Chapter 1
Stop! Stop this....please! don't do this....I beg you...please...
I jostled awake and struggled to open my eyes. Even with my eyes close, I can feel the sun rays threatening to sear my eyeballs. Wrestling with the sheets, I got up and sat on my bed, waiting for my head to clear and my brain to start functioning. It has been a long time since I had that dream. I read somewhere that dreams are wishes that your heart makes, what utter bullshit. As my head clears and reality came back to me, I got out of bed and head for the washroom. "About time you got up. I tried waking you up but all you did was sleep like a log. If there was a fire, you would've died and not even know it." I shrank a little from Houx's sudden loud declaration of his version of 'How Levina will die'. Yesterday, it was a black hole opening up beneath me. Two days ago it was a volcano eruption. After 2 weeks, he will recycle his predictions of possible death scenarios while I sleep.
"What time is it?" I rubbed my eyes as I pushed open the doors to the washroom. "Way pass pick your son up at the airport time." My head snapped up and I frantically look for the clock I know was on the wall, somewhere. "Don't worry, I have already informed Bouski to go pick him up". Heaving a sigh of relief, I went to the sink and washed up. By my estimate, they should be arriving shortly. I changed into some comfortable home clothes and headed downstairs for my morning coffee. Houx already had my coffee made and ready in the pot. There was many reasons why I chose to take residence on this planet, but automated coffee machines that can be controlled by a central system was definitely on the top of the list. If I was honest with myself, I would admit that I was rather nervous to meet Rei after nearly 5 months. The last time I saw him was at the school gate after the orientation to the school. He still had his backpack on and the Dean was telling me how Rei would fit in and how he would personally make sure that Rei gets to his room and such. This kid was my son, but I know nothing about him. Last week, Bouski insist that we go shopping to get some stuff to decorate his room so it was not just a bed with four walls. At the mall, I was astounded with how little I know about this kid, I did not even know what to get and it dawned on me that I knew my enemies better than I knew my son. What was more surprising was that Bouski knew more about what Rei liked than me. The whole time that we were there, he picked out everything off the top of his head and when we got back, he went straight and set everything up. Apparently my son likes the color red a lot and wants nothing more than a corner filled with bean bags.
I heard tires screeched to a stop outside my front gate and the doors opening, I counted two doors and recognise the heavy footfall that belonged to my second in command. A smaller, lighter footfall was heard before Bo's deep and raspy voice boomed. "Here we are kiddo. Your mom should be inside sipping her coffee. Come on then mate lets go in." The front door opened and I heard Bo kicked his shoes off. "Lev I picked up Rei from the airport. You better have a dam good reason for oversleeping and didn't make it yourself." I heard the big guy walked to the kitchen as he spoke. I sipped my coffee and watched as Bo and Rei walked into the kitchen. Houx made some hot beverages for the pair before they reached and Bo knew to get it the moment he walked in. For a 2 thousand year old guy, my second in command sure did not looked his age. I always joked that if he did, he would be a piece of fossil somewhere where it was a bar in the past. He looked no more than 35 mortal years. Standing at 185 centimeters, Bo was a giant of a guy, broad in the chest with equally thick arms to match, dark hair cut in the typical Terra crew cut and thick eye brows to match. He was tan, all those hours in the sun is showing on his skin. He have the bearings of someone you do not mess with, not even when he was smiling at you. No one would believe this guy changed my diapers once if it was not for the fact that it was true.
"Had that dream again." I sipped my coffee again and look at Rei who had placed his bag down on the floor and took a seat opposite me. He was holding the cup Bo passed to him. It was a simple black mug, but it stood out in his snow white paws. The contrast was so blinding that it almost hurts to look at, not helped by the fact that the simple mug looks big when he holds it. Rei was small for his age. The medical examinations showed that malnutrition stunt his growth by a significant amount causing him to be much smaller than most 12 years old huskies. His fur was also mostly all white with a small black patch at his right wrist. Of course kids being kids, he had several different colors dyed into his fur. His head fur was laced with streaks of purple and blue. He was looking at his cup before taking a sip. "Yuck what is this?!" he put down the cup and shoved it in my direction. "It taste bad!" I leaned in to take a look and realise Houx had made Rei a cup of black coffee. "Not my fault Lev only have coffee beans in the pantry." Houx interjected before I could say anything. I could not help but snicker at the face Rei was making at the cup. "I want a milkshake. They had really nice milkshakes in the morning at school." He looked at me. Up until now, I had not said a single word to the kid, Where do I even start? How is it that this is more confusing to me than a bomb circuit? I just look at Rei, my mouth ajar and I just blinked a couple of times. "We could go to the cafe down the road for breakfast." I finally managed. "Well now, you two go ahead. I have to go back to the office to settle some stuff." Bo said as he put down his mug and headed towards the hall. I stood and blinked stupidly at his back. I have this unexplainable need to just rush forward, grab the big man's arm and plead for him to stay. It took a lot of willpower to not do that. It has been a long time since I felt so helpless. Rei stood at my side and looked up at me, "Are you gonna dress like a hobo to the cafe?" I looked down at the kid, he was not very tall, standing to my shoulder and although meatier than I last saw him in person, still small in frame. "Bouski said you decorated my room. I hope its not pink. I'm gonna go and change into something other than this stupid uniform before going to the cafe" he looked me up and down, "you should too. You look like a pauper." He walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Did the kid just call me poor? Excuse me? I stomped out of the kitchen and saw Bo standing at the door, snickering at me. "Dont mind him Lev, he just have a sharp tongue, he dont mean harm eh" with that, he walked out the door and headed to his car. I looked up the stairs and sigh. What have I gotten myself into?
Oddly, I should have asked this question five months ago. But better late than never right?