Blue sky, white fluffy clouds; the perfect day shines down on The Kingdom of Midday. The newlyweds are on their way inside the castle to be greeted by a cheerful friend. It’s Nite-Nite.
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“ooo, look who's back! Had fun?” Nite asks, mockery lacing the undertones of his voice.
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Lullaby shoves his head; a playful gesture.
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“Don't be jealous.”
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Nite laughs putting his hands behind his head following beside them.
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“Please.” Nite scoffs.
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Prom walks ahead and puts her hands behind her back. Her shyness is a battle hard to win, she likes to avoid being seen romantically in public as much as possible; yesterday couldn’t be helped.
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“Oh looks like everybody's ready to go,” she states.
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End, Hershie, and Qiyamah have their luggage ready to go.
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“End, Hershie, if you don't have a place to stay you can always stay in the kingdom until you get one. But it's completely up to you.”
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End and Hershie don’t have families, they grew up as orphans. They’re not the only ones.
Pageant comes up folding her arms. She talks for Prom, something she may do often.
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“Hmph. Or, perhaps, she's saying she wants you to stay.”
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“Ugh, was not!”
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“I don't care.” Hershey says. It sounds like a better idea than what they had in mind.
End laughs resting his hands behind his head.
“Then what are we all packed for huh?”
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Prom smiles at them. They’ll be better off here, safer. They have a place to call home here.
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“Oh, Lullaby. Is it okay if I take them to—”
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“Sure, we're not going to stick like glue all day long.” he says and pinches her cheek. “Only a part of the day hun.”
Let's be realistic here, even couples need their time away from each other.
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Prom gave a slight smirk as her hair slipped in front of her eye. She pushes his hand away.
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“Thanks. Okay, come on guys.”
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“Where we goin’” End asks.
“Part of the day? Das crute.” Hershey lingers on that point, hoping to gain a good laugh.
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Prom shakes her head, their chatter growing more distant as they proceed up a grand staircase.
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Now just Lullaby, Nite-Nite and Qiyamah remain. Lullaby’s eyes drift towards her.
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“Eugh, look at you Qiya!”
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She’s all dressed up still standing there holding her luggage.
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“Eugh! Look at you Lully!” she snaps back. What’s this boy’s problem?
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“Ugh, It's just, I guess this means you're going home now?”
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He looks to the side visibly upset. Hopefully she changes her mind.
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“Mhmm.”
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She said that without hesitation with a firm nod. She has no intention of staying here. Considering everything, he has to come to terms with it.
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“Well, I guess you have to at some point huh? Just uh- Let me take you home huh?” Lullaby insists.
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“Um... Uh... I guess it'll be ok…”
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Something different creeps onto her face. It’s unsure, but something else too.
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“Yeah, I know you're a long ways from home... So, what do they wear in your country?”
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“Um, normal stuff.”
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Her eyes became big as they revolved around. The kinds of questions he chooses to ask just don't make sense sometimes.
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“What does it matter anyways?” Nite asks curiously.
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Lullaby shrugs.
“That way I'll be at home.”
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“I guess. But don't think you two are leaving me here by myself!”
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“Course not, what's a trip without your best bud huh?”
Nite laughs.
“Yup!”
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Qiyamah is looking at them up and down. They’ve just invited themselves, haven't they? ‘Cause who else did?
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“Just don't get me in trouble,” she demands.
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“Trouble? Pffft, Qiya just give me–”
“Five Hours!” Nite blurts out finishing Lullaby’s sentence. Remember how long it took on the wedding day?
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Lullaby shoves his head and finishes anyways.
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“A sec to get ready 'kay?”
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“Okay,” Qiyamah says with a frown.
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She didn’t ask for any of this in the first place.
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“By a second, he seriously meant five hours,” Nite says with a sigh.
Qiyamah laughs, “He like accessorisin'”
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MUCH MORE THAN A SECOND LATER…
Lullaby walks up with his hands in his jacket pockets wearing casual street wear, whistling. His shirt reads in bold print: “Thanks Babe”.
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“I'm ready ♪ So, I guess this'll be good enough.
Qiyamah frowns, giving him a sharp side-eye. What the heck is he thinking? He must not know…
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“Sure you wanna wear all dat?”
