Gently scooping the retrievable batter off the floor I looked up to the others with a forced smile. "We still have about 70 ish percent of the batter so that's good."
There wasn't enough for a full cake anymore. I glanced over to Dahlia almost looking for an answer.
Marcel stepped into the cabin, you could see the guilt dripping from his face as he slowly trotted to the kitchen and slumped over the counter. "How do we even fix this, there aren't anymore ingredients left to use."
Dahlia's face lit up as she confidently chuckled. "I have an idea."
"Let's hear it." Marcel muttered, still leaning over the counter.
"We can evenly break up the batter and—" Dahlia couldn't finish her sentence before Runi interrupted. "Cupcakes!"
Dahlia let out a proud smirk, posing as if she was a superhero. "That's right, now could someone grab the muffin pan?"
"I got it." Runi yelled as she walked around the counter to the cabinets—opening one over the oven.
She turned to the already defeated Marcel with a hysterical look on her face. "Marcel, you didn't even have the oven on preheat, you just turned it on."
Dahlia covered her mouth with her arm as she tried to hold back a laugh. Marcel slowly slid off the counter he was sulking on as he now laid on the floor.
I bent down to pat his back as he embarrassingly covered his head.
After getting the new pan Dahlia carefully poured the batter into all 12 slots. "Looks like we have just enough for 2 batches, so 24 cupcakes." She said with a sigh of relief.
Runi properly preheated the oven. We could finally relax.
I laid my apron on a chair while excusing myself to the bathroom.
I looked at myself in the mirror like I seem to do so often… expecting to see something different but I never do—always looking at the same old me.
This feeling has only gotten worse since I got my vusk, this feeling of emptiness even though I'm surrounded by loved ones. I don't know what this is exactly but it's eating away at me.
I splashed some cold water in my face. "I need to talk to Ms. Valeria about this." I mumbled under my breath.
"Talk to Valeria about what."
I sharply turned my head towards the hallway as Alex stood there, holding the book we were gonna write in.
"Nothing." I said while drying my face, "Just washing the sweat off. I'm gonna talk to Ms. Valeria about my vusk when she gets back."
It happened again. I could sense that something was up with Alex.
He looked to his feet and faintly smiled. "I'm happy for you, for unlocking your vusk that is."
Before I could thank him he walked into the living room.
I soon followed as Cleo and Luther stood there with a large paper cutout of letters spelling Thank you Ms. Valeria.
"You guys did pretty good, better than I thought yall would do." I said in a staggered tone.
"Of course we did good idiot." Cleo replied, collapsing on the couch as he let out a deep sigh.
Alex gently laid the hollow book on the kitchen table. "We can start after the baking is done, wake me when it's time." Alex said, making his way to the bedroom.
Reluctant to start without Alex we decided to wait until the cupcakes were done and decorations hung up.
The oven beeped as it had finished preheating. Dahlia slowly put both muffin pans into the oven as the heat radiated from inside.
Closing the oven, Dahlia also slumped on the couch next to Cleo, along with the already sleeping Jackson who dozed off a while ago.
With around 3 and a half hours before Ms. Valeria returned and it was time to finish the decorations.
Luther and Marcel began to hang the banner above the couch as an idea came to mind. Without saying a word I ran upstairs and grabbed an empty canvas and 8 different colors of paint.
Making my way back to the living room I announced to everyone. "I have an idea, we can all put our handprints on the canvas, I think that would be sweet."
"Awww that really is sweet!" Dahlia said jumping off the couch with excitement.
"Really? Handprints? What are we, 8?" Luther commented.
"Well it was the first thing I thought of, and I'm sure Ms. Valeria would like it." I said, a little worried that my idea would be bad.
Marcel spoke up. "It's fine she'll love it, Luther is just being a doofus."
Luther sighed as he had no choice but to agree with my plan.
After waking Alex, we one by one placed our hands in the paint, stamping our handprint on the canvas. I placed the now colorful canvas next to the backdoor so it could dry while everyone prepared to start the book.
Alex was the first to begin writing in the book. We sat for a while as he wrote, soon passing the book to Marcel.
Marcel looked at Alex's writing and responded with a strange reaction, he glanced at Alex, and then began to write his own part.
The confusion on Marcel's face in turn confused me, what did Alex write that made him act that way?
Marcel also finished writing as he flipped the page and passed the book on to Luther, and after a while to Dahlia.
Dahlia flipped the page once again and passed the book to Cleo who soon passed it to me.
I knew I wasn't really supposed to but I couldn't help reading Cleo's writing in my mind.
Ms. Valeria, I have so much to thank you for it's crazy. You saved my life. I remember the day like it was yesterday, and I believe I have this scar on my body as a reminder for what you did for me.
I was alone, in pain, and abandoned, but someone found me and gave me to you. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank that man, but he sure was cool. I've never seen someone with one arm before.
You took me in, introduced me to everyone, and made this cabin a real home. I feel safe here and I will always have a special place for you in my heart.
Cleo.
After reading his writing it felt pretty normal. I couldn't get Marcel's reaction out of my head. Why was he so puzzled?
I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind as I began to write my part of the book.
I wrote in my neat handwriting.
When you first found me I didn't, and still don't know where I was, but it was a cold and harsh place. You were the first person I can remember having a bond with.
When you brought me to the cabin you helped me be more open with everyone. I was able to, despite not even knowing myself, become my own person.
