Chapter 2

"Link! Link, are you okay? Say something!"

The floor was back to normal. That's what Link saw, right off. He was just outside the doors to the school. There were still some students leaving. The sun was still shining brightly. As his mind cleared up, Link noticed that he was no longer in the doorway of the school, where his vision started. He was now lying on a short cement wall, at the top of the steps leading from the main entrance.

There was a young girl beside him. About fourteen years old. Red hair, reaching down to her waist. Green eyes. White shirt, red shorts, white sneakers. Hers wasn't the voice from the dream. Was it a dream? It must've been. But here he was. Awake, now. And she's still talking.

"Happy birthday, bro! C'mon, Link. Get up. It's time to go home. You don't want Uncle Taron to worry, do you?" Link sat up and rubbed his head, before looking over at the girl. His little sister.

"Click? What happened?"

"You walked out of the school and fainted. One of your friends helped me get you up here, so you wouldn't be trampled by everyone else. That was fifteen minutes ago. Are you okay?" She looked him over, as if searching for wounds.

"Yeah... Yeah, sure. I'm fine. Must've been shock, or something. Minhaga wished me a happy birthday." Click looked at him as if he'd gone crazy, but Link just rubbed his eyes. "Weird, don't you think?" Link got off the platform and picked up a black backpack. It was pretty light. Barely anything in it, really. Pencils and paper. His notebook. Link kept his books in his locker. Click slowly picked up her pink backpack and put her arms through the straps. They started their walk home. It usually took about half an hour.

About halfway home, the young girl spoke up again. "Link?" She didn't even look up at him. Just casually asked. "You sure you're okay? You still seem a little out of it. Something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. Just had a weird dream." He rubbed his forehead a little as he went over the voice. He'd known who she was before he woke up. Why couldn't he remember now?

"Really? Tell me about it!" She turned to walk sideways facing him. Click always got excited about people's dreams. Link didn't really feel like talking about his, this time.

"I... forgot it. Sorry." She wasn't buying it. He could tell by the raised eyebrow and the twist of her lips. She gave him a sly look as she slowly turned to walk forward, again.

"If you forgot it, how do you know it was weird, huh?"

"I just know." Link adjusted the straps on his shoulders. "I don't wanna talk about it right now, okay?" Click sighed and kept walking. The front gate to their apartment complex was in sight. Soon they were walking up the stairs, to their little home on the second floor. "Uncle Taron, we're home!"

It was a small five-room apartment. The living room, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. The television was on, a news anchor telling of the royal visit to Kakariko City, later in the week. A small red Cheep-Cheep was in its aquarium, swimming around a plastic egg. White with green spots. The other adornment inside was the front half of a little wrecked ship, where the fish often liked to sleep. Link walked over to the aquarium and poured some food in. "Here ya go, Zephyr." Click turned off the TV and sat down at the computer, booting it up.

"Hey, where's Uncle Taron?" Link went over to the couch and turned the TV back on. He watched everything he could on the royal family.

"I dunno. He should be here." Click connected the computer to the internet and began to load up an instant messaging program. While it was loading, she glanced over at the TV she'd just turned off a moment ago. "Why do you care so much about what they're up to, Link? Do you have a crush on Princess Zelda, hmmm?" She smiled widely at her brother, as he blushed.

"What? No! It's just... I feel something about her. I can't explain it. There's something wrong."

"Yeah, you wanna make out with her. Smoooooch!" The teenaged girl giggled as only teenaged girls can, as her attempts to fluster her brother succeeded. He didn't look at her when he replied.

"Cut it out, Click. Go see if Uncle Taron's in his room. I'm gonna check my E-mail." He stood to take his sister's place.

"Kay. Don't close my stuff, though!" She hopped off the chair and headed down the short hallway. Link sat down at the computer and opened the E-mail program. After a few seconds, an instant message popped up.

'SweetLight: Help me, Link.'

That was weird. How did this person know he was at the computer? This screen name wasn't on Click's list of online friends.

'SweetLight: I made it to Kakariko City. Please help me.'

He took a moment to consider whether or not he should reply. Link's typing wasn't as good at his sister's.

'Double: Who are you? How am I supposed to help?'

'User SweetLight could not be reached. Check screenname and try again.'

"What? Must've logged off." Click walked back from their uncle's room, still looking around.

"He's not home. Did you see a note anywhere, Link? Hey, who messaged me?" She went over to the computer and read the screen over Link's shoulder.

"I dunno. Whoever this is isn't on your contacts list. Recognize the screenname?"

"'SweetLight'? Nope. Prolly just a bot. Forget it." She headed for the kitchen area, through an empty doorjamb. "So, did he leave a note?" Link stared at the message a while longer, before closing it and looking towards the kitchen. Click opened the fridge and pulled out some sandwich meat.

"Uncle Taron? Not that I saw. That's not like him, to up and leave without telling us." Link stood up and started for his room. "Maybe he's just stepped out to get something from the store, or something." He stopped dead once he opened his door. There was a shadow sitting on his bed, and it was looking at him with glowing red eyes.