Into the Flames: Christmas Break

Christmas didn’t start out very well. Jean and Hawkins left for France the very first day of break, but Rahab’s flight for Florida wasn’t for three more days. She spent her time in the library, reading books. Hawkins and Jean preferred hanging out in the library to reading the books in it, so Rahab hadn’t read any books recently and hoped that they could successfully take her away from the sudden loneliness she felt. But unfortunately, she kept distracting herself, wondering what Bracken was doing on his break. What could his powers possibly be? She wished that Hawkins’ telepathic ability were powerful enough to cross oceans so that she could speculate with him, but even if it were, she had the feeling that he was too busy running through the American embassy and playing his and Jean’s special version of hide-and-seek. So she buried herself back into the pages of books, wishing that the vacation would end quickly.
She was starting to think that Mark had forgotten to pick her up from the airport when she saw him weaving through the crowds of travelers, his eyes searching for her face. She waved and called out to him.
He smiled. “Oh, there you are,” he said. “I almost didn’t recognize you. You look like you’ve grown two inches.”
“I haven’t,” Rahab said. “I’m still five foot four. I checked.”
“Well, anyway, you look different,” Mark said, putting his arm around her shoulder. “And don’t make it sound like a bad thing, because it’s not. Come on, let’s get out of here. Luke is ready to go out and have some fun.”
Rahab let Mark lead her out of the confusing airport, trying not to look around too much and get distracted.
She was silent on the way to the hotel. Mark talked on his cell phone to their parents about when they would be arriving, and Rahab stared out the window at the palm trees.

Quote of the Day:
To sleep, perchance to dream--ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come?
--Hamlet