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“Wait, why wouldn't I be sure?” He doesn’t get it. He continues to ramble. “Hm, It's probably gonna be a long trip huh? Ha!” He hugs her. “That means we'll have lots of fun!”
And more time together. It’s hard to watch your best friend leave, even when you know you’ll see them again.
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“Ok, Ok! You smotherin' me!”
Qiyamah’s face is red with frustration, she fights her way out of his arms giving him a shove.
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Just then, Nite-Nite walks up with snacks loaded in his arms.
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“Oh, he's finally back,” he says, noticing Lullaby.
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Qiyamah sniffs the air, smelling his strong grape scented cologne. She laughs cracking a joke.
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“You know you black.”
Nite laughs shaking his head. That’s Qiyamah for you.
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“Finally! You’re back!” Lullaby yells.
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A little game to shift the blame. Look who’s wasting time now.
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“And no! I didn't spend that whole time getting dressed either!” Nite states, seems like he’s defending his dignity now.
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“What? I didn't spend that whole time getting dressed that would be ... crazy or somethin'. I uh, packed some stuff too,” Lullaby says with shifty eyes.
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Guilty as charged. But He’ll never admit it.
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“Yeah, that took like two seconds I'm sure,” Nite scoffs.
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“Yeah? And who's counting?!”
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Qiyamah’s eyes flicker from each of them.
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“ ...Y'all strange.”
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“Anyways!” Nite interrupts again. “I was getting snacks, like chips and Blast Tarts.”
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“Oh yeah! I like those things... did you get those, those crumpet thingies?”
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“... Crumpet... thingies?”
“Whatchu talkin bout?”
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Confusion floods their faces for just a moment. Then, Nite puts his hand on his face and looks through his fingers at him exhaustedly.
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“Depends on what you mean by ‘crumpet’”
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“You know…” Lullaby makes a circle with his hands, attempting to explain himself. “They're circle and they got uh– chocolate things in it. You know—The things I—You know!”
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Could it really be that hard?
His words hung in the air. Qiyamah burst into laughter. It took a moment, but she thinks she’s translated this foreign language of his.
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“Oh! You mean COOKIES?!”
Of course he means cookies. Nite laughs, yet unamused. His head drops. It’s just too much.
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“You mean cookies I'm sure,” Nite says confirmingly.
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“Oh yeah!” Lullaby snaps. “Those things.”
He snatches as many packages of cookies as he could hold.
“I like these!”
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“Uhuh,” Nite answers dryly.
“Straight from London or somethin'” Qiyamah jokes with a wrinkled lip.
“Worse…” Nite jokes.
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Who don’t know what cookies are? Lullaby, apparently. It’s nothing new really, especially not to Nite-Nite. Whether it’s a pie being a strudel or a strudel being a dumpling, it’s always misconstrued some way or another. Who does that? Only Lullaby!
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But, here we are again, wasting valuable time.
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“Augh, let's go! We gotta get on that flight!”
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Nite doesn’t like wasting time. They got going, this is important after all. They’re seeing their best friend Qiyamah off.
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They’ve never met Qiyamah’s family before, so they’re a little curious to see what they’re like. It’s been quite a while since they’ve been in a family setting themselves.
They arrive at the airport, it isn’t long before the madness begins again.
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A loud roar fills the sky, as an airplane takes off. Lullaby’s body jolts, startled by the sound. His eyes follow the airplane in awe.
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“Oh my God what is that? I never seen a car that big,” he mutters.
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Of course, right? It’s easy to forget he was raised under a rock. Nite-Nite smirks.
“You mean airplane.”
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Qiyamah erupts into laughter.
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“Yeah! You stuck in 1720 somewhere, or even further back.”
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“Airplane?” Lullaby still stares in awe at the grand skybird ascending. “Sounds like a water company.”
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Nite-Nite whistles holding back a laugh.
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The whole experience is new to Lullaby, he has one question after another. Good thing Qiyamah and Nite know what they’re doing or this would be an entire nightmare. And to think he’s the oldest, ha! He’s like a baby in a toystore. Look at him.
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He has his face pressed against the window, the world growing smaller beneath them.
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His black vampire wings; which you would mistake as a cape otherwise, flap; they are marked with a red heart in the center of each one. The mark of a special Crimson Vampire.
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Crimson Vampires are different from average vampires, they can withstand the sun just like any other human. So, it isn’t very uncommon to see them walking in broad daylight. In fact, at their core burns a fire; where their power comes from. So the sun only makes them stronger.
