Seer: Finding a Killer

To Everything, There is a Season

Sachi awoke with a start. Sitting up, she reached over to her desk, fumbling in the darkness for her phone. Wincing from the bright glow of the lock screen, she checked the time. It was six-fifteen.

Throwing the comforter off her, she stepped out of bed; immediately bumping into the dresser and stubbing her toe. Whimpering, she limped to her closet and grabbed her silk robe.

Fastening it around her waist, she opened her bedroom door and tiptoed into the living room.

There she found Kael fast asleep and curled up on the couch with a blanket wrapped around him. Feeling bad that she had to disrupt his peaceful sleep, she shook his shoulder. "Kael, wake up," she whispered.

He flicked an eye open. "One more minute," he mumbled. She shook him harder. "C'mon we'll be late."

He sat up tousling his hair.

Her heart racing, Sachi watched as a few strands tumbled over his eyes. "Okay, you win," he said. He rubbed his eyes. She chuckled as he shook himself to shake off the drowsiness. "I'm just going to shower. I won't be long," she said. He nodded.

On her way to the shower, Sachi debated stopping by her parent's room to check on them.

The past few days since her mother's release from the hospital were tumultuous. Due to her aversion to clocks and timers, she and her father painstakingly removed the devices from around the house. In her presence, they were careful to conceal their wristwatches.

Nozomi also displayed PTSD tendencies such as reliving her time as the Time Clock Killer's hostage.

One night, while heading toward the kitchen for a glass of water, Sachi found her mother, glassy-eyed, sitting on the living room floor, she held her hands clasped together at the wrist as though zip-tied. The sight was jarring.

Because of this, Sachi and her father took turns keeping her company. While Sachi was at school, he would stay with her. When he had to return to work having used up his vacation days, Sachi would keep her company.

The family car was another issue. Her father no longer wanted to drive it. He said that it was a constant reminder of what happened. He spoke of putting it up for sale. McCoy suggested auctioning it.

When her attendance and classwork declined, Kael offered to take her to school. His offer was a remedy for the transportation situation, with her father driving her car, and a means for Sachi to catch up so she would be ready for exams.

Lars suggested that he spend the night to shorten the trip.

Glimpsing her parent's bedroom door, she decided not to bother them and went to shower instead.

Ten minutes later, showered and her hair wrapped in a towel, she signaled to Kael waiting in the living room. Flashing her a smile, he made his way to the bathroom.

Biting her lips, she admired the sight of him and his lean physique as he walked by. The bathroom door closing with a click, she took a breath, shut her door, disrobed, and unwrapped her hair.

Opening her dresser drawer, she took out a beige sweater and jeans. As she dressed, she listened to City Boy turning up the volume.

Putting on a bit of eyeliner and lip gloss, she brushed her damp hair into a ponytail and headed out to the kitchen to grab a mineral drink.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Her dad, wearing a green robe, entered the kitchen scratching the stubble on his chin. His hair was sticking up in the air like a porcupine.

"Good morning, dad," Sachi said. "How's, mom?"

"Sleeping," he replied stifling a yawn.

"How long did it take for her to fall asleep this time?"