Creature of Unknown Origin

58

“No, you take the couch. I at least brought a pillow for myself.”

“Here’s an idea,” a voice hollered in a strained whisper from beyond the void. “ Why not

share the couch?”

“Here’s another novel idea: stay in your own room!” Spencer hissed back just as quietly as

Delia had yelled at us in the quiet of the sleeping cabin.

From the doorframe of the hallway, Delia rolled her eyes and flipped him off in a such a

way I was almost certain she was of royal birth. The floors creaked under her retreating steps and

from the sound and timing of it, it was the bathroom door that clicked shut and not the door of the

little back bedroom we’d both left to Dr. R ichards.

“Someone’s cranky when she doesn’t get her beauty sleep,” I huffed, sinking back into the

obviously broken couch.

“More like when she doesn’t get to do her whole morning routine,” Spencer teased,

following suit.

“Oh no, you’re not blaming Miss Cranky Kraken on me, not when you were the one who

cut her nighttime routine short.”

“Not my fault that Dr. Richards managed to pick an abandoned cabin with only one

bathroom.”

From down the hall, the creak of the bathroom d oor’s hinges echoed down the hall. Next

came the shuffle of Delia’s feet. She didn’t spare us another glance as she turned off into the

kitchen. Like a pair of juveniles, Spencer and I burst out into a fit of giggles when our eyes met

again. When we finally caught our breath, the pounding silence clapped like rolling thunder in my

ears.

Without a word, we settled on opposite ends of the couch. I curled up against the back of

the sofa and used my pillow to cushion myself from the hard arm of the lopsided couch. Spencer

shifted this way and that before he finally settled on his side.

“Comfortable?” I grinned into the darkness.

“No,” he grumbled, “You?”

“Actually, yeah.”

“Princess.”

~ ~ ~