Even if you're scared and hiding in a closet – love's still gonna find you there.
Could the sky really be lilac? Who invented a lilac Sun?
Why did the wind suddenly decide to match the palette?
If the boy ever met a wise man who knew everything about everything, he'd probably just keep quiet. Not 'cause he was shy. Nope. Just… why mess up something beautiful by asking dumb questions? Why ruin the bliss of being inside boundless happiness? Nope, oh knower of everything – the boy's not walkin' your path.
His path leads elsewhere – where the lavender dawn rises over an endless horizon. Where the lavender blossoms sway in the breeze, gossiping loudly about why this uninvited guest decided to start an early jog, disturbing their sisters and brothers. They were really curious – does he even need all of this?
Oh, yes! – He would've answered, if he felt like chatting with them. The runner would've challenged any attempt to stop him, because the swaying stalks just couldn't understand how natural the joyful laughter was, pouring from his mouth.
How could the tears of happiness feel as they fall on his flushed, heated face.
How light and floaty his -breathing sneakers- with mesh in the middle feel, sucking in all the Earth's air – and how heavy they are for the poor grass beneath.
How crucial it is to catch up with the ever-escaping silhouette of the girl sprinting ahead – not graceful like a regular deer (he'd never seen one), but like the fastest rocket ever launched in all rocket history.
Faster than them, faster than a paper plane, even faster than her fluttering eyelashes – this honestly feels impossible!
The smile on her turning head flickers in and out, and the boy realizes that this will be his guiding star, always shining, never letting him lose the way. And even if he does, he could just toss an imaginary lasso over her shadow and—no, no, that's way too rude and disrespectful toward Miss Shadow. She's majestic, a queen, nothing like her real owner.
The girl herself looks different. Sun-bleached hair never touched by scissors. Thick eyebrows, hiding tiny thoughtful eyes, with that weird kind of seriousness that totally charmed the boy the first time they met.
That was recently, but oh boy, so much had already happened! A boy from faraway, not expecting to find friends in France, somehow ended up with his bestie – who, just like him, came all the way from the US. How did they meet on this edge of the flat dinner-plate Earth we call home?
Pure chance. And a puddle.
That's where the rascal was jumping, over and over, checking how far the splash could go. His scientific curiosity also pushed him to see just how soaked and filthy his shorts could get in such a hostile-for-clothing environment.
A big summer rain had passed, and the boy was now enjoying its leftovers – about to evaporate under the coming heat. So he was trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible – just one more splash before the sun wiped it all away.
First to join him was a cute little pup, probably escaped from its owners. How did he know that? Not from a chat – the pup just licked him and tilted its head, silently ignoring all questions. Around its neck, there was a tag, and opening it the boy read: M. K. - Probably the owner's initials. Or maybe the pup's full name. Depends how you look at it!
After their walk, the temporary owner – or better yet, new friend (which meant, technically, he got two friends at once!) – was planning to find M.K.'s humans. For now, though, he just giggled, watching the pup gulp down puddle water like it was a five-star mineral spring. She was so into it, the boy almost considered joining. He looked around – anyone watching? If he dropped to all fours and took a sip… just a tiny one! Summer, after all.
And right in the middle of that internal struggle, he noticed a new character entering the scene from behind. The surprise made him twitch and flail like a cartoon, until he realized it was a girl his age, standing in a white dress below her knees. They looked so clean and crisp that he instantly got self- conscious about his own – scraped, muddy, and scratched up.
Someone had to say something, and the boy couldn't take it – the question spun around in his head until it finally tumbled out, or rather stumbled:
Who are you? Do I know you?
Should you? – She replied with intense focus, like this answer would determine her entire future. So I don't know you, you don't know me, and we still haven't met properly?! That's nuts! Gotta fix that!
The look of confusion froze on both the girl's face and the pup's snout. Neither expected such a bizarre opener, and the boy already cursed himself for quoting that one movie he thought was cool. Up until now. Turns out, you can't just throw cinema lines into real life and expect it to work.
