บท 7: Opened window
"So you're running late and your pet isn't here."
When the Promise Ghost stepped into the small shack where they supposedly did business, they slapped their hands together and turned around to face Intervar.
"Do I need paper and crayons to help you understand how a protective ward works or can you listen for less than a minute?"
That's true, he'd entirely forgotten that Donn needed to join him. Hopefully, this can work without Donn as foolish as that sounds.
He had no one but himself to blame for this.
"Before I dropped her off to the groomers, I'd entirely forgotten about it. Please accept my apologies once more." The lie slipped easily from his mouth and he inwardly winced at how the sorry apology came out.
Though anyone with such a bad attitude should be able to work anything out.
"Yeah, no, thanks for making my job harder than it has to be," They deadpanned in reply to his earlier comment.
Intervar nodded his head in shock, not sure what to do other than standing there watching them stroll to a little table in the room's corner.
They took a black box and a thick-looking leather collar with them.
"Wait here, this will take a minute." They said then left.
They had a way, then, problem solved. Though Donn might snap at him if he tried to put the collar on her, she could be very stubborn if she wanted to be.
While waiting, he had a glance around the area, intrigued by the unusual design.
On the other side of the wall, there was a little sliding window. It was dusty, therefore it wasn't used very often.
He walked closer to it and saw a little kitchen from what he could see. He returned to his old position, not wanting to be caught snooping.
Instead, he returned his attention to the wall paintings.
Animals with mismatched body parts were the most common. In a kitchen, there were newspapers and pictures of cars. All of them with unusual drawings on them.
The enormous rectangular sign on the wall, though, threw everything off.
OPEN: DIAMOND CARS
Diamond cars for diamond buyers!!!
The violet and dark yellow were a jumble, and they were striped horizontally.
The sign had rusted in a few places, so someone had painted them bright green, although they hadn't kept up in a few areas.
When he heard footsteps returning from another secret room, he was still scrutinizing the sign.
"Wear this and put this on your pet." They placed two black boxes into his hands, each labeled with his and Donn's names. "You know how to call me if any of them breaks, which they shouldn't. Unless you take them off or the ward is weakened, these will keep both of you safe. You may now leave."
"Right." Intervar gave a nod and walked out the door.
As he returned with the two boxes, the streets were still black.
Donn hasn't returned, so she's either still looking or has returned home.
He'll put the collar on Donn and write those letters as soon as he comes home, then take a shower.
If Gavin is keeping an eye on him right now, he'll be telling King Kirk that The Promise Ghost isn't a rumor.
Kirk had been wrong the whole time, he felt a flush of pride in his chest.
He examined the boxes in his hands, realizing that the threat had been exaggerated, and that he'd have to include that in the letter to Queen Sei to let her know all was alright.
When he finally got to the library, he found Michael was sitting in the history section, leaned over a book.
"Hey, are you done?" Intervar whispered.
Michael looked up, "Yeah, let's go."
He checked the book out, then they started walking home, they didn't talk much, but Intervar could tell Michael had some questions by the way he kept glancing towards the boxes.
"I got the boxes as a gift from the friend I was visiting if you really need to know."
The taller male glanced back, "What's in them?"
"Not sure, they told me it was a surprise."
Michael nodded as they turned the corner, asking another question about his friend. Pretty soon, they were so deep in conversation, they didn't realize how quickly they got home.
"Goodnight, I'm going to go up to my room and take a shower."
Intervar wished everyone a good night and then ascended the stairwell.
He looked around for Donn when he opened his door, but she was nowhere to be found.
He hurried to the window, puzzled, and discovered that it had been closed.
He hastily unlocked it and wondered if Donn had returned home and been locked outside.
"How was the fair?" Eda stood in the doorway, a smug look on her face.
"It was fine." He responded automatically, "Um, have you've seen Donn?" He turned around and looked at Eda.
"I actually haven't. When I went to check up on her, she wasn't here and the window was open. Maybe you left it open and she flew out?" She said, feigning ignorance.
He looked at her, loathingly. "Why would you close the window? What did you do?"
Eda was enraged and exclaimed, "How dare you accuse me of doing such a heinous crime?! I would never intentionally injure a helpless animal."
"I wasn't implying that you did! I asked why the window had been shut! And where the hell was Donn?"
Intervar took a step towards her and in his rage and panic, shoved her out of the way.
The room seemed to just spin as panic settled in, little black dots formed in the middle of his sight. He couldn't think straight.
He dashed down the corridor, almost colliding with his mother in the process.
"Intervar, what's the matter with you?" As she brushed down her clothing, his mother gave him a cold stare.
"Donn was in the room with the window, but it was closed, so I can't find her. I can't find her, Donn."
It all came out rushed and in half sentences, but he couldn't breath, he started to see Donn on the ground bleeding to death when he had been a native child. Donn would be anywhere injured or dead and it would be his fault.
His back collided with the wall, and he began to hyperventilate; his mother was speaking to him, but he couldn't comprehend what she was saying.
He was becoming dizzy, and his vision was becoming blurry. He couldn't remember the last time he had parted with Donn, ever since that day, he had made sure he knew a hundred percent where she was or that she remained in his sight constantly.
Then something warm and fluffy smacked him in the chest, headbutting him in an attempt to get him to focus. He held the hazy object in his palms until his breathing and vision were normal again.
He examined the thing in question and discovered that it was Donn; he was curious about where she had been, but it felt like he had swallowed a rock.
He really wanted to hold the creature, so he cuddled up to her.
When he eventually turned away, he noticed his parents' and Miss Katie's troubled expressions.
She placed a glass of water next to him, but he did not approach it.
"Are you okay, Intervar? Is it possible for you to tell me what happened?" Miss Katie lowered herself to his level and approached him softly.
He shook his head slightly, tightening his grip on Donn.
He wasn't going to explain anything, they wouldn't understand, none of them would.
"She was under your father's and my bed, Intervar. She had been waiting for you to return." His mother spoke up, her voice slightly trembling.
"Would you like to retire to your room and relax?" Miss Katie had inquired.
Intervar nodded and rose slowly, despite the fact that sleeping sounded wonderful, the war wasn't going to wait for him.
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