After the wonderful day spent at Sam's house, Carlin had reluctantly left the welcoming home, not before getting a small container of leftovers from Mrs. Monsoon. He had thanked her graciously, forever grateful for her motherly affection.
His walk home wasn't dissimilar to the stroll he had taken to the Monsoon residence. Now that the sun had begun to set, painting the sky in oranges and pinks, the temperature had begun to drop lower. Carlin took a moment to gaze at the setting in front of him when he waited at the sidewalk to cross.
It was early fall, the kind of weather where one could wear a sweater or light jacket in the morning, but soon come to regret it later in the day. This weather was always pleasing to Carlin, since he had always felt less strangled by the overbearing heat in this time of year. The walk sign had turned green by now, and the Fae had made his way down the crosswalk. He saw the old bakery, noting that the sign was still charcoal black from the fire years ago.
He checked his watch. He was almost early going home, so he slowed his pace. He passed by an old alleyway, the narrow dark column open and waiting. His steps reached a halt. He stared into the empty space. Something in his chest was pulled to this little passage, almost like his heart itself was pulled to the way.
There were people on all sides of him, but he felt as if he was the only one really looking at this...whatever it was. Before he realized it, his feet had begun to move of their own accord, finding the dark void becoming closer and closer. The pull in his chest became stronger with each stride, resembling a magnet pulling to an invisible force. The pull bared down on his lungs with each breath, as if he was under water. When did it become so quiet?
Come, Child.
He blinked. Suddenly the noise of the outside world came back, and he glanced around. Nobody was looking at him, let alone speaking to him. He glanced back at the alleyway, the weight from earlier almost dissipated. Carlin took a breath.
The concept of time reappeared in Carlin's head before taking a hurried glance at his watch. Crap, he was almost late home.
With one final nod, he gathered himself just enough to scurry to his house, pushing the event far enough back into his mind.
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By the time the teen had pulled himself through the front door if his parents home, the familiar figure of his mother was pacing around the living room, the open space picking up in her restlessness.
The middle-aged woman noticed the latch of the door shut before whipping her head up to see her only child standing in the entryway. The hand that she had worried with her teeth dropped as her energy was place into crossing the room to get closer.
"Carlin Fathana! Where in the world have you been? It's late! Are you hurt?"
Carlin sighed. "No, Ma, I'm fine. Just got distracted."
She gave the teen a look as if to say, I don't believe you, kid, before shrugging and doing a once-over to make sure she didn't miss any important injuries.
"Make sure you come home earlier."