The Waking (The Upturned Hourglass) Read Online Free Page B

smile, but yawned instead.
    “Tired?” Jonathan asked.
    “Yeah. I haven’t been sleeping well for a couple nights. Well, days.”
    Jonathan snorted. “You and your insane sleep schedule.”
    Valie smiled wanly. She slept in the afternoons after school for about five hours—unless she was hanging with Luci and Jonathan. By midnight she was wide awake again and did homework, housework, or whatever. Then, if she were lucky, she could sleep another couple of hours before dawn. It was inexplicable, just like the claustrophobia. She just happened to have sleeping issues. Lately, though, she wasn’t sleeping well even in the afternoon.
    “I’m nocturnal, so what? The night is more fun anyway.”
    “Oh yeah. I’m sure it’s loads of fun to be awake when no other human being is.”
    Valie just shook her head. She’d never had an issue with it, though she’d never been particularly social.
    “Why are you having trouble sleeping?” Luci asked concerned.
    “I don’t know. My body just tells me I’m supposed to be awake—even more than usual. I know I need sleep, just nothing will cooperate.”
    Luci looked thoughtfully at her friend. “Have you been eating anything to keep you up? Or feel sick or something?”
    Valie rolled her eyes. “No.”
    “What? They’re legitimate questions,” the small girl said defensively. She hadn’t missed the eye roll.
    “Yes, they are, but are you really going to stop there?” Valie looked at Luci knowingly as the girl’s lips puckered. “I didn’t think so.”
    “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “You know exactly what I mean. What supernatural reason can you find for me being an insomniac this time?”
    “There is a reason for everything.” Luci stared stubbornly at Valie’s skeptical gaze.
    “And what’s the reason this time?” she pressed. Valie knew Luci would be unhappy if she wasn’t allowed to speak her thoughts, though Valie had to acknowledge the fact that her best friend’s cosmic quirks were not nearly as endearing as her curly hair.
    Luci squared her shoulders under Jonathan’s arm as they walked. “Night demon,” she declared with assurance.
    “Not a ghost this time?” Jonathan interjected, humor bubbling beneath the surface of his tone.
    She shook her head seriously. “I was in her room a couple days ago. I didn’t feel anything strange.”
    Valie snorted. Luci glared at her angrily.
    Valie raised her hands in defense. “Sorry. I just don’t have all that much faith in your…uh…gift,” she said, making Luci pout. “Anyway. You were saying? Night demon?”
    “They’re these frightful little things with bats’ wings and glowing red eyes. They might be stealing your dreams, which, of course, totally disrupts the REM cycle.”
    “Of course,” Jonathan replied, unable to keep the chuckle out of his words.
    Valie, too, began to laugh. “Now see if they were howling, wolf-like creatures, maybe you’d have something. I saw one of those the other night. You, know, four paws, wagging tail?”
    “So you saw a dog?” Jonathan laughed.
    Luci flushed with anger, but Valie changed the subject before anything could come of it. The wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee assailed her nose and she stopped and sneezed three times.  Her friends blessed her in unison.
    “Thanks. Hey, do you guys want to check out that new coffee shop across from the school? We’ve got extra time.”
    The nicest thing about Luci was that she never held a grudge and now she sniffed the air, too. “I have a history test first period. I need to study,” Luci said regretfully.
    “Oh, that’s all right, then. We don’t have to go this morning,” Valie offered with a forced smile, somewhat disappointed.
    “Oh no, you guys can go! I’ll just meet up with you at school.”
    “No. It’s cool, Luci,” Jonathan said. “We’ll just go another time.”
    Valie yawned again.
    Luci shook her head. “Valie needs the caffeine.”
    “How about I go get my own coffee