Hopefully one day when I'm older I'll be able to tell my kids about how great you are. Thank you for caring about me when no one else did.
I stopped writing, holding the pencil to my chin as I thought of anything I wanted to add. That feeling is coming back. That feeling of emptiness.
I'm almost envious that Cleo knows how he got here and what happened to him, even though those memories aren't exactly happy.
I'd rather have bad memories than have none at all.
I must've gotten lost in thought as I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned to see Runi, a bit concerned. "You alright?"
I nodded to her, signing my name under my text. I wish I could've seen Runi's writing. I don't know much about her past.
Runi wrote her part, soon passing the book to Jackson, who finally finished off this 4 page book.
With all the preparations done we were finally ready for Ms. Valeria to come back, having an extra hour and 45 minutes to work with.
I watched as Runi and Marcel decorated the freshly baked cupcakes. I couldn't help but smile at the scene of them together, both being my closest friends.
Finally, everything was complete. We turned the lights out and waited for Ms. Valeria to return.
**
The front door swung open as Ms. Valeria walked in with her purse. She paused. "Why are you all hiding?" Her voice echoed through the cabin.
Dahlia flicked the lights on in disappointment as everyone emerged from their hiding spots.
"You children do know it's not my birthday right?" Ms. Valeria noted, still standing in the doorway.
Ms. Valeria caught eye of the cupcakes and decorations with the lights now on. She covered her mouth in excitement. "Wait seriously children, it's not my birthday."
"We wanted to show our appreciation for you, and this is how we did it." I said, popping my head out from behind the counter.
Ms. Valeria cackled at my response. "Well before we eat cupcakes you all need to eat dinner."
Ms. Valeria walked into the kitchen and grabbed a lighter from her purse.
After sparking the lighter Ms. Valeria held a ball of fire in her hand as it crackled and popped.
Softly placing her purse on the counter she began to pull bags of groceries out of the ball of fire.
Marcel slowly strolled to Ms. Valeria, looking up to her as he pouted. "I may have accidentally ruined the meatloaf, I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "I guess we'll just have to eat cupcakes for dinner."
We began to unload the groceries, Ms. Valeria mentioned how these should last 4 months.
We had Ms. Valeria sit at the kitchen table as we showed her the handprint painting and book. She glanced at the first page then closed the book again, putting it to the side while admiring the handprint art.
Without saying a word she nodded and hugged the canvas. "It's perfect."
Ms. Valeria then stood up as she began to walk to her room, "I can't let you gremlins see me cry, I'll look into this book later."
She stopped as she hit the entrance of the hallway. "Fine you guys win."
Ms. Valeria kneeled, sticking her hands out. "Everyone bring it in." She said with the biggest smile on her face.
We all ran to her, embracing as a family.
The daylight slowly withered as the moon took over the sky. All but 9 cupcakes were gone as everyone ate the surprisingly good desserts.
"I think we did good today." Marcel mentioned entering his bed. I could easily tell by his voice that he was exhausted.
"Well it was your idea to do this, so thank you Marcel. I think we made Ms. Valeria real happy." Luther said, pulling the covers over him.
I looked across the bedroom to see Dahlia already heading to sleep. Letting out a slight chuckle, I also drifted to bed.
**
My eyelids loosened in the dead of night. Usually it's my severe nightmares that keep me up but this time it was something different, a sound coming from the kitchen. I slowly tiptoed out of the bedroom and peered into the dark, empty kitchen.
I sighed as I fully entered. "Maybe I'm just imagining things." I spoke quietly under my breath as I lightly rubbed my eyes.
Before I could turn back to the bedroom I felt a gust of wind that sent a shiver through my body. I looked towards the direction of the wind as I noticed the front door was slightly creaked open.
Making sure not to wake anyone I examined the door as I saw something in the distance—someone in the distance, it was a person walking into the forest.
The only one who would even be up this late is Alex, I don't remember him being in the bedroom either.
My eyes quickly swept through the living room, trying to spot a sleeping Alex but nobody was there.
He could be upstairs, but the creaky steps would've been sure to wake me. This had to be Alex walking into the forest.
Fully opening the door, making sure to close it behind me, I began to trail Alex.
I walked in his footsteps to not snap or crush any new branches or leaves. I watched him walk closer and closer to the big oak tree.
He placed his hand on the trunk of the tree as a large branch toppled down. The branch was easily taller than Alex.
He stabbed it into the ground, sitting next to it as silence consumed our surroundings. I didn't know what was going on, nor what to do. If I moved he would surely hear me.
I guess this is what I get for being nosy, it's just Alex meditating with a stick.
I sighed as I walked up to him—his head snapping back the second I moved.
His normally drooped eyes were sharp as he stared at me. I expected him to explain himself but he completely ignored me.
He readjusted his form as he went back to meditating, disregarding me being directly behind him.
I stood there, the wind flowing through my hair. If Alex wasn't going to explain this I was gonna have to pry. I was too invested to let this go.
"So… What are you doing out here." I asked him while he meditated, but he didn't answer.
I stood there for a while before he got up. "Well I see you aren't going anywhere." Alex grumbled, turning to me.
He plucked the branch from the ground. "Since you seem so interested i'm trying to open my third gate, you know, the 17 Gates of Creativity Valeria told yall about?"
Alex pointed at the branch. "This branch here is my vusk."