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“Wow, we’re actually up high and I don’t even gotta move my wings!”
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“Yeah. That’s why it’s an airplane,” Nite states the obvious.
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“Yeeeeeah,” Qiyamah says. She just doesn't understand what world he’s from; not yet.
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At their destination; New Wave, an unforgettable city with magic hidden beneath, they wait at the airport for Qiyamah’s parents. Lullaby paces back and forth getting impatient.
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“God where’s momma?!”
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Just then a van pulls up, a very roomy van built for a large family. Qiyamah's heart jumps up to her throat and her eyes nearly shoot out of her face. She holds her stomach like an unexpected bathroom visit just settled in, she rocks nervously.
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“Oh, neat.” Lullaby stares at the car. He just knows it’s them.
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The car comes to a stop. A black man with a stern exterior sits in the driver seat. His eyebrow nearly goes through the roof of the car the moment his eyes meet with Qiyamah’s new friends.
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He gets out.
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“Baby girl!”
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His voice hit like thunder; loud but joyous. Qiyamah’s body jolts, as if she were hit by lightning.
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“Daddy!”
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She immediately runs over to them fumbling over her words, like a child tattle telling.
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“Dey–dey–dey–dey—”
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Lullaby walks up beside her giving her a gentle nudge with a warm smile on his face.
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“Well, aren’t you happy to see your parents,” he says teasingly. Truly happy for her.
Qiyamah takes a calming breath, getting herself together. She looks at her father with a soft, yet uncertain face. Her father is an assertive and stern man at times, what is he going to think of them?
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“These are good people, they’re my friends, and they wanted to meet my family.”
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“Heey, where’s momma anyways?” Lullaby asks. It sounds like she’s the only one he really wants to meet.
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Her father, Fajr; his eyes become narrow, his face hauntingly unreadable.
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“Get in the car.”
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Without further discussion, Qiyamah runs and gets in the car.
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“Who is y’all to my daughter? Y’all came from… that place?” He goes on questioning the young men.
Can you imagine what would be going through an average city going father’s mind with something like this? Who are these unusual funny looking characters? Is this some kind of cosplay?
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For some reason Nite-Nite seems to be just as shaken as Qiyamah; he just met the man. But anyone knows when a guy’s not someone to be messed with. He fumbles over his words like a criminal in interrogation.
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“Uh–uh–uh, we’re here friends and—”
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Lullaby cuts in, he’s not nervous any ounce.
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“Oh yeah, Qiyamah’s so cute, she’s my bestie. Lucky guy you are, huh?”
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Something dark falls over Fajr’s face and he steps back, his stare unmoving.
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“We’re not bad people, we believe in God,” Nite reassures him. He elbows Lullaby hard, catching him off guard.
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“Hey!” He realizes the intensity of the situation. “Oh uh, yeah–”
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He grabs his jacket, he looks at the words on his shirt. This could look pretty bad. He lets out an uneasy chuckle.
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“Oh no–yeah, we believe in God.”
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He reaches in his jacket and pulls out a small, well preserved book. It is black and red with fine gold details.
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“I got my Holy Book right here.”
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He flips through the pages a little, looking lost in a distant nostalgic moment.
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“We don’t mean any harm sir,” Nite adds.
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With one hand, Lullaby closes the book. He lifts his gaze as he tucks it away carefully.
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“Yeah, we’re definitely not bad guys. Mm-Mm, we just tagged along with Qiya since it's such a ways away. We wanted to make sure she got home safe, you know?”
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Fajr let the boys explain their case for long enough. For a moment, something more gentle settles onto his face.
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“Oh, well at least y’all lookin’ out for her.”
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“Uh yeah, guess we could, you know– go now. She’s uh, safely in your hands guy.”
Nite backs up. Maybe they should leave. Unwanted company isn’t good company. Lullaby nods and does the same.
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Maryam, a light skinned heavyset black woman speaks from the passenger seat of the car.
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“Well, if they came all this way then we might as well see who Qiya hangs around.”
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Lullaby smiles.
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“That must be momma,” he says in a low whisper absolutely thrilled.
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Nite-Nite shakes his head.
He just doesn’t get it, does he?
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Fajr ponders.
“Hm, I don’t know..” He pauses, then sighs.
