Midnight Stars

"Hi there." Two girls stared over Luke's fence.

Luke froze. "Who're you?" He was wary of them, they could've been monsters.

The girl on the left quietly said. "I'm Despoina.."

The taller of the two laughs, giving him a peace sign, "Hey, I'm Naria! Nice to meet ya blondie!"

His face is etched with confusion and hesitation, "uh, hi... nice to meet you too.."

Naria nudges Despoina while laughing, "hey, he's cute isn't he Des?"

Despoina ducked her head down embarrassed. "U-um... I saw a green light shining from your house, is everything okay?"

Naria grins. "Can we come inside?"

Luke swallowed. "O-Okay, I'll just ask my mother." When he had gone inside, Narina's
expression turned serious. "Des, that writing on his door is in Ancient Greek."

Des carefully nods, "I-It is...but I don't think we can just barge in there..?"
Naria groans, "why nooot! He could be like us! I mean come on! Wouldn't that be awesome?"

Despoina shakes her head, "Naria, you need to think things through, one day you're going to get in trouble for not thinking things through..."

Luke opens the door and waves them over. "My mother said you can come in!"
Narina smiled. "Let's go, Des!" Des nodded. They both jumped off the fence and headed towards the house.

As soon as they entered, Des whispered. "Something's burning." Luke bit his lip. "That would be the cookies..."

Naria cringes, "I'll take a pass on those cookies.." Naria skips in smiling, "But your house is cool!"
Luke looks at Des, "is she always like this?" Des sighs softly, "sadly, yes.."

Naria pouts, "hey! I'm not deaf! I'm perfectly normal!"

Suddenly Luke's mother burst into the room. "Luke, you've brought your friends in! Come in! What are your names?"

"Narina! Nice to meet you!" She was a bit startled at Luke's mother being so... Frightening.

"I'm Desponia, pleased to meet you, Ms. Castellan." Des was shaking after Luke's mother had so suddenly jumped in.

Naria grins, shaking off the shock, "So I hear you like to make cookies?"
Luke's mother nods smiling, running back into the kitchen and coming back shortly after with a tray of cookies and holds them in front of Des."

"Here, have some fresh cookies!" Naria laughs, nudging Des, "come on, have some cookies!" Naria carefully grabs a cookie, looking slightly skeptical.

They looked more charcoal than cookies. "No thanks, I'm not hungry." Des said quietly.
"Oh, let's go have some Kool-Aid!" Luke piped up. Narina nodded putting down the cookie. Luke's mother nodded. "Kool-Aid is in the fridge!"

After they were seated on the table, Luke's mother served them red Kool-Aid, that was not burned or expired thankfully. "Thanks for saving us from getting poisoned." Naria giggled

Des carefully bows her head, "thank you..." After both girls take a cup of Kool-Aid, Naria grins.
"Hey Lukey! Do you have any games???" Des looks at Naria, "Naria, I think you're overdoing it.."

Naria pouts, "maybe I like games? So Lukey, do you have any games?? I bet you do!" Des sighs, "Naria, you need to stop bouncing.." Naria now noticing that she's bouncing quickly stops.

Luke thought for a moment. "I think we can play with the building blocks in the cupboard.."
Naria starts bouncing again. "Yahoo! Let's go!" Des nodded. "Okay, where's this cupboard you speak of, Luke?"

Luke led them into the hallway and opened one of the cupboard doors.

Suddenly there was a glowing green light. Ms. Castellan rasped in a deep voice. "My son! Must protect him!" She suddenly grabbed Des by the shoulders and shook her. "His fate!"

Naria panics and quickly pulls Des away, holding her close, "H-hey! Fate, Shmate! Don't go shaking people!"
Luke cringes, "I think it'd be best if you guys left.." Luke begins to push them back, leaving the cupboard open.

Des looks confused, looking up at Luke, "But we just got here?"

Narina crossed her arms. "Just because your mother has an episode, doesn't mean you get to kick us out!"
Des bit her lip. "Luke... It doesn't matter if your mother is crazy. We want to stay."

Ms. Castellan's eyes turned cloudy again. "Oh dear, I dropped the cookies."

Naria peeks around Luke, "Maybe we can help you make cookies!!" Naria ducks under Luke's arm and walks up to Ms. Castellan, "Can I help you make cookies?!! Pleease!"

Ms. Castellan smiles, "oh what a wonderful idea! Making cookies is fun but with others it's even more fun!"

Des nods, quietly murmuring, "maybe they won't turn out poisonous this time.."

Des mixed the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar together. While Narina stirred the egg and Luke sifted the flour and sugar. Ms. Castellan gave out safety instructions.
Ms. Castellan put all three mixtures together. "This is turning out wonderful, thank you!"

The three children tossed in the chocolate chips and then the cookies went in the oven.

Naria grins before playfully grabbing a handful of leftover flour and sprinkles it over Des' head, "it's snowing Des!"

Des quickly tries to shake the flour out, "Naria! You know you shouldn't do that!"

Naria grins again as a laugh escapes her lips, "why not?!" Luke chuckles at their childish act.

After a few more hours of fun, Narina looked out the window. "Wow... It's night, I guess it's time to go."

Des smiled a lightly. "Bye, Luke! See you tomorrow!"

Luke send them off waving. "See you tomorrow!!"

Naria grins mischievously, covering her mouth as a sinister giggle leaves her mouth, "We'll see you, but you won't see us!"

Des sighs, "Naria, stop trying to scare him. You're terrible at being scary."

Naria pouts, "well fine! I see how it is!" Naria walks out followed by Des who bows her head softly, "I'm sorry about her, thank you for letting us come in.." Naria yells from the fence,"come on slowpoke!"

After they entered the forest they sat down on a heap of leaves. "Where do we stay tonight?" Des asked.

"Maybe here, so we can have quick access to Luke's house." Narina suggested.
Des nodded in agreement. "I don't want to shadow-travel again." Naria laughed. "But it was fun!

Notes

Notes