==Hey, guys. I'm so sorry this chapter took a long time to post. I had begun writing it last week, but I was scared I was getting writer's block so I forced myself to take a break and think about my plans for upcoming chapters. A big decision was made in the process that I hope will spice things up earlier than I anticipated. My only hope is that it is received without much hate because the thought of it also makes me disappointed. It's not the biggest conflict in this story, but the intention will be to pull at your emotions. Oh yeah, before I forget, my family and I are taking a week long vacation soon in the British Virgin Islands and I doubt I'll be able to write at all during the trip. So I'll try my best to get one last chapter out before then. I think that pretty much covers everything for today :)==
Bassnectar - "Underwater" feat. Tina Malia
...Keep me from wandering in terror.
Haunted: Collapse into Caliginosity
Chapter 34:
Misfortunes
This place is so cool. People have secret places to hide at, but a pirate ship in the middle of the desert? Nobody would come looking for it.
Well, I take that back. Jay's parents came looking so they could visit, but I doubt anyone else would wander the desert. I know I wouldn't, but I got a personal escort by Zane to come here, and he's the one who'll take me back to Ninjago City. Kai, on the other hand, has been giving me a different kind of escort through the maze of hallways below deck. I've seen the weight room, training rooms, bathrooms, a lounge room, Nya's bedroom, and the ninjas' bedroom.
When I saw the two sets of bunkbeds, it became clear that privacy was limited for Zane. His bed was his only area. They all had to share a single sink and everything. I imagined it as being at a camping retreat…permanently.
Geez, and I thought sharing my room with another girl was bad in the foster home, I thought. Let's just hope nobody snores at night.
"Does anyone snore at night?" I asked Kai and Zane.
"Cole does," Kai swiftly answered, the scar over his eye showing in the light streaming in from a window.
Well, I tried.
"How much does he keep you all up at night?"
"Not very often. Zane is able to close his mouth without waking him up," he chuckled.
I looked at Zane and laughed. "Is that what you did to me that night? Because I'm a total mouth breather when I sleep!"
"Yes, and you also like to cuddle," he replied.
"Wait, what?" Kai said with an expression mixed with confusion and shock.
"Oh, um, basically I fell asleep during our little adventure and Zane brought me back…Then I woke up the next morning with him in bed with me."
His face became baffled. I knew exactly what he was thinking.
"No! That's not what I meant!"
"She was only cold," Zane explained. "I only got in so I could warm her…And then she attached herself to me, so I couldn't leave."
"Kai, Zane is still as virgin as ever," I said, hugging Zane. I looked up him. "Right? I mean, I just assumed you were."
"Um…" There was a pause. "Yes?"
His response confused me. I looked at Kai. "Does he even know what I'm talking about?"
"To be honest, I have no clue, but I'll admit there's a chance he hasn't read a book about it."
I glanced back up at Zane. "Have you ever heard of the birds and the bees?"
He thought for a second before shaking his head. "No. How do birds and bees have any correlation with each other, other than their predator and prey relationship? They are two separate species."
I looked back at Kai and let go of Zane. "Sounds like you and your brothers have some work to do," I laughed, leaving the room.
"Why us?" Kai complained, following me out. "Why can't you tell him? He would take it better from you. He practically adores you!"
"Adores me?"
Zane glared at Kai.
"Aw, it's okay, Zane. You're not the only one," I said, gazing up at the ceiling as a bunch of footsteps sounded from above.
"Jay's parents might be leaving," Kai said, walking past me. "Might as well go say bye to them."
Zane and I followed him out on the upper deck. Everyone else was gathered a few feet away from the Bounty. As we were walking over to them, I realized it was a little bit darker than earlier. The sun was almost beginning to set for the day.
"How long were we in there?" I asked Zane.
"A long time," he bluntly answered.
I waited a second before continuing. "It didn't feel like a long time."
"That's because you were occupied the whole time."
We caught up with the group as Jay's parents started the engine to their bulky car. Jay was telling them stuff over the noise, so I used the opportunity to pull Zane away.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
He wanted to say something but stopped himself. Then a very bright light shined in our faces. It blinded my left eye for a moment, forcing me to put a hand in front of it.
"Like 'em? I used a little extra juice," Jay's dad said, turning them off. The car was put in reverse and they turned it around before driving away. "Bye, son! I couldn't be more proud!"
Jay's mom added something I couldn't hear, but Jay groaned in response. "Mom!"
"Now that they have left, perhaps Jay can teach us the art of...kissing pillows," Sensei Wu prompted. He tried to hold in laughter but it spilled out. Jay let out another annoyed groan and went back aboard the Bounty to get away from everybody. Zane and I were the only ones not laughing. We missed out on the joke, apparently.
"I've got to hear about this," Kai said within his laughter. He jogged onto the Bounty. "Jay! Wait up!"
When they followed Kai back onto the Bounty, I got Zane's attention again.
"…They left because of the threat of Serpentine. You also must return to Ninjago City..." his voice trailed.
"Now?"
"Unfortunately. The dragons cannot take flight in darkness."
"Oh...but is that what's bothering you?"
He nodded. "I resent saying goodbye."
"Hey, come here," I beckoned him.
He instantly knelt down onto both his knees. I threw my arms around his neck in an embrace. "I promised we wouldn't lose each other again. I intend on keeping that promise."
His arms wrapped around my back, holding me as he returned to his feet and began walking to the dragons.
