Chapter 12: Why?

I must've fallen asleep, because when I wake up, Zeke is just coming through the door.

"Hey." His voice is hoarse.

"Hi." Mine is too. At least I have a reason to sound thus. I was hit by a speeder, after all.

"How are you feeling?"

I haul myself to a sitting position, biting back a scream of pain as I put too much pressure on my broken arm. "Never been better," I mutter through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, right."

"What're you doing here?"

Zeke pulls a chair up next to the bed and settles into it. "Making sure you're all right."

"I can take care of myself."

He looks at me with a raised eyebrow as he answers. "Awful good job you've done lately."

I roll my eyes. "Can I help getting hit by a hovercar?"

"You can look where you're going instead of walking right in front of one."

"I was distressed!"

"Why?"

I regard him coolly, trying to come up with a quick answer.

"Kaie?"

I shake my head. "I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

I take a deep breath. "It's complicated."

"Most everything is nowadays."

I can't deal with this now, so I change the subject. "How long am I supposed to stay here?"

"Until you heal."

"Well, when will that be?" I ask impatiently.

Zeke sighs. "I don't know, Kaie. They might panic if you go into a healing trance, so it'll take a while."

"What am I supposed to do until they let me out?"

"Read, write, think. Why can't you figure this out on your own, Kaie? You were smarter than this."

"Was I?" I ask. "I can't remember."

"Something really bad must've happened to you to make you forget something like that."

The man never stops questioning until he gets what he wants. It's infuriating.

"I'm not going to tell you anything, Zeke. Stop asking me."

He nods. There's an uneasy silence for several minutes before he speaks again. "Kaie?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what happened to Wil and Syra and Jeren?"

I swallow the lump in my throat. How can I tell him without spilling everything? He's the only true friend I've had in six years, and I don't want to lose him so soon after finding him again. Sweet Force, I'm getting mushy.

"Yes," I whisper.

"Where are they?"

"They're with the Force, now. They are at peace."

Oh, I hope he doesn't cry. I won't be able to hold myself together if he cries.

"Thank you."

I look up sharply at him. "What for?"

"For telling me that much. I can tell it's hard for you."

All I can force from my throat is a small, "Oh."