Forget it. I'm Erich. What's your name?
I'm – She reached out her elegant hand, which clearly didn't match his super-grimy one with barely trimmed nails. He quickly wiped it on his shirt and gave her a very official handshake, adding:
Why do you have such a strange name? Nobody calls people like that! I'm not all – She stuck out her tongue and pulled a face. – Right now, this girl's just borrowing my dog body, and I moved into hers. And as you can see, I can talk now and don't even have to scratch my fleas anymore. So no, it's not a dumb nickname, it's my real name. Don't be rude, okay?
The boy, stunned, glanced at the pup—who, by the way, looked freshly brushed and totally flea- free—and then at this strange Nibi. He took a step back, warily asking:
How'd you even do that?! – Then Erich's face lit up and he waved it off. – Nah, you're messing with me! Making stuff up! You can't really be a Scientists haven't invented anything like that yet. If they had, I'd be the first to know. I've always wanted to be a Newfoundland—with a big fluffy tail.
M.K. barked suddenly, sending a chill down Erich's spine. Nibi burst into loud, delighted laughter, and realizing that he was the dummy here, the boy laughed along without offense. Yeah, it was actually pretty funny! She totally got him!
You're cool, I could totally hang with you. – He declared, handing her an impressive credit of trust, along with a compliment.
You're not bad Kind of dumb, but honest. – The cheeky girl stated, and for a second, Erich considered pouting—but that just wasn't in his nature.
He gave her shoulder a light bump with his fist and said:
Have you ever looked at puddle reflections? If not—c'mon, let's check it out! It's cool!
He crouched beside the little rain-pool and melted into a blissful smile, soaking up the warmth rising from the sticky, humid ground. He stared deeply into the water, watching his distorted reflection morph into silly monster faces. The pup instantly joined in, staring just as intently, and Erich had to admit—yeah, the dog looked way cooler than he did.
But Nibi didn't sit down. She stayed standing, and explained:
I'll get in trouble if I sit with My parents hate dirt. At our house, it's always super clean, and my dad buys everyone new slippers every week so there's never a single spot on the floor. Your parents sound boring… – Erich meant to think it quietly, but he was terrible at keeping thoughts inside his And surprisingly, the girl seemed to like that. She nodded slowly and said:
No arguments They're not exactly fun. But… they're still the best parents in the world!
Erich practically bounced with indignation, which was quite the feat, given he was squatting. But he nailed it.
Nope, mine are even better!
But Nibi didn't rise to the bait. She just shrugged and asked:
Do you even know what financiers are?
That's what my parents And I think my dad's also like, a banker or something. Not really sure. That sounds awesome! – the boy – Maybe they're like candy salespeople… or even cooler!
Can't get much cooler than – Nibi sighed.
We live on a My parents work together growing agro-cultures. That's what they call them.
Nibi agreed that was pretty interesting too, and mentioned she wasn't allowed to pet the dog—her parents wouldn't approve. The boy enthusiastically scratched behind the pup's ear on her behalf, trying to cheer her up—and she visibly lit up.
Even if you can't sit down, just stand next to You'll still see everything.
The invitation was accepted. Nibi stepped carefully to the water's edge, careful not to splash her shoes, and peered at the circles rippling from where her pup had taken another sip.
I see the sky in Why's it so mirror-like? Is it not real? Wait—what are you doing?!
As much as Erich wanted to hear what else she saw, his hands—and his tongue—could never sit still too long. So he saved a tiny prank for his new friend and splashed her with some murky water. Now she looked just like him. Perfectly evened up in the messiness department.
You little fool! – She shrieked, her voice jumping up into a squeak, and she leapt straight into the puddle, dousing all of them. Now the trio—M.K. (clearly the boss of this Company), Erich, and Nibi—were all splashing around, blasting each other with invisible firehoses.
Take that! No, you take this! M.K., get in here and teach her a lesson... ahh! That's wet!