“Fine, just no mess or you’re coming right back to this spot, understood?”
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Undoubtedly, his assertive tone states he means business.
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“Really? Thanks.” Nite says, a hint of unsurety remains in his voice.
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“Yeah, thanks a whole lot.” Lullaby agrees.
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Who could believe it? Is it a trick? Or something else?
Well there’s more than what meets the eye and its good advice; never judge a book by its cover, but its contents. Sometimes you have to read further than the first few chapters though!
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Fajr laughs. What’s so funny?
“No, thank you for lookin’ out for my girl. Get in the back.”
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That’s right.
Lullaby and Nite stand there for a moment in disbelief. An uneasy laugh escapes Lullaby’s lips.
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“Cool.”
Nite gives him a side-eye. It seems too often they don’t see thing eye to eye.
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“Let’s hope we don’t get killed half to death by the time we get there!”
“What? No way!”
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Honestly, these people wouldn’t hurt a fly. They have hearts of gold just like Qiyamah.
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After a drive, they come to a modest house; not too big, not too small. Qiyamah’s home for many, many years.
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“This is your house huh?”
Lullaby stares at it a moment.
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“Interesting.”
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Qiyamah moves away from him uncomfortably, hoping to be forgotten about. Fajr’s keys jangle as he flips through them.
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“Mhmm,” he mutters in response.
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As they enter, the kitchen is already at work. The aroma of a full course meal dances through the air with a jig. Chilli burgers, chilli fries , cookies, cakes, you name it; it's on the menu. Big liters of soda sat in the center of a glass table, glass cups lined beside it.
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“Smells good in here!”
Nite-Nite seems excited, he hasn’t had a decent meal in a minute. Little snacks are nothing like a homemade meal. Everything here is made from scratch.
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“Mhmm, Sholl is!” Maryam exclaims.
“Ooo!” Lullaby yells.
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He hops right onto the marble kitchen counters. Has anyone ever taught him manners? Or anything for that matter?!
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“I just love kitchens!”
He caresses the counter top with his hand, letting it lead him into a laying position; belly first, legs swinging.
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What in the world is he thinking?
“Alright,” Maryam says firmly.
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She grabs his arm just as firmly and yanks him off of the counter top. His eyes pop out, they flicker up and down, taken back by her strength.
“That’s a firm grip you got there Momma.”
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“Nasty butts don’t belong on my counter.”
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Another tall skinny black woman lets out a laugh. Her name is Ihklas, she’s partially responsible for the delicious disaster of a feast. Her hands are still at work.
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“Mhmm, where’s your home trainin’ boy?” she asks.
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Everyone’s wondering at this point. Laughter rings throughout the kitchen and dining room, even Fajr lets out a chuckle.
Everyone except Qiyamah, her face looks like she ate a freshly picked lemon. He’s going to get her in trouble!
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“Ooo, sorry…” Lullaby says. He rubs his arm like a hurt kid.
“That’s what chairs are for,” Nite teases.
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Everyone is finally seated at the dinner table, after saying a blessing; mingling.
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“Thanks for this, and sorry if it was a sudden visit. Qiyamah’s just a really nice girl and we wanted to meet her family” Nite explains.
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“Sure did, especially you,” Lullaby adds, pointing at Maryam with a wink.
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Maryam smiles a little flattered.
“Mhm, Glad she been behavin’”
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“That’s sweet. She must’ve had a lot of good stuff to say about us,” Ikhlas replies.
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“As long as she ain’t been doin nothin’ wrong,” Fajr says wrapping his arm around Qiyamah. “We expect the best out of our children.”
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Lullaby smiles, drifting in his thoughts. Something about this is different. Something about this is like a good memory. This is how family is meant to be.
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He watches three young adults, around Qiyamahs age; in their teen years, two of them make awkward silly faces sticking out their tongues. It’s a boy with brown skin and a neat fade haircut and a girl with light tan skin, straight black hair and bangs; Isra’il and Amy. The third boy; low hair cut, midtone skin, and a jacket patched with teddy bears, whispers.
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“Why y’all faces like that?”
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That is Mika’el. Beside him a little baby boy sits in a high; Falaq. He watches Lullaby’s wings flutter slowly. He swings his feet mesmerized by the motion.
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“I want to get to know all of you, so you have to tell me.”
