StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 20 - Breathe

The night had passed. Madison recovered, now perched silent, and reflective by the stream. Bobby peered over Miller's shoulder as he read one of his books. Almost losing Madison was intense. It took all of us to stop that from happening, but we still had no clue what was causing her strange behavior, and there was no way we could keep saying it was heatstroke. When she pressed us last night for answers, Miller told her the truth. He apologized for lying to her, telling her it was to keep her from stressing over it when we had no idea what we were dealing with. She wasn't mad, more contemplative. She went to bed soon after, and had been quiet all day since. I had finished cleaning myself up, before we made our way to the next stone.

Ghee had joined our little group of dysfunction, at least for now. He hadn't told us much about himself last night, which was fine, it had been a crazy night and I doubt any of us could handle listening to a strangers story while seeming interested. 

"Fair lass, pray tell, what are these stones of which you seek?" Ghee hovered near me as I dried off in the heat of the afternoon sun. 

Who talks like that?

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, they're something important that will help us get home." 

It was true, though a very condensed version of the truth. He was still practically a stranger after all. 

He rubbed his chin. "I see. And where do you call home?"

Crap. Could I tell him we were from another world? Was that normal here? I wasn't a very good judge of what could be considered normal these days.

"Home?" I paused, trying to think up something clever. "Oh, you know, it's far, far away. Beyond the...boundaries of this domain." 

I said clever, not genius.

He stroked his chin further. "I see, I see. I don't believe I've ever been beyond these thick'ed woods. What is your land called?"

Double crap. 

I said the first thing that popped into my head. "Far...land?"

"Hmm." He leaned in towards me, his eyes squinted. "A fine, and fitting name." He laughed, and stood up, his hands on his waist.

Wow. Either he's up to something, or the people here are kind of...dumb. 

I smiled. "Thanks. We like it too." I laughed with nervous tension.

"You just can't, that's why." 

I turned to see Miller, and Bobby going at it.

"But why not? You're a brainy guy, can't you figure it out?"

Miller rubbed his forehead in frustration. "No, Bobby, I can't figure out how to make you a hamburger using water, and rocks."

What was going on?

"Something wrong?" I walked over to them.

"Nothing at all, just a friendly, culinary debate." 

"Summers, you talk him into it. He's your dog."

Miller turned to Bobby. "I'm her what?" He shouted.

"Dog. I mean, you do always come running when she calls you." He smirked.

Miller was flustered. His face red. "I am not her dog. And you're one to talk."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're literally turning into a dog." 

Bobby wore an expression of annoyance. "Not a dog. More a...dino-mutt." He turned to me. "Isn't that right?"