The next day, at the latifundium (a super fancy word Erich overheard his parents say and totally fell in love with), a guest arrived for the first time since he'd been living there. And considering his very humble age, it hadn't been that long. Naturally, the proud landowner (as he saw himself) was thrilled and immediately started giving her a grand tour of all the notorious crops growing in abundance on their local beds.
No one interrupted them, since Mom and Dad were off counting the freshly harvested and thoroughly dried produce—so everything was chill. Erich strutted around with his hands locked behind his back, copying Marcel's signature pose (he'd been studying the guy), and pointed everything out like a seasoned guide.
These are Over here, we planted barley. And this one's sugar beet. Yeah, the very one they use to make sugar and those fake sugar tablets too—can you believe it? I'm not sure that's how it works… – said the smarty-pants guest, clearly Erich quickly switched topics, realizing he wasn't so sure himself. Anyway, that's basically everything we grow here. Sadly, we don't have any animals. Well— except M.K., and I'm not givin' him to anyone! – The boy squatted down and hugged his new buddy His parents were actually super excited about M.K. and had already loaded him up with treats and toys. Now the pup officially lived in Erich's room, and the boy had long ditched the idea of finding his previous owners.
Screw that! You can't just hand a friend over to some random people! That'd be betrayal!
Are you really not gonna return the dog to his owners? – Nibi squinted at him with that heavy, inspecting stare that made the boy feel like ants were marching all over his skin in tight formation.
I won't let my brother get ripped away!
I didn't know your brother was so – Nibi snorted, cracking up, and the boy flashed a grin— half-toothless, since a couple baby teeth were MIA and the grown-ups hadn't shown up yet.
The pup, tail wagging, barked and bolted toward the greenhouse—a dark green building he'd oddly taken a liking to.
What's over there? – The guest asked with a glance (she almost pointed but caught herself in time—manners first!).
Erich, however, had no such filter. He pointed straight at it with all the confidence in the world and said, puffing up with pride:
Just don't explode from the – Nibi giggled.
Pff… never! So here's the deal: that's where we grow a super valuable plant for sale! It's used to make rope and oil. It's called marijuana. Never heard of – She confessed, giving Erich an even bigger sense of importance, and he dove into teacher mode: These are big leafy flowers grown in They need light, water on time, and fertilizer—and if you do it right, you get really tall ones called sativa, and shorter, fuzzier ones called indica. My parents are super protective of this greenhouse. They always freak out when I mention cops. Like, seriously—they act like the cops are gonna come and steal their whole crop!
I don't believe – Nibi shook her head like a tiny judge. – You make the cops sound like
ruthless pirates. But police don't act like that—they're here to protect us and help us grow into good people. Just like your mom and dad tend the crops, police do that… but with humans.
– The boy shrugged. – I haven't met any yet, so I don't know. But their hats are cool.
Totally agree!
While chatting, they didn't even notice the tall, spry grandpa walking down the gravel path toward the greenhouse. Bald head shining, but with a thick, white beard streaked with darker hairs—he looked vibrant and very much alive. Nibi counted seven solid black tattoos on his right leg, while his left one was completely covered by a wild, ultra-detailed forest scene.
Who's that monsieur? – the guest
Oh, that's Marcel! – Erich waved like it was no biggie. – He's kind of like a delivery guy, but not for pizza. He takes our greenhouse plant, stuffs his backpack full, and hauls it off so factories can turn it into useful stuff. Like ropes. Whoa! So you guys run a whole trade network here? – The girl pretended to be amazed, and Erich gave Marcel a look like the old guy was his own personal employee: Of course! We've got it all My parents are respected businesspeople.
That grandpa guy's kinda sketchy Looks like a bandit. – Nibi admitted, and Erich stomped his foot in protest:
Hey! No way! Don't even think Oh, look—Ardon's coming.
Out of the house came an incredibly lean and wiry man, with pitch-black shoulder-length hair and a neatly trimmed goatee—the kind the boy proudly explained was called a – balbo (he'd activated mini-encyclopedia mode for his new friend). The man wore a dark tank top and greasy, slit-up-the- middle cargo shorts. And of course—the hat! A wide-brimmed beauty, circled by a denim strap like a cowboy crown.
