As Dave walked home, his stomach growled, reminding him it was lunchtime.
"Should I head home now?" he muttered, dragging his feet. "I'm getting hungry... sigh."
Unconsciously, he began humming a song:
"I am not the only traveler
Who has not repaid his debt
I've been searching for a trail to follow again
Take me back to the night we met..."
When he arrived, silence greeted him.
"You know, when someone awakens, they usually get delicious food, gifts… but me? Nothing," he mumbled, sighing again. The locked door confirmed his suspicions. "Guess no one's home."
Disheartened, he turned away. "Maybe Mom's at the shop."
"Mom!" he called as he entered the family shop.
Lila looked up from her work, worry etched on her face. "You're home early. What happened? Did the awakening go well?"
Dave nodded, smiling. "Yes, everything went fine. I awakened!"
Relief flooded her expression as she smiled warmly. "That's wonderful, Dave."
She had been on edge all day, worried about how her son would handle the awakening. Now, seeing him safe and smiling, she felt some of her burdens lift.
"He seems okay now," she thought. Then, recalling a conversation with Ronald earlier, she wondered, "Should I leave all of this behind and take my boys away from these problems?"
"How was your day, then?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation. "Tell me about the awakening."
Dave puffed out his chest, grinning. "Mom, you wouldn't believe it! I was so cool during the awakening. Even the principal said I had the makings of a hero!"
Her laughter rang out, breaking the tension. "Hahaha! My little hero, huh?"
Seeing her smile, Dave relaxed. "I made her laugh," he thought, his heart feeling lighter.
"Alright, my little hero," Lila said, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Your brother's in the basement. I'll call him, and we'll celebrate your awakening."
She closed the shop, gathered her sons, and headed to a nearby restaurant. Over lunch, they laughed and chatted like old times.
Afterward, they decided to watch a movie, followed by a spontaneous trip to the amusement park.
"Hehe, so much fun, Mama!" Daniel exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Really?" Lila teased. "Should we go to the amusement park again tomorrow?"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Both boys answered in unison, their joy infectious.
By the time they left the amusement park, night had fallen.
"Let's grab dinner," Lila suggested.
"Pork meat!" Dave declared, his eyes sparkling.
"Ice cream!" Daniel shouted excitedly.
They returned home late, their laughter echoing down the street. For a brief moment, all their worries seemed distant.
"We can live like this, we don't need Roger. I can take of my children myself.", she thought about it again.
No one wanted to remember what happened yesterday, no one brought about Roger's condition. Was it them being inconsiderate? At least they were happy, even if it was temporary.
Roger was still in the hospital. He was to be discharged this morning but after seeing his condition, he was asked to rest there for a few more days. Grandma Hera was there taking care of Roger at the moment.
As the boys settled in, Lila handed Dave a small card. "Take this, Dave. It should help you. Check its details later."
Before Dave could respond, a knock at the door interrupted them.
"I'll get it!" Dave said, running to the door.
When he opened it, he was greeted by Ronald's warm smile.
"Little champ, how was the awakening today?" Ronald asked.
"It went great, Uncle! I awakened successfully!" Dave beamed.
"Good, good," Ronald said, patting his head. "I've prepared a little something for you. Here." He handed Dave another card. "Congratulations, Dave. Stay strong."
Ronald went back after that.
"Thank you, Uncle!" Dave called after him, clutching the card tightly.
He ran back to Lila. "Look, Mom! Uncle gave me a card too!"
She smiled, pulling him into a hug and kissing his forehead. "Ok, my little hero, Dave. Now go to your room and rest."
He nodded and went to his room,
Once in his room, Dave sat cross-legged and entered his void space.
"Hey, Spark! I brought two cards!" he shouted.
[Beep. Beep. How many times do I have to tell you not to shout? I can hear you just fine.]
"Sorry, sorry," Dave said quickly. "Take a look at this first."
The silence of the void deepened as Spark began to process the cards.