Everyone’s attention turns towards Lullaby.
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“I guess we should introduce ourselves first!” Nite says nudging Lullaby.
There’s clearly a manner issue here.
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“Aw, that’s no fun,” Lullaby mutters.
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“I’m NiteNite Crescent. I live a very long way away from here. I’m sixteen and uh– I don’t have any family…”
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There’s a pause as he reflects on his life. Lullaby lowers his head.
“I’m sure they died in a fire, when I was younger. Our house caught fire.”
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Nite’s eyes widen as he realizes the gloom settling on everyone’s face. He lets out an uneasy laugh.
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“Yeah, that’s basically it!”
He looks down poking at his food with a frown, hoping he hasn’t ruined everyone’s mood.
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Everyone responds vaguely. Amy stares at Mika’el with a sad look in her eye. He holds back his emotions.
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Darn it, that didn’t go so well. How can anybody eat after all of that?!
Nite elbows Lullaby.
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“I don’t want to say nothin’!” he blurts, everyone looks at him, he laughs.
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“If I gotta… I’m Lullaby and I’m 19 years old. Oh, and don’t forget my birthday is March 2oth, you can take notes if you like. Oh… and, family… I have family. They’re just far away right now, that’s too bad! Haha, oh and yeah, I was just married a few days ago.”
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A glare of mischief glazes his eyes and he points to Qiyamah. She needs to be put on the spot, she needs to pay for pushing her best friend away. How dare she!
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“Isn’t that right Qiyamah!”
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Before Qiyamah can speak, everyone bombards the conversation. Some speak loudly, others mumble under their breath. Fajr nearly chokes, clearing his throat.
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“To whom?”
Maryam lets out a loud chuckle.
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“Oh Fajr!” she elbows him. “She ain’t married to no boy like that!”
Her last word is so sharp it stings.
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Ikhlas face twists all up.
“Ooh, I hope not.”
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Isra’il cackles loudly.
“That would be Naaaaaasty!”
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Amy agrees with her expression alone. Mika’el the softest of the three tries to be optimistic, although he looks like he witnessed an alien abduction up close.
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“Ain’t nothin’ wrong wit’ that…” his eyes ease towards Lullaby, then immediately flicker away. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong wit’ that.”
He repeated those words as if he was trying to convince himself.
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Falaq rambles baby gibberish into the air, the only audible word is “Mama!”
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Finally, Qiyamah broke through the chaos.
“Eugh! No! That didn’t happen! Swear to God!”
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Her last word shakes and hangs like a preacher on a pulpit. Fajr rang out in agreement like a congregation yelling hallelujer!
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“Dang straight it ain’t happenin’”
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Wow, is… he really that bad? Did that harm her more, or him?
Jokes over. He laughs.
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“Yeah, she was our flower girl, she was so cute. See.”
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He takes a picture out of her, it’s from his wedding. He passes it to Fajr.
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“Aw would you look at that,” Fajr says adoringly.
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“Aw man! We should’ve been there! She would’ve been cuter!” Maryam exclaims.
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“Oh Mary, she’s cute like that,” Ikhlas assures her.
“Dang!” Isra’il rings out like a cruel jokester.
Amy pops him on the back of the head.
“What?!”
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Mika’el’s eyes grow wide, “Big… and pretty.” He nods.
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Qiyamah’s face is as red as a tomato.
“No I ain’t…”
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There’s too much going on at once. She didn’t expect this today.
But she still hasn’t paid enough, so it seems.
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“Heh, I think that’s all I should say…”
Lullaby laughs behind his fist
“Because I just might get dangerous.”
He smirks; sharp fangs expose themselves.
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Fajr raises his eyebrows, his eyes shrink.
“Right, let's not.”
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He doesn’t know when to quit, does he?
“Somethin’ wrong witchu,” Maryam says with an uneasy expression
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Everyone’s muttering snazzy comments at him. Nite decides to step in and shift the tone.
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“Hey! Tell us about you guys huh?”
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Finally, the calm has come.
“Sure, I’ll start. Names Fajr Ma’un. I’m the father of the household and I have high expectations for my family. We serve God and we expect no less from our guests. I don’t mind you being Qiyamah’s friends as well as ours, as long as you abide by the rules of God.”
Lullaby puts a cherry sucker in his mouth.
“Sounds deep.”