I'd totally wear that! – Nibi confessed, equal parts admiration and Erich nearly launched himself to Pluto, the pride swelling inside him was that huge. He even tried to give her a spontaneous hug, but she immediately pulled away, twirling her finger near her temple. Didn't matter. Nothing could ruin his vibe today.
Ardon quickly loaded up the courier, who came back out with a backpack and a bag in hand—the harvest this time was top tier! He waved to the kids and strutted off. Meanwhile, Erich's dad, with a cartoonishly chipper spring in his step, approached the children and scooped up the guest in a massive hug.
What is this, National Hug Day?! – gasped the half-squashed and now tomato-red But Ardon (just Ardon—no -Mr. or Sir, - he couldn't stand formalities) was already chirping away: So this is the famous Nibi! Our little parmesan puff with the most charming name in all of Gina, get out here! – He turned and yelled with lungs far too powerful for such a skinny dude.
GINAAA! You won't believe it! Nibi's here!
Out of the house flowed the most mysterious and dazzling woman Nibi had ever seen. In that moment, the girl realized she had found her new life idol—and would now spend the rest of her existence trying to be that flawless.
Her face, or rather mask that resembled one, looked like theatre makeup, like the kind mimes wore. Her lashes fluttered like windshield wipers. If Nibi had to compare Gina to a car, she'd call her a Ford. Or a Chevrolet! She didn't know any other models, but that hardly mattered.
The woman's spidery hands wrapped her in a robe covered in strange embroidered symbols— straight-up royal vibes. Heavy icicles of braided dreads hung from her collar, swaying with each step. And those shoes! Even Ninja Turtle feet weren't that graceful… though they did look kinda similar.
Nibi would've kept staring forever, but the woman shut down her internal fountain with a single eerie whisper. Her voice perfectly matched her vibe—quiet, mysterious, like the dry rustle of fall leaves:
I see. She fits. The ceremony begins tonight. Come. We'll be waiting.
She said the whole mystical thing, turned like melting mercury, and drifted back into the house— which, aside from all the rainbow flags hanging like Christmas lights, looked pretty normal.
Erich's dad beamed even more at what he'd heard, announcing happily to the guest:
Awesome! My wife thinks you should join us We're having a big celebration tonight for the summer solstice. Gonna honor the ancestors! Of course I'll come! – The girl agreed, still totally But hey—this was exactly the kind of adventure she'd been hoping for.
As Erich walked her back to the field where they'd first met, he asked:
So, see you tonight, right? You are coming? I've never done one of these ceremonies, but I'm not a total newbie! I know all the steps. – He bragged, and then shrank under her amused look. After a pause, he got curious: Hey, didn't you say your parents are strict and watch over you all the time? How come they let you run around by yourself? They don't. – The girl winked mischievously. – I sneak I've got a great family, just… kinda boring, honestly. I get it. Mine too. – Erich confessed, and Nibi nearly She hadn't expected that. So everyone's bored in this world? Even weirdos like Erich and his bizarre, magical family? Not just her?
They agreed to meet at the same symbolic spot, then said goodbye till evening. The day dragged on forever. Nibi kept almost sneaking out early a thousand times. Her parents weren't home anyway, and making a collage out of paper leaves felt like the most useless task ever. So she grabbed her climbing gear—rappel device, quickdraws, the whole shebang—and prepared to scale the tallest tree in the garden, making the most of her parents' absence before they came back and realized she'd stolen one of their sets.
She spent a whole hour fussing with it and got nowhere—ended up tangled in the straps and had nobody to ask for help. Still, she wasn't the giving-up type. But then she remembered: tick-tock, time was running out. She had to meet up with Erich soon.
