Shadow Thief

32 - The Beans be Spillin'

My butt sat comfortably against a wooden crate while the others pulled up odd objects to make their own chairs. Theo was next to me, letting me use his shoulder as support.

I let my eyes glance over Mercy who was and has been avoiding eye contact with me since I told her the truth. The real truth.

"Alright," Ravi said, catching my attention, "I thinks it's time to start talking."

"Right," I replied, nodding. I swayed a little. "Um...I guess the best place to start is the beginning. So, I'll tell you about that night."

---

I woke with a start, rolling over in my Pokémon blanket.

"Lena!" The little voice yelled. "Wake! Up! It's! Time! For! School!"

"Shut...up," I groaned out. "I'm tired, let me sleep."

"But it's time for school."

"I don't wanna go to school today."

"But I do! Now come on, I don't wanna walk alone."

---

"You hated being alone, back then," I said quietly, a little laugh in my voice. "That changed. Drastically."

I looked up to see her watching me with mesmerized blue eyes.

I continued. "After I wouldn't wake up, you went to get Mom."

---

"Sweetheart," she said, smooth like honey, gentle like a cloud, "time to wake up. You have school today."

"Don't wanna. I'm tired."

"Hmm. My ten year old daughter sleeps in like she's in her late thirties. I have so much hope for you in the future, dear. Really."

Mercy giggled in the back.

"I don't care, as long as I sleep in."

"Tell you what. You get up and I'll make you some of those cinnamon roles you really like."

I peeked up from the pillow.

"Promise?"

She smiled at me, flashing bright blue eyes and perfect white teeth. "They're already on the table."

---

"So, we went to school. She always knew how to get us to do what she wanted."

Levi spoke up. "What about-"

"Hey, no one gave you permission to talk. Shut up until I'm done."

---

Our little feet turned little puddles into tsunamis on the muddy ground. We made little ant canyons to go with.

"Apple, butt, car, the 'd' word, elephant, the 'f' word, giraffe, hell, and I pick...igloo!" Mercy said, reciting the words we already picked in alphabetical order. She jumped, making another ant sized catastrophe in the puddle.

"Apple," I recited, "butt, car, dick, elephant, freakin', giraffe, hell, igloo...jrefereferous."

"Apple, butt, car, the 'd' word, elephant, the 'f' word, giraffe, hell, igloo, jeferous...kangaroo."

"Beep, buzz, and whatever other noises that mean your wrong. I said jrefereferous. I win again!"

"Aww. How do you always win that this?"