Camilla: Brother Pheasant's Journey 15

He was going to have to start somewhere.

If he wanted to create something special, something new, he was going to have to get out of this bubble.

He went to bed with the feeling that he might have to face something he rather wouldn’t come too close to. And sure enough, Sebastian was there to catch him when he fell into his sleep.

He took Dennis on his back and flew off to a house not so far from his own. Somehow Sebastian kind of lifted the roof so that they could see everything going on in the house. He immediately recognized the boy in the small, filthy bedroom. It was Ronald.

NO. 

He was not ready for this.

Ronald was lying on his bed with his clothes on. He looked like he was waiting for something. And that something came barging into his room with an explosion of aggression. Dennis could see Ronald closing his eyes and clenching his fists.

He understood why when the shouting escalated to blows. One after the other. The man who must have been Ronald’s father or stepfather looked very drunk, lost his balance after every hard blow.

Ronald stayed in this position, frozen, didn’t argue, didn’t move. Just covered his head and ceased to exist.

Dennis thought he might throw up. He had never seen or experienced such violence up close. Well, from Ronald, but compared to this that was nothing.

Where was his mother or other grown-ups?

Sebastian hadn’t said anything. He just waited for Dennis to say something.

“We have to do something Sebastian.”

“What do you suggest?”

“I don’t know yet. But I need your help.”

“Dude, I am right beside you.”

“You told me once that you guys munch on negative vibes. You can change the energy of a place or a person.”

“Damn right we do. We’re really good at it too.”

“Well, could we start with this house?”

“Will you join me?”

“Yes.”

And off they went.  Dennis on Sebastian’s back, up up up and then back down, straight into the living room where Sebastian literally swallowed all the shadows and dark clouds hanging around the dirty couch and the scattered beer cans. He flew in arches, up and down, up and down, neutralizing the poisonous fumes every time he dived back in. At a certain point he seemed to have eaten enough and he flew up up up, really close to the moon, where he finally blew long violet-orange fumes, over and over, until the fire was white.

They flew back down, into the sad little house. Sebastian blew something into the house that looked like liquid sunlight. 

Every room was filled with Sebastian’s medicine.