Putting all the gear back where it belonged, she rummaged through her mom's closet and fished out her grandma's old felt hat, which had somehow ended up buried among all the boring adult clothes. Sure, it didn't hold a candle to Erich's dad's epic hat—seriously, that thing was magic—but it'd do. She passed the dress code.
Erich was already waiting. Was he really that punctual? The girl doubted it. More likely, M.K. had dragged him out for a walk early—and that sounded way more realistic. The boy confirmed her guess:
Oh, what a dog! Can't sit still for a She's even more hyper than me. Though hey, we'll see about that!
He took off running, chasing after the dog, and M.K.—probably a secret adrenaline junkie— accepted the challenge, joyfully barking and zipping back and forth, leading and chasing.
Nibi's head started to spin from watching them. She snapped her fingers loudly, trying to get their attention, but the goofballs kept at it until Erich suddenly stopped, a thoughtful look washing over his face.
What is it? – The girl asked, surprised at the mood shift. The boy glanced around and said in a conspiratorial whisper: You know… maybe your joke about the dog being not so doggy is actually I think M.K. really was a human in a past life. Or maybe still is. Just hiding inside a dog suit. Riiight… – the girl replied with a – Okay then, genius. If M.K. really was a person, what would his job be? Go on, guess.
Striking a dramatic pose like a character from a show, finger to chin, he finally said:
Definitely a cop! Or better yet—a coach! Ardon told me about those guys, even though I've never actually seen one.
Nibi was about to explain what a coach really was, but Erich remembered they needed to head out. On the way, he spoke like some grandmaster guide:
Don't I'm with you.
And that, folks were her life coaching lesson from the worst guru ever.
At some point, walking got boring, so they decided to race to the event spot.
M.K. won by a mile. Obviously. No competition.
The ceremony site was downright perfect: a collision of the most scenic, untouched natural monuments. Trees twisted into wild shapes, like knotted bat wings—except, you know, made of wood. Their sprawling branches dipped low, almost drinking from a tiny pond below.
Water lilies floated lazily on the surface, and the kids hoped there were fish underneath—so many, you could grab them bare-handed.
Fishing, though, was out of the question today—because instead of carp, the pond was surrounded by humans. Not as cool, no gills or fins, but still—people could make pretty neat things. Like this.
They'd drawn a massive diagram (the kids didn't know the word, but the adults called it that), and beside it was a big, bold drawing of the Sun! Radiating beams burst out from the circle, giving the illusion they might light up any second.
The adults were doing all kinds of weird stuff. Some smoked. Some sang in off-key nasal tones. Others loitered near a tent-turned-dining-hall, with a table stacked with food: loaves of bread, roasted chicken wings, beets, and other Earth-gifted goodies.
No fast food here. All natural. Erich explained this proudly to his companion. First thing they did was hit the table and scarf down a couple cabbage pies—and onion-and-egg ones too, because they were starving. M.K. practically levitated trying to snatch bites, but the kids fed him first, tossing him half the table in chunks.
The pup had a killer appetite.
All the chatter died down, and the relaxed vibe shifted the moment Erich's mom and dad showed up, hand in hand. His dad stepped over to the main group while Gina glided into the center of the -heart- of the Sun diagram, arms outstretched. The heat didn't bother her at all—she didn't even take off her ornate, curtain-like robe.
You've The mystery begins. The Sun has spoken. Juhannus, Līgo, Ivan Kupala, Litha… or as we call it: The Return. The Return to roots. The Sun will burn us down, because we are its leaves. Let us be reborn in its rays!
Monsieur Ardon took the kids by the hand and guided them to their spots as the others began lying down inside the drawn beams. Only now did Nibi realize there were tons of them—and they were all shaped like people.
To be honest—she wasn't scared. Erich looked more nervous, even though he was trying super hard to act cool and not look like a newbie. For Nibi, curiosity always beat fear. That's just how she was wired.
Dozens of grown-ups lay down on their leafy beds, and the kids followed. On either side of them were Erich's dad and a nervous woman with a twitchy eye and a stressed-out expression. She whispered to him:
Pardon, Ardon, but are you sure this is the right place for children? – Her French accent was heavy, and her English clearly struggling through her nerves.