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“Cool, that works,” Nite responds.
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“My name’s Maryam Ma’un. My first husband died and Fajr took me in as a wife, like the book says. I’m happy to have a good husband, even though he passed, I still love him. We did this to keep the family together. My parents also died, so I feel your pain Nite, I feel it.”
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Prom better not die! Lullaby’s face shrivels at the thought of it.
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“I’m sorry you lost so much,” Nite empathises.
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“Um… I’m Ihklas. I like cooking and spending time with my family. I love them dearly, I don’t know what I would do without them.”
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Everyone continues, having their time to introduce themselves one by one.
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“I’m Amy, I don’t live here, I live next door. I have a mom and two sisters. Oh and Dad calls every now and then. I like doing art, playing my acoustic guitar, and hanging out with my friends of course.”
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It’s finally Mika’el’s turn.
“Uh… I’m Mika’el. My family… died in a fire too ‘cause… Alfred.”
A darkness looms over him, his face carries pain and something darker.
“He burnt momma to death…”
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The table falls quiet. After a moment Mika’el sighs, he escapes reliving an unwanted memory.
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“But anyways, luckily God bless, Amy & Isra’il helped me. Fajr, Maryam, and Ihklas are looking after me until I get adopted.” A smirk eases on his face, sarcastic but light. “Coo huh?”
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Lullaby stares at him. Poor guy, just like Nite. A sense of grief overshadows his expression.
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“Yeah, guess we have that in common.” Nite says.
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Mika’el nods and looks at Isra’il.
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“I don’t know!” Isra’il pauses reluctantly, but continues. “I’m Isra’il Ma’un. I like helping mommy, big momma, and daddy. I’ll do anything I can for them. I like to do other stuff too but that’s it for now. Besides…”
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He clears his throat and mischief flickers in his eyes.
“Big momma’s secret!” he slips in under a cough.
A wooden cooking spoon pops him on the head. The whole table erupts into laughter including him.
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“You know, you’re all real nice people,” Lullaby says.
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“Yup! And it’s really nice to meet you guys,” Nite adds.
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“It’s getting late…” Lullaby says.
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The family says their goodbyes, seeing them on their way. Maryam, Ikhlas and the three others are clearing the table and cleaning up. Fajr and Qiyamah remain.
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“Ain’r you gone say goodbye to your friends?”
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“Uh… I guess.”
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“Go on.”
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Qiyamah meets Lullaby outside alone. His mind caught adrift; something troubling it seems. Until he sees her. He gives a soft smile and softly pinches her cheek.
“Sorry if I caused you too much trouble.”
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“No… They actually seem… strangely ok with it.”
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“Well, I’m glad I got to meet your family. I actually think they’re really nice people. I see why you love them so much. They’re irresistible, like you.”
He pokes her nose.
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She smiles a little flattered.
“Yeah guess so.”
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“Yeah…”
A troubled expression creeps back on his face, he looks up at the night sky.
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“You know, I want to meet your family. What they like?”
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“Huh?! What, no.” Lullaby says with a frown and turns away trying to ignore her.
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“No, seriously! It’s only fair!”
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“Aw, well life’s not fair hun. Plus, I don’t have time for that.”
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“What? You really gonna take me through all of this stress and not even—” she scoffs, shaking her head.
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What kind of friend is he?
“Ugh, I…” he stammers.
“Fine, if it’s like that.”
She turns her back on him.
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Why does she have to be like that? She just doesn’t understand. Some things are better left in the dark.
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He sighs.
“You know, speaking about home, I think I should get back. I bet Prom is screaming my name right now.” he laughs. “Poor baby.”
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Qiyamah stays firm in her stance, not giving him even a side glance.
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“See ya Qiya.” He ruffles her hair. “Tell your parents thanks for everything.”
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A beat; his hand slips from her hair and he turns walking away in the silence. Qiyamah sighs, turning to him.
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“Okay.”
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He smiles and points at her. “Oh and you should visit me sometime.”
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“Mhmm, I’ll think about it.”
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“Better!”
Qiyamah laughs.
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“Okay, I will if God wills. Bye Lullaby.”
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He’s hard to stay mad at. They’re best friends and after all she did push him away today, that’s not what good friends do. So, they’re even.
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Still, what is it about his family? What does he have to hide? What happened? So many questions remain unanswered.
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