Something in the Woods

Chapter 30

Six months had passed since Barrett went back to Jotunheim, and tonight was the night that he was supposed to send a sign if he made it back safely. Katie couldn't get to the woods fast enough, warm air brushed against her skin as she sprinted towards the lake. When she got there, Byssa was already standing there by the shore.
The young goth gave a warm smile when she saw Katie. "There you are, I thought you would almost miss the show."
"Sorry,I got caught up helping Dav… er dad with painting my room." The word dad was still foreign on Katie's tongue. While David had never pushed her to call him that, Katie wanted to try. He was trying too, David had been given the task of collecting research about the portal, in hopes of figuring out what triggers it to open… or if there are other portals to Jotunheim. He has to keep a tight lip on his research, but he promised Katie that if he figures out how to open it, then she will be the first to know!
"Don't be sorry for spending time with your dad." Byssa said as she moved closer to Katie. "I'm just happy you're giving this family thing a chance."
"It's still weird sometimes." Katie admitted. "I expect to wake up in Ms. Doris' house again, but instead, I wake up in a bed to call my own."
"I get it, I used to say the same thing when I started living with Tymere." Byssa said. "I thought I would wake up to my dad yelling at me to get up for church so they could finally pray the sin away, but fortunately, that never happened. One day you'll wake up and not feel that way anymore too."
"I hope so…" Katie stared out at the lake, just like all the other times, a pillar of blue light stretched to the sky. Fireflies danced around the lake, their abdomens gave a soft green glow around the portal, once again, making the azure light look like it came out of a fairytale. She wondered if Barrett could see something equally as beautiful over on the other side, were they both waiting by the shore right now? "Do you think Barrett made it back?"
Byssa raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Sometimes I fear Barrett's injuries were worse than we thought, and I worry he never made it back." A lump formed in Katie's throat as six months of intrusive thoughts spilled out of her. "What if we wait all night for a sign and there is nothing?!"
Byssa slipped her hand into Katie's and pulled her in for a kiss on the lips. It was enough to keep the fears that plagued the young blonde away from her for a moment. Once she calmed down, Byssa pulled away and looked into Katie's eyes. "Barrett's strong, and he wouldn't dare give up because he wouldn't want to break his promise to you."
Katie took a deep breath, she wanted to believe Barrett was okay and ready to send a sign right now. She kept replaying last winter in her head, Barrett was hurt, but he got patched up by Tymere and he said Barrett was going to be fine to travel back home, there was no way that he would die. "You really think he's okay?"
The portal illuminated a blinding blue light as it made its way to the heavens, the waves crashed into the shore just like last time when the portal to Jotunheim opened up; the moment they have finally been waiting for was about to begin. Byssa squeezed Katie's hand and flashed a comforting smile.  "I guess we're about to find out."