A Chocolaty Truce
Dream logic is weird.
In a dream, Aru could show up to school wearing a gown made out of paper clips only to be supremely embarrassed that she’d forgotten her homework. And no one would care about the gown. Which was why it didn’t seem odd to Aru that she was strolling through Home Depot dressed up as a stuffed olive. Mini walked beside her in the dream, wearing her all-blackgetup.
Earlier, Aru, Brynne, and Aiden had camped outside what they figured was the secret entrance to the naga treasury. According to the symbols on the door, it wouldn’t open until dawn.
“There goes another day,” Aiden had said. “Onlyfiveleft. I’m setting a timer on my phone so we’ll be up and ready to go first thing.”
Brynne had only nodded in agreement.
Aiden threw his satchel on theground, laid his head on one half, and closed his eyes. Brynne flopped down, taking the other half of the satchel pillow. No one offered Aru anything. Notthatshe blamed them. She’d had plenty of time to apologize for blaming Brynne earlier, but she hadn’t. Too many other things had been darting through her head, like Mini’s face as the naginis stole her away into the cave.
So Aru had curledup alone and fallen into a miserable sleep. And when she saw Mini in her dream, it was like none of the bad stuff had happened.
At first, Aru didn’t even notice that they were strolling through the massive hardware store. Which made no sense, because the last time she was there, she’d gotten into trouble for accidentally turning on a radial saw and was kindly “asked” not to come back.
Ever.
In fact, she was pretty sure there was a picture of her face at every cash register, asking the employees to be on the lookout.
“Whaddup,” Aru said, nodding at Mini.
“Why are we in Home Depot?” asked Mini.
“Why would wenotbe in Home Depot?” asked Aru. “This place is awesome. They literally have an aisle that’s just door-frames. It’s fun to stumble out of them. And then if you run up to peopleasking ‘What year is it?’ they get all confused. It’s great.”
“You’re a menace to society, Shah.”
“I try.”
Mini laughed, but then her face turned serious. “I don’t wanna be trapped here forever.”
“In Home Depot?”
“No! In the land of sleep. That’s where the naginis put me to steal some of my waking energy, and now I’m stuck here!”
“In Home Depot?”
“Aru,” said Mini, grabbing her by the shoulders,“remember the card that Kamadeva gave us? For when things get really bad?”
Vaguely, Aru recalled a business card being placed in her hand. The name S. Durvasa … and a warning not to waste his time. “Yeah?”
“Use it! We need the sage’s protection to get me out of here. I have the true name of the bow and arrow thief, but the naginis enchanted it so it can only be heard in person,” said Mini. “Goto Durvasa. He can get me out of—”
“Home Depot,” said Aru.
Mini rolled her eyes. “Yes, Aru.Home Depot.”
“Got it. Let’s go look at the doors now!”
“Aru, one more thing,” said Mini. There were tears in her eyes. “I miss you guys a lot. But don’t be mad at anyone, okay? There’s something else I need to tell you, but I’m running out of time…. Justuse music. Okay?”
“Okay, okay! Let’s go finda saw!”
“Aru. Say ‘music.’”
“Mooooooo-zique.”
