Bending Light

24~A Peculiar Situation

"Uh, what?" (Y/N) responded. So eloquent, she ridiculed herself.

"The book?" Elise asked again, raising her eyebrows impatiently, as if it were normal to see books that nobody except her sister could see

"You can see it?" (Y/N) threw it at her sister to see if it would go through her like it went through Hugh, but instead Elise caught it and ran away with it.

"Yeah I can, weirdo. What's it about?" Elise laughed while bolting through the woods.

"Give it back!" (Y/N) panicked a little since she had no clue what was inside it. What if it held the secrets to the universe? She certainly couldn't trust her younger sister with it.

Speeding up, she tried her best not to get stuck in the mud with her rain boots. After darting behind a tree, Elise giggled and (Y/N) finally caught up to her, slowing down as she neared the clearing around the cairn.

Looking behind the tree, (Y/N) realized that her sister had snuck away. Frustratedly, she spun around, trying to listen for footsteps or movement in the trees. Instead, she heard a gasp and a "whoa!" from her sister, echoing against the stone walls of the cairn.

"Get out of there!" (Y/N) demanded annoyedly, huffing and walking inside when she didn't hear a response. "We both need to get home before Mom and Dad realize we're gone!"

"Too late!" Elise yelled from outside. From the sunny, past version of Cairnholm. From inside the loop.

Stepping into the dry forest clearing, (Y/N) saw her sister dangling the book in front of her and standing with a big smirk on her face. (Y/N) realized that this book really might be as world-changing as her grandfather had claimed.

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After capturing her sister and reclaiming the book, (Y/N) walked out of the cairn, dragging her sister along by the arm.

"Let goooo," Elise whined, refusing to answer any of her sister's questions, like "Why did you go in there?" and "How long have Mom and Dad known I've been gone?"

"Why are you so freaked out about a stupid book anyway? Is it secretly your diary or something?" Elise taunted.

"No, it's just brand new and I don't want you to ruin it," (Y/N) retorted.

"Where did you even get it? The library? You know we're leaving soon and you probably won't be finishing it," Elise said, using her best know-it-all voice.

"How soon?" (Y/N) grabbed her by the shoulders. "Did our parents tell you anything?"

"Ask them yourself!" her sister stuck her tongue out petulantly, pointing at their parents' angry faces in one of the Priest Hole's foggy upper windows.

     Facepalming dramatically, (Y/N) let go of her sister, quietly opening the bar door and wiping her wet rain boots on the bristly welcome mat before trudging up the stairs, thankful that it was early enough before lunch that not many customers would be hearing their argument. She tossed her book on her bed and walked down the hall and into their parents' room, frowning harder when she saw their faces.

"What exactly do you think you're doing, (Y/N)?" her mother began.

Trying not to sigh brattily, (Y/N) responded. "Look, I'm sorry that I didn't leave you a note or whatever like Jacob did, but I don't really appreciate being punished for something that was your fault. And who even gets grounded on vacation?? If you had just been honest with me, we wouldn't be having this issue. And besides, I was with Jacob, so it's not like I would've been in a bunch of danger," she finished. So much for not sounding bratty.