“Hi, Uncle Luther.”
He sat in the big comfy chair next to the window in the living room. Uh, why did they call the front room the living room and the big room by the kitchen the den? There were so many things she didn’t understand.
She was about to jump into Uncle Luther’s lap for one of his chakra-spinning hugs when he shushed her with his finger to his lips. She followed his gaze out the window. A bunch of sad, sick ones moped around the dried-brown lawn just like her dream. Ooh! There’s Katie. Not her Katie friend from California. A new Katie!
In her dream, she and Katie had talked and talked about all the things they missed. Like chocolate cake and presents and swing sets and music. No one ever sang anymore. Katie couldn’t really talk. When she tried, the words sounded like Mateo’s silly gurgling. So, Twila had promised to heal her. Today! If Mommy says it’s okay.
She needed something fun to do. She was so bored with coloring. And everyone was always too busy for her. Even the Silver Lady hadn’t talked to her lately. What if the Silver Lady felt so bad for ignoring her that she had sent her a friend? It could happen.
“How’s my cutie?” Uncle Luther whispered. Finally, they hugged. But it was a short one.
“I’m hungry.”
“There’s a few MREs left on the kitchen counter,” Uncle Luther whispered to her ear.
Yay! She was so glad Luther had found the box of MREs. She darted to the kitchen to pick through them. Though, most MREs were yucky. Better than flapjacks, as Grandpa Dean called them. Such a funny name. Ooh, this one. She snatched the Creamy Spinach Fettuccini and took it to the dinner table next to the living room’s window.
Uncle Luther was about to ask if she needed help heating it. “My bad, you’re a pro. You must be the smartest eight-year-old girl on the planet,” he said with a big smile. “Use my canteen.” He kept his eyes on the window.
After she filled the bag to the line with water, she put the brown plastic thingy back in the cardboard and then set it against the wall while it heated like magic. Pretty smart invention, she thought. But the package was stupid-looking. She would have made it way prettier with colorful fairies and rainbows and unicorns.
The whole time she waited for her breakfast to heat, Uncle Luther didn’t say a single word. He was worried and tired like everybody else. It was going to be another boring day. Unless . . .
Katie’s voice popped into her head. “Do you still want to be my friend?”
There’s Katie! Walking to the house. Right there, in front of Uncle Luther. He reached for the gun on the table.
“Katie, no! Go back to the street—right this very minute!” Twila screamed in her mind. “I have to ask my mommy. Be patient.”
Katie limped back to the street. She just stood there, so lonely. Uncle Luther put the gun back on the table. How could such a huge man be afraid of an itty-bitty girl? Even if she was a Z. After that, Uncle Luther was jumpy. She tried to see why he was upset, but he started blocking his thoughts.
They sat in silence while she hurried through her breakfast. Twila couldn’t wait to tell Mommy about her Katie dream. “Can I go upstairs?” she asked, slipping the MRE’s chocolate chip cookie into her jeans, which were so big she had to use a rope to tie them around her waist.
“As long as you’re quiet. There’s more of them today. They know we’re here,” he said. “And your mother needs her sleep.” It was his way of telling her to be extra-extra quiet.
She decided not to tell him even more were coming. A vague image revealed hundreds of sick ones searched for their house on Bluebird Lane. They weren’t the scary mean X-strains, just the sad and lonely ones. Katie tried to wave to her. Uncle Luther turned to Twila with a puzzling look. Uh-oh. He was starting to listen to his innate abilities. She better be more careful around him.
“Gotta go brush my teeth now.” Twila gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before he said the Z-child creeped him out.
She quietly slipped into the bedroom to check on Mommy. Still sleeping. Twila considered not brushing her teeth. I better do it. Mommy might ask. Besides, Mommy could see her thoughts if her Merkaba shield wasn’t strong enough.
When she was done brushing her teeth, Twila tiptoed to the small playroom across from Dean and Luther’s room where she spent most of the day coloring and trying to connect with Zac. Sometimes Ella and Mommy came by to say hello. But she had to be ever so quiet. Someone was always sleeping in one of the rooms upstairs.
“Can you come out and play now?” a raspy voice pleaded.
Twila couldn’t wait another minute. She rushed to the room’s balcony. “I’m coming, Katie,” Twila silently answered. “See the ugly brown house next door?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Go to the gate in the backyard. I’ll open it for you. But you have to promise to come all by yourself,” Twila insisted.
Katie pouted. “But I don’t want to go by myself.”
“Why not?”
“It’s scary-scary.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Twila said. She focused in on the little girl in the tattered blue dress. She sent her a blast of happy energy. Katie scrunched her mouth and tried to smile, but her mouth didn’t want to work.
“Katie, we have to hurry. My mommy will wake up soon.” Suddenly, Twila decided not to tell Mommy until after she healed Katie. It would be a surprise.
“Do you have any toys?” Katie asked.
Twila dashed