Apparently, Monsieur Ardon tried to respond—he turned his head directly toward her—but the high priestess (either playing the role or being the role), Erich's mother, waved her hand through the air:
Sound must All the weight of sorrow and disappointment shall die with it.
The nervous woman fell silent and even tried to stop breathing. Clearly, Gina's authority here was sacred and absolute. Still, a few rebels whispered through the hush:
Nibi, you okay? Not scared? This is wild, huh? We're like movie heroes right now!
The girl was way too cozy lying on the warm earth to answer. Shuffling gently, she studied a beetle trying to climb onto her knee. The -rays- weren't just lines—they were outlined with some kind of
wiring, like electric cords. Why were they there? She didn't dare ask. Breaking the ritual might ruin the whole vibe.
The priestess raised her hands to the sky, like she was trying to grab whatever she worshipped, and addressed the group:
Light is gifted to you without Find your own, not a borrowed one. Your rebirth is yours alone. Sink into the energy! Become one with it! And think. Think. Forget what burdens you.
Remember what gives you strength.
Her voice was so grand and sad that M.K., curled up next to Erich with his head resting on the boy's leg, let out a long, soulful howl. Right then came the main command:
The fire has fallen from the sky!
Maybe Gina had a remote hidden in her sleeve, because the moment she shouted that, the rays lit up! The wires outlining them turned out to be string lights, glowing in a steady, uniform brightness—no twinkling or flashing like usual decorations. Just a serious, sun like glow. Nibi squinted from the light and thought, No wonder they love draping the house in flags and garlands—this is their thing.
Glancing around, the girl realized—she was glowing too! Her breath caught. So beautiful.
Whoa! – gasped the boy, turning to – We're all just one big firefly gang! Shhh! – the girl – See how everyone's thinking? Let's do it too. Think about what we hate… and what we love the most. K., obviously! – The boy declared instantly, scratching his happily humming friend behind the ear. – What's bugging me? This pokey twig stabbing my right butt cheek.
The girl burst out laughing, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth. Nobody seemed to notice—except that same stubborn beetle now crawling up her wrist, confused why its personal flight simulator was so wobbly. Around them, people lay motionless with their eyes shut, seemingly detached from reality. Meditation, maybe? That was the word?
Erich tried really hard to zone out and connect with the light, but it just wasn't happening. Something was always bothering him—this was pokey, that was itchy, M.K. was tickling him—and then there was his mom, standing up there looking like a giant, puffed-up crow.
He had to share this observation with Nibi, and the two of them immediately lost it, laughing with their legs flailing through the leaves. This earned them a wave of sharp glares from the surrounding
-enlightened,- freshly ripped from their internal journeys.
I told you there should've been an age limit. C'est une sorte de cauchemar! – Muttered the jittery woman, her eyelid twitching harder than ever.
A couple of hours later, once the gear and tent were packed up and the sun diagram had been erased (seriously, why go through all the trouble of drawing it if it wasn't even used?!), everyone headed home. The grownups clicked their tongues at the rowdy kids, while M.K. played bodyguard— growling at anyone who looked too judgy.
The inseparable trio was the first to leave. Erich insisted on walking Nibi home—darkness had fallen, and the air felt dramatic, just like his mom liked it. Not that the area was dangerous, but the boy felt a huge responsibility for his friends. Truthfully? He just didn't want to let either of them go.
He felt totally lit up inside. Like, supercharged! He'd never felt like this before. And he really hoped Nibi felt it too. M.K. definitely did—he even peed mid-walk and made them burst out laughing with a surprise fountain show.
Things might've kept going that perfectly… if it weren't for the obstacle that rose up near Nibi's house. Right in front of the stone fence—very nicely built, by the way—stood two figures. And they looked EXTREMELY unamused. Who were they?
That's my And that's my dad. And yes, they are EXTREMELY unamused. – The girl explained flatly, though Erich had already figured that part out.
