Chapter 20

                                    

                                          
"Josh. Josh, wake up." Kayne shook him in his sleep. The night was cold and awfully silent, Kayne could even hear himself think.
                          
"Wh-what? Kayne..." Josh mumbled, voice rough with sleep. "Please get up." Kayne pleaded. Something clicked in the back of Josh's head and he sat up. "Is something wrong?"
                          
"It's... Waking you up sounded really rational two seconds ago." Kayne groaned, falling back onto his bed with a sigh. "I had a bad dream." He admitted.
                          
"Want to talk about it? It's not as embarrassing as you think, you know." Josh smiled, moving to sit next to Kayne. Kayne froze for a millisecond then relax, thinking what it would be like to actually talk to Josh about his dreams. "You don't want to hear about it." Kayne assures him, feeling his cheeks warm.
                          
"Sure do. I didn't wake up for nothing." Josh said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Now come on. Tell me." Kayne leaned against the headboard and took a deep breath.
                          
"I dreamt about my mother," He started. "My mother being here for me."
                          
"In my dream, she was by my side, hand in hand with my father. They were laughing and talking and making plans about our summer trip." Kayne paused. "I've never been on a summer trip. I don't even know what she looks like. We didn't keep her picture. Well, that's what my father told me anyway."
                          
"So, they were smiling a lot. My father was smiling too. And he never smiles. They checked me out of the hospital and drove to Sydney. Yes, we drove to Sydney." He chuckled. "They took me to the port where Dory from Finding Nemo said Nemo was. Something Sherman? My mother bought us Popsicles, I dangled my leg off the port and she held me, just in case I leaned a little too forward."
                          
Josh nodded. He knew that feeling. He'd felt it when Annie held his hand all those weeks ago back at the river.
                          
"For a moment, it was serene. I lived a normal life with a ma and a pa. A white picket fence house waiting back home for us. Maybe a dog. I don't know. It just feels so nice to have a complete, loving family." Kayne shrugged.
                          
"Why do you say it's a bad dream?" Josh asked like it was the silliest thing in the world.
                          
"Because I have to wake up from it. Because it's not real." Kayne replied sullenly.
                          
"The worst thing about good dreams are having to wake up from them." Josh patted his one leg. "I'd hug you but it'd be weird." Kayne smiled, wiping a tear from his eye.
                          
"Kayne! You're crying. Oh My God." Josh chuckled and Kayne sprung forward to tackle him. He pinned him on his back. "It's not funny. I had a really rough night." Kayne laughed. "I'd stop laughing if you hadn't crushed me to death. Also, if you had the other leg, I would have won." Josh grabbed at the space where Kayne's leg used to be with his only free hand. "I win, Hutcherson." He tickled Josh, making him squirm. They were shouting and laughing way too loudly at 4 in the morning.
                          
"STAAAHP. STAAAHP. HELP!" Josh laughed with tear in his eyes. "Admit it, Hutcherson. I'm not the only one who cries." Kayne grinned from above him, locking eyes with Josh. Josh stopped squirming.
                          
"I... You're not the only one who cries." He said. Kayne, oblivious to the look in Josh's eyes, rolled off him triumphantly. "In this battle of man versus food. Man wins!" He jumped off the bed and bounced onto Josh's.
                          
Josh cleared his throat. 'I... I've got to go to the loo."
                          
***
                          
"What do you mean he looked straight into your soul? Josh, you sound crazy." Annie said, her voice thick with sleep. "I'm not! It's true. He was on top of me, holding me down..." He paused, realising how weird that sounded. "I.. I mean he tackled me and I was crushed and..."