Wintercrest Academy

Back in time

“What colour is this, Keanu?” Kaia’s mother, Kali Mahoe asks.

“Brown!” he squeals and his mother picks him up and swirls him. 10-year-old Kaia watches from the couch, her heart swelling with love and joy.

“Here’s a cookie for you, my baby. You’re doing so well.” she pats his head and asks him to identify more colours. He does and gets everyone right. Kaia gets up and goes to join her older sister, Kiana in the kitchen. She’s perched on the island, her nose buried deep in a book.

“Is that Harry Potter?” Kaia asks and startles her sister.

“Don’t do that!” Kiana whines.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Kaia giggles. “But if I sacred you, it means that you should me more aware of your surroundings. Whether you’re reading a book or not.”

Kiana stares at her little sister with half awe, half annoyance. “Don’t lecture me. That’s mom’s job. And I’m older than you, you little rat.” She flicks Kaia’s forehead. “This isn’t Harry Potter. It’s the Hunger games.”

“What’s it about?” Kaia leans in excitedly and when Kiana’s about to explain, the front door opens, cutting her off.

“Dad!” the three siblings yell at the same time and run to the door. Somehow, their father manages to pick the three of them up at the same time, even if it’s just for a few seconds.

“Kiana!” Kaia whines. “You’re 14! You’re too big for pick-ups now!”

“How dare you, you little rat!” Kiana charges for her and they start bickering.

“Girls! The pizza and chicken would be all gone before you’re done fighting!” Kali yells from the living room and that’s when the girls realize that their dad left them alone to fight. He’d normally have separated them.

“Traitor!” the girls chorus and run to take their seats in the dining area.

“Go get the plates, Kaia.” Kiana instructs and though Kaia sneers at her, she runs to get them. By the time she returns, no one is at the table. Just the open pizza and box of chicken. Fear grips her.

“Dad? M . . .mum? Kiana? Keanu? Everybody!” her voice shakes as she paces around the house, tears sliding out of her eyes. “If this is hide and seek, I’d count to 10, so you all can come out, okay?” she yells and then shuts her eyes and counts to 10. No one comes. She does it again and again and again, and when she opens her eyes for the last time, she gasps.

She shifts her eyes slightly to check the time on her table clock 1:49. She heaves. Another dream. It’s just . . .another hurtful dream.