“She’s dead. Everyone dies. So get used to it.” The wolf commanded.
“I’m not dead.” Emmanuel said softly, as if to himself.
“That’s right. You’re not. But one day you will be, and then we shall meet face to face.” The shadow of the wolf seemed to grin at the idea.
“But I can’t.” Emmanuel looked at the woman in the blood, and Ruby could hear the longing in his voice. “My mother needs me.”
“No, Emmanuel. Your mother is dead.” The wolf glanced sideways, and the woman began to sink back into the puddle. As she descended, her eyes burst open and she stared at Emmanuel with urgency on her face. Her mouth began to open, but then she was gone below the thick blood.
“She’s alive! Did you see that? She’s alive!” Emmanuel shouted, running for the puddle. The wolf growled and jumped forward, snapping long fangs in Emmanuel’s face as it stood between the boy and the evaporating blood.
“No. She is gone forever.” It growled.
Emmanuel hung his head and stepped backwards, his frame crumpling. “That’s not true.” He whispered. “It’s not true.”
The wolf began to laugh, barks of sinister glee rolling into the heavy air, and Emmanuel covered his ears. Ruby grimaced and did the same, but above the noise she heard something new. A clicking sound, like shoes on hardwood floors, was slowly advancing in an echo around the dream. Ruby groaned as she remembered her now broken promise to the Garnts. With a last glimpse of the wolf and the miserable boy, Ruby let her mind float out of the dream and back to her fingertips.
There was a quick shock, and Ruby opened her eyes to find herself back in the nephew’s bedroom. In the hallway, she could hear someone approaching, either a nurse or one of the Garnts themselves. With energy pumped from her fear at being caught, she quickly opened the door before anyone could question why it was shut, and went about straightening the cards on the desk. As she rushed past the bed, she glanced down to make sure Emmanuel was still at peace.
Somber green eyes stared back at her, so unexpected that she gasped and fell back against the dresser on the opposite wall. Emmanuel was awake!
A short girl with bouncing brown curls and the defined cheekbones that belonged to the Garnt family came into the room. Emily Garnt was the youngest in the family, only four years younger than Ruby herself. Though she had only met her cousin once or twice before, she had spent at least two hours every day at his bedside, reading to him or talking to him. Ruby had always thought Emily’s concern for Emmanuel was sweet and charming, but now she just wanted Emily to leave so she could question the boy.
Emily smiled at Ruby as she made her way over to the bed, then broke into a huge beam when she saw Emmanuel’s eyes look up at her.
“Oh Em, you’re awake!” she clapped and grabbed his hand from under the covers. “We’ve been waiting for you to wake up for so long! How do you feel?”
Emmanuel blinked at his cousin. “Fine.” He replied, and she hugged him around the neck.
“I’m so excited! You’re finally awake, now we can talk! Emmanuel, what happened to Aunt Bell? Why did you come here alone?” she asked.
“Actually Emily, I’m really hungry. Can we talk later? Right now I just want to eat.” He smiled weakly.
“Oh, of course. I’ll come back later, okay?” She hugged him tightly one last time, then turned to leave. Motioning for Ruby to follow her, she paused at the door. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with him, but everyone was really worried. Maybe you should make sure he doesn’t eat too much, in case it upsets his stomach or something. I think they want him to stay in bed.” She said quietly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll watch what he eats.” Ruby promised, smiling reassuringly as Emily left the room. As soon as she was gone, Ruby turned and found Emmanuel staring at her again. Drawing herself up, she walked over to the tray of food. “If there’s anything you would like that isn’t here, I’m sure I could go downstairs and get something else.” She offered, placing the tray on the bed.
Emmanuel shrugged. “Thank you. I’m really not that hungry.” He picked up a piece of toast and took a small bite.
Ruby backed away, standing to the side so he wouldn’t feel like she was hovering over him.
He turned to look at her. “It didn’t actually happen.” His voice sounded strange, as if it was older than his body.
“I’m sorry?”
“What you saw, in my dream. It wasn’t real.”
Ruby froze, her heart pounding wildly. The boy knew she had been there? But he had never looked at her, how could he have known?
“What do you mean?” she asked, hoping she could hide her powers.
“I know you were in my head.” He accused, probing her eyes with his.
Ruby held his gaze, unsure of what to do. He could be making it up, but she didn’t know why. He hadn’t known her face until a few minutes ago. And very few people had those extrasensory powers…
“Are you Aware?” she glanced sideways at him, as if trying to see his power with her own eyes.
His face flickered as a small grin appeared on it. “Just barely. But Aware enough to know that you can Dream Sneak.”