"Saying goodbye today doesn't mean saying goodbye forever. I'll come back to visit whenever the time is right."
"Tomorrow."
I laughed. "I wish that was true."
"How will we contact you for visits?"
"Well, there's this thing called the telephone. Do you guys have one?"
"Yes."
"Then that's how, and I'll try to talk to you as much as I can."
He stopped walking and quickly put me down. I felt a breeze pass me as he ran over to Shard and pressed both hands to his snout. The Ice Dragon's eyes opened, but that was all. Even I could see he was in bad shape.
"Shard, please get up," Zane urged. "We have to take Macca back home. I can't have her stuck out here." He tried pulling the reins for Shard to get up, but poor Shard was having none of it. He just closed his eyes again and ignored the tugs.
As Zane pulled and pulled, I noticed something papery next to Shard. I picked it up, only to discover it was round and smooth. His scales felt soft under my hand, but one of them was beginning to lift up. If I wanted to, I could peel it off easily. That's when I realized I was holding one of Shard's scales that had already fallen off.
"U-Uh, Zane," I said.
He stopped and looked at me. "What?"
"Do dragons shed?"
"What do you mean?"
"Come look."
He came over for me to show him the fallen scale and the one I found lifting off the surface.
"Oh no," he nervously breathed. "Wait here." He sprinted to the Bounty in a hurry.
I went around to Shard's head and stroked his face. He drowsily opened his big yellow eye to see me.
What's happening to you?
I saw how he stared past me. The three other dragons also lay without moving, and their breathing was heavy. I went over to one next to Shard. It was red and bigger than him. I investigated the scales to find multiple lifted like the one I found. One even slipped off when my hand gently stroked over it.
I sighed. Something bad was happening. My worst fears were that some kind of disease had found its way to them...maybe even a terminal disease.
"Over here, Sensei," I heard Zane say after a few minutes. "Symptoms are drowsiness, labored breathing, and the shedding of scales."
"Shedding of scales?"
"Yes. I fear something horrible is happening to the dragons. They're all showing symptoms."
"I will take a look, but I am sure the results will be disappointing no matter what."
Sensei Wu came into my view as he approached Shard. I came out from beside the red dragon to find Zane in a distraught state. Shard was his companion; he was not just a pet. Their relationship reminded me of Trent and his cat. Was inseparable the word? I don't know. But if Geno got hit by a car or something like that, Trent would be devastated. I didn't know about Zane, though.
He spoke to my surprise. "What will happen if you have to stay here with us longer than expected?"
"Um...I'll have to call my boss and let him know what's going on. Maybe I'll have to call my friends. I don't know what else."
He broke eye contact with me.
"But at least we'll be together longer than expected," I quickly added. "Me missing a couple days of work isn't the end of the world. I know we'll figure it out soon."
"Zane," Sensei Wu summoned.
Zane walked past me to see him. The answer to the mystery was given in a low voice. Whatever it was, I knew it wasn't good.
Sensei Wu walked around him and past me to return to the Bounty. Zane just stood there, not making a sound.
My thoughts about this stay were bittersweet. Getting to be with Zane was the sweet while having to miss work for an unknown amount of days was the bitter. I was nervous about my penalties for this. It could either spell disaster or set me back in a certain way. But for what it's worth, I called my boss and explained the situation after eating dinner. His unhappy tone made me gulp, but I remained calm and promised to get things right as soon as I returned. My only hope was that his temper would remain neutral until then.
In the meantime, I was provided with a yummy dinner and clothes to wear for the night. Zane made me a bed on the couch in the lounge room. It felt nice to be welcomed to stay with open arms. As I sat and just thought about the current situation, it dawned on me that getting stuck here was probably the best thing to happen to me. I deserved some time to enjoy myself, and being here was the perfect place.
A head peeked into the lounge room. It took me a second to actually notice him, but I smiled as soon as I did. Zane emerged from the darkness, wearing his white pajamas. My smile got bigger from the desire to giggle at the new sight.
"Are you settled in?" he asked me.
"I believe so. Thanks for making me a bed."
"Gratitude is not required. I just wish I hadn't put you in this mess."
"Hey, don't say that. Honestly, the only things I'm mildly bummed out about is the fact that I can't do my makeup in the morning and there's a chance my hair will be frizzy when I wake up. Oh, and I have to wear the same clothes for tomorrow."
He smiled for a moment but then it went away.
"So what's happening to the dragons?"
"Sensei says they are only molting."
"Really? That's it? No sickness or anything?"
"The dragons are perfectly healthy, but they're molting because they're adolescent dragons. This process changes them into adults."
"Well that's not bad."
"No, but...they must be released in the morning. Sensei says they must travel east to the Spirit Coast for they're metamorphosis to complete."
"And then they'll come back?"
"I don't think so."
"...I'm really sorry, Zane. You wanna sleep in here with me?"
"I appreciate the offer, but I can't do that. We all need our rest for tomorrow."
"Then I want you to be the first person I see in the morning."
He stepped into the doorway. "That can be arranged. Sleep well."
"Goodnight."
Then I was alone in the darkness. I covered my legs with the blanket and laid my head on the pillow. All I had to do now was wake up to the best person in the world.
How was it? Let me know your opinion :) Shoutout to Kai4Ever, The Mayor Of Ninjago City, KRR, and TombRaiderNinja for leaving a review! And thank you all my silent readers for all the views :D
KRR - Don't sweat it ;)