Trying to focus on their faces under the lamplight, he couldn't get past the real scene-stealer: The Pimple. This glorious, mountainous growth lived comfortably on the tip of Mr. Nibi's nose and was so large, it felt like he was the pimple's accessory—not the other way around. His thinning hair was slicked to one side, and his forehead looked like a musical instrument. Probably an accordion, given the way it wrinkled like crazy.
Nibi's mom, on the other hand, he'd instantly nickname The Cactus—thanks to a single dyed-green streak in her blond hair and a facial expression that could stab you harder than any needles. Now he understood where Nibi got that scary glare from! He quickly whispered all this to the girl, and she clamped a hand over her mouth again, barely holding back laughter. Nailed it.
Little miss, were you ever taught to listen? Or are all our words just background noise to you? – her mother's voice matched her face—scratchy and The pup took her tone as a threat and barked, though clearly startled himself by the angry cactus lady. Nibi's dad stood by, nodding silently, while the woman unleashed her fury on her disobedient daughter: Little miss, this is unacceptable: taking our equipment, ignoring the meals we leave, sneaking out and roaming around at night with who-knows-what. Who is this boy? And that mutt?! Ew, get it away from me!
M.K. mustered his courage and lunged in a heroic (if clumsy) attack, grabbing onto the hem of her jeans. Erich quickly intervened and pulled him back by the collar—earning not thanks, but more scolding:
A mutt just like its Who is this ragamuffin? Why is he dressed like that? Covered in scratches? What were you born in—a dumpster?!
Dad nodded again. Agreement confirmed.
I just walked your daughter She's my best friend! – Erich said honestly, only to be hit with a look so cold and judgmental, it could've flash-frozen soup. Our little miss doesn't need friends like you. You look like a filthy hippie from Tijuana—or whatever shady place that is! And you look like the kindest, sweetest woman in the whole wide world. – the boy said with a totally serious face, which sent him and Nibi into a fit of That only enraged the unnamed mom further: Little miss, we're flying back to Chicago in one week. You'll return to your school, where there won't be criminal elements like this one.
And until then—you are grounded. Get inside. And as for you, young man, I strongly advise you to rethink your future… unless you want to end up selling—I won't even say the filthy word—fine.
Drugs. So scram. Go study and lean yourself up!
What was the dad doing the entire time? That's right. Nodding. Confirming every comma in the tirade.
The girl, head low, said goodbye to Erich and M.K., and whispered:
We'll meet I promise.
Then the -happy family- opened their fancy gate and marched toward the house, leaving the boy and his fuzzy companion standing alone.
Erich stood there for a long time, staring at the intricate wrought-iron swirls on the gate, hoping Nibi would peek through and wave. Or shout something. Heck, even stick her tongue out.
No one came. No one peeked.
Erich had lost his friend before they even got the chance to really be friends.
Tears—foreign, unheard-of tears—began sliding down the boy's cheeks. He'd never cried before (or so he thought), and he stared at the strange little crystals on his palms, utterly fascinated. Something inside him had flipped upside-down.
We will see each other again. You promised. And if you gave your word—you better keep it. Please, Nibi! I don't want you to leave! And even if you vanish, I'll still find you! That's not a threat, it's just me wanting to be your Always. No matter what. – he kept mumbling, and the pup behaved just like Nibi's dad—nodding along, except his way of agreeing was to snuggle up to the boy's leg and lick it. Though, to be fair, her dad never did that.
Every morning and every evening, Erich came back to her house and stood there for hours— something totally out of character for his hyper self. But he needed to show, even if only to himself, just how much this weirdly named girl meant to him. And of course, M.K. never left his side. The two of them looked ready to wait an eternity to find the missing puzzle piece of their trio.
Turns out, eternity wasn't needed.
Exactly one week later, Nibi—who'd spent the whole time under house arrest—flew back to the U.S., leaving behind only the shattered hopes of one slightly grimy boy… and his best friend, the dog.