brought him closer to the couch until he could see. Instead of Sonya's sprawling form, he saw his cousin softly breathing while clutching a remote.

"She was laying right there with Maddie when we went to bed, but now she's gone. I'm worried."

With Lyra's explanation, Ken thought to himself for a few seconds before raising his finger and offering his solution.