Phoebe eased up a little. Mal’s concern for her health was familiar, and even though it could be stressful she appreciated that it had survived their years apart. She would definitely have to hide a lot from Mal, but that fact didn’t mean they couldn’t reconnect. It just made Phoebe a liar.

She recalled a time when they’d been outside playing kickball with a group of other children. Phoebe had felt something creeping in over the past day–a cold or stomach bug–but she didn’t want to miss out on the fun. And then she suddenly threw up. The first thing Mal did was run over and try to help her. The immediate next thing her friend did was start hissing and spitting at a boy who was laughing at her.

Image: A young Mal grimacing in anger while grabbing another kid by his shirt. He has a frilled lizard aspect and looks scared. End description.

To Phoebe’s dismay, she was still sick a few days later when their school was holding the annual book fair. No matter how much she begged, her parents forced her to stay home and rest. The memory was oddly vivid. She especially remembered how distraught Mal had seemed at her stroke of bad luck.

After the fair, Mal had shown up at Phoebe’s house. Her backpack was full of books. Half of them were for Phoebe, and she’d used her own birthday money to buy them. They spent the whole afternoon reading together.

Image: Phoebe and Mal laying on Phoebe’s bed, reading books. Phoebe is curled up, reclining against some pillows, while Mal lays on her stomach at Phoebe’s feet. End description.



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10.16.2024
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Important announcement: Katabasis is switching to a bimonthly update schedule for the foreseeable future. That means the next update will be 10/30 and the update after that will be 11/13. I have a lot going on at home and my mental health has taken a dive. Thanks for understanding.