The Medium Kid

Chapter 50

I actually shocked myself when I typed in 'chapter 50'! I can't believe the story is this long, and still has so much to be revealed! I hope you're not bored yet ;)

- Sian

Koda tarried at the Willow household all weekend and left on Sunday evening. Alfie recovered well, though the boys started to feel anxious about their college day on Monday. Chris had been permanently secluded, Koda had to talk with the principal, and Alfie hoped that Koda's old friends wouldn't attack him as soon as eyes of authority were pointed in the opposite direction.

Koda jumped off the bus with a smile and waited to cross the road. Lights were on in his house and his dad's car sat on the drive. Koda wondered what his dad had been up to while he was at Alfie's, and he pondered over the thought of whether his dad had thought to text him to ask.

The sky behind the house had a thick red outline around the roof from the setting sun. It blended into orange and then a nice warm golden glow. If fallen leaves didn't blanket the path, Koda would've thought of summer, but the air was too crisp. Autumn was well into its season and doing well to remind everyone that winter would soon follow.

Koda felt a little light as he approached the front door. Maybe this was how he usually felt, but the weight of sorrow pulled him down until it felt normal to feel full of lead. He unlocked the door and opened it to the smell of cooked food and the sound of the TV in the distance. The kitchen door was open as he yelled, "Mum, I'm home!"

The world stopped moving, and Koda froze like he had been stabbed straight through his heart. His lungs filled with ice, and his eyes stung with a sudden rush of hot tears. The ache in his chest hurt enough to make him question whether it was possible for a heart to turn to stone and crack into a million pieces.

He couldn't bring himself to move, even when Morlen slowly appeared in the kitchen doorway, staring at him with guarded eyes like he was afraid of what he would find in the hallway.

"I-I don't- it just came out," Koda stuttered. His voice didn't sound like his own.

Morlen inhaled a sharp breath and strode over. He shut the front door and Koda's hand that had been hovering on the handle dropped to his side. Morlen's heart jumped when a tear stroked Koda's cheek. "Sometimes when you come in, I think it's her and go to shout her name," he admitted.

Koda's eyes connected with his father's, and they looked the same; soft, sad, and coloured with grief. "Everything felt normal," he whispered. "I can't believe I forgot."

Morlen understood exactly how his son was feeling. He knew that pain from mourning was almost worse than pain from a broken bone. Gently, he lifted a hand and removed the tear from his son's face with his thumb. His own eyes twinkled against the light with emotion. "I made food, and the football's on soon."

His father's reaction to his sadness left Koda speechless. He had never seen his father act so tender towards another person, not even his mother.

"Come on," Morlen said when Koda's eyes fixed into place, not blinking. Morlen took his bag off and rested hands on his shoulders. He guided his son to the living room and sat him down on the couch. He stood awkwardly, wanting to say something about Enya to cheer him up, but Morlen didn't see why mentioning her again would make the situation better. Koda had walked in happy because he had forgotten. Morlen had to act like it was no big deal to forget. Koda had to move on to heal.

When his dad went back through to the kitchen, Koda rested his head against the couch and rubbed his eyes, removing any threat of more tears. She wouldn't want you to cry. Koda imagined his mother watching over him, running fingers through his hair like she did when he was little. It helped to imagine her with him, and it helped even more now that he knew ghosts were real.