Sleepover

In silence, I thought for a long time in front of the window, and eventually decided to stay here in Mr. Idris' house for the night. Even if there wasn't this unexplainable curse on the town, it was too dark to actually navigate around anyway. I would never make it back to my aunt's apartment like that...

"Does the phone line work?" I asked. "I want to call my aunt, so that she won't worry about me."

"Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't." Mr. Idris said. "So, if you are lucky..."

He pointed at the phone standing on top of a small table on the corner of the room. I grabbed the handset and dialed the numbers. The phone rang for a while, but no one picked it up.

"Is it working?" Mr. Idris asked.

"Sort of, I think..." I said. "But this is weird... She isn't picking it up."

I listened to the single-tone sound until the call timed out. After that, I dialed the number again. This time, the phone didn't even ring.

I sighed. Now, I was worried about her instead.

"Don't stress about it." Mr. Idris said. "Everything will clear up in the morning."

Even though I was worried, I had nothing to do; so I tried to replace my thoughts and focus on something else.

"Thank you again, for everything, mister." I said to Idris.

"Don't even mention it. I didn't do much." he replied. "Well, since you are going to be here tonight, I shall prepare the room for you."

He slowly walked away from the window, into the corridor.

"I am going to give your bed to our guest for today." Mr. Idris said to her daughter. "I am going to get you some stuff to make another bed on the floor."

"Okay." she said. I couldn't really see her face in the gloomy room, but I could hear some discomfort in her voice.

"I don't want to cause any inconvenience, I can just sleep on the floor." I said.

"No way." said Mr. Idris. "You are our fellow guest, and you will be treated as such."

"But really, it is okay. I am used to sleeping on the floor... And besides, it is good for my back." I said.

"I can't put myself to sleep unless you are comfortable." Mr. Idris said. "It is no trouble for us."

Mr. Idris left the room, and Sena followed him. After looking out of the window and trying to make out silhouettes for a while, I gave up and left the room as well.

I encountered Mr. Idris in the corridor.

"If you need something, don't hesitate to ask." he said. "But unfortunately, there is not much we can do tonight. People usually just go to sleep early."

"I see." I said. "Well then, thanks again for every-"

"That's the least I could do." he said. "The bedroom is that way."

"Thank you."

"Stop thanking me." he replied this time. "Good night."

"Good night, mister."

I headed over to the bedroom that was shown to me. The interior of the room, although it was a bit too dark right now, really was giving the impression of being a young girl's room. I was feeling a bit bad, guilty of intruding into Mr. Idris and her daughter's house; even though as Mr. Idris has assured me that this wasn't the case. It was true that he had invited me in himself and so on, but still... I couldn't help it.

Just then, I noticed Sena in the room. She was trying to make a bed on the ground using a thick quilt.

She noticed me watching her. I felt the need to say something.

"We are going to sleep in the same room?" I asked.

"Uhm... Yeah? The other rooms get pretty cold after midnight. I don't want to sleep somewhere else." she answered.

I looked at the quilt in her hands.

"Hey, I will take that." I said. "You should sleep on the bed."

"No, it is okay." she said. "I also like the floor."

"Are you sure?"

"..."

This silence was a little meaningful for me.

"Look, I don't think that you are-"

"I am sorry." she said. "I might be sounding a bit repulsive, but I am just not... feeling really good. It is not about you."

"Don't worry." I said. "Everyone has bad days."

She didn't answer.

"Come on. Give me that." I said.

She left the quilt on the ground.

"Thank you..." she tried to call me by name, but apparently, she had forget it.

"Ender." I said.

"Thank you, Ender."

I took the quilt from the ground as she sat on her bed. I slowly started dragging the quilt out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Sena asked me.

"I was-"

"Stay here, other rooms get really cold. You will get sick." she said. Having no counterarguments, I spread the quilt on the floor. I put the pillow on one end and pulled a thin blanket over.

"Are you okay there?" Sena asked.

"Yeah, I am good."

"Well then... Good night." she said before rolling over to the other side.

"Good night."

- - - - -

"Ender!"

I opened my eyes.

"Aunt? Where are you!?"

"Ender!"

"I can't see you! Where are we!?"

I couldn't make anything out in the darkness. It must have been midnight still.

"Help me!" This was definitely my aunt's voice. It was coming from somewhere far ahead. I tried walking forwards.

"I can't see anything!"

Suddenly, I felt a pain on my leg. Just afterwards, an incredible pressure on my whole body.

- - - - -

I opened my eyes. This time... for real.

I had woken up just now. There was something hot and heavy on my chest. That being moved up and away after a short while. The extreme pressure on my body disappeared.

"Sorry, I am really really sorry!" It was Sena. She was trying to whistle as loud as a whistle could get. "I forgot that you were here, I was just going to the bathroom!"

She had apparently tripped on my leg and fell down.

"I hope you aren't hurt!" she kept apologizing.

"I am okay, it is okay!" I said. "Things happen!"

"Oh thank god..." she said. "Again, I am really sorry, I will be more careful!"

She rushed out of the room after that, most probably to the restroom.

After she left, my mind started recalling things from my dream earlier. I could almost hear my aunt calling for help. It was unusual for me to remember my dreams with such detail. It was a most realistic and unpleasant experience...

Suddenly, the bedroom lit up with a yellow flash through the window. I anxiously left my bed and made my way to the small window.

The yellow light on the mountain was still there. It was ocassionally blinking, wobbling around.

Who or what was behind that yellow light?

Was the light a friendly warning against the night's curse, or was it a part of this curse itself?

With so much in my head, I couldn't sleep again.