He bought it on a dark street corner, just like in the movies. Rain poured, cars splashed in puddles as they drove by, and it was all cast in a dim glow from the sign at Archie’s Insurance. A man leaned against the brick building. He carried a wrapped bundle in his arms. Another man, tall and lanky, appeared further down the street. As he walked to the man with the bundle, he shook rainwater out of his eyes. 

After a quick exchange of cash, the lanky man was given the bundle. He strode down the sidewalk and turned into an alley, where his blue getaway car waited. He climbed in without a word to the driver. They sped off. As the car cruised through the city, he examined his recent purchase. Peeling back layers of brown paper, he unrolled a quilt. The edges spilled onto the floor and filled the front of the car. 

It was a very regular-looking quilt— crisp squares and checkered patterns in all shades of red. The kind you would see on a grandmother’s rocking chair, sitting next to knitting needles and a cat. 

“I got it!” the lanky man exclaimed. “This will save my brother!”

“You’re being dramatic again, Henry.” The getaway driver, Eddy, replied. 

As he said this, a streetlight illuminated the cab. Henry saw clusters of pimples on Eddy’s face and the shine of braces in his mouth. Henry knew that he himself slouched awkwardly, unsure of what to do with his newly elongated limbs. They were teenagers, and no amount of shady dealings could erase that fact. 

“It’s true, though.” Henry held up the quilt. “This cost all of my allowance this month and the money I made mowing Mrs. Johnson’s lawn. But it’s going to help Felix.” 

“He’s really doing that bad?” Eddy swerved around a corner. “My dad would have said to just snap out of it.” 

“Felix can’t. You know how he is.” Henry rolled the quilt into a bundle again. “With Mom and Dad, and then Maisie leaving…he barely made it to the last day of school.” 

“Hmm.” 

Henry continued. Despite what people thought, his little brother wasn’t weak or delicate. There had been a lot of changes at home for him to adjust to. “He just needs a little help…from this quilt.”

“Right, Hen.” Eddy kept his eyes fixed on the road. “It just seems like a lot of trouble to go to. All this, for a quilt?” 

“This is why your little brothers hate you, Eddy.” 

***

Every time Henry came home, he momentarily forgot about what had happened last winter. He forgot about the divorce, his father moving away, and his sister Maisie deciding to tromp through the other side of the world. He forgot about all of that. 

Henry opened the door, escaping the drizzling rain. He expected the usual:

Mom would be forming burger patties in the kitchen. Dad would be fixing the grill out back. Maisie would be reading in the hammock. And Felix would be digging for worms in the flower bed. The couch would be in the right place—against the dark orange wall that Mom had painted one spontaneous afternoon, and Dad’s shoes would be scattered by the door. Books would leak from Maisie’s room and hide themselves under the couch or in the fruit bowl. 

But even after months, he still was shocked by the change. There were no scattered shoes by the door. The couch was gone and replaced with three sitting chairs. Maisie’s room was bare, packed up for living abroad. 

The house was cold and silent. The summer sun, even if it had been able to penetrate the rainy clouds, couldn’t warm up the gloom inside. 

Some summer this was turning out to be. 

Henry looked down at the quilt in his hand. This can fix it!

He walked down the hallway and knocked on Felix’s door. Inside, Felix was lying on top of his bed. It stood in the far corner, like it was hiding from the world. The blankets were rumpled and clothes were scattered on the floor. It looked like any boy’s normal state of chaos, but Felix was different. Usually, his clothes were neatly folded and stacked with precision. 

Felix didn’t take his eyes off the ceiling. “I don’t want to go fishing in the rain. We will just get soaked.”

“Not that. I have something for you.” Henry unfolded the quilt. 

Felix sat up. He stared at the quilt, unimpressed. “What is this?”

“Just wrap it around your shoulders and see what happens,” Henry said. “The guy said you have to do that to make it work.” 

With a sigh, Felix sat up. Henry wrapped the quilt around his little brother’s shoulders. After a few seconds, the quilt began to flow with a soft, warm light. The blankness in Felix’s eyes disappeared and was replaced with a slight smile. Henry grinned. The quilt was doing its thing. 

***

The next day, for the first time since school had let out, the sun finally decided to shine. The bright light woke Henry up earlier than normal. Birdsong and sunlight were calling his name. He ran into the backyard, still in his pajamas, and closed his eyes. Finally, summer can begin!

“Henry, at least get dressed before you go out of the house,” his mother called from an open window. “And breakfast is ready.” 

Felix was already at the table. He smiled at Henry when he came in, and Henry smiled back. He ruffled his brother’s hair. As their mom bustled about, doing dishes and applying lipstick, they ate their eggs. When she couldn’t find her glasses because they were on her head, Felix even chuckled. The two empty spots at the table felt a lot less empty.

“You goober.” She kissed Felix goodbye, “Just wait. One day you’ll get old too.” As she walked out the front door, she added, “And Henry, remember to take the chicken out of the freezer!” 

As soon as she was gone, Henry asked, “How’s the quilt?” 

“Amazing!” Felix spooned eggs into his mouth. “I don’t understand how, but it was like I went back in time. I went back to when we were all little, when Mom painted the wall… ” 

Henry smiled as he listened. All that money and the sketchy trade had been more than worth seeing his brother this happy. 

“…And then I went back to the Christmas when Grandma and Grandpa visited. With the ham loaf. I tasted it again, Henry!” 

“Oh wow!” That Christmas, everyone had been quite skeptical about Grandma’s ham loaf. But its tender inside and honey-caramel crust made it an instant favorite. 

“And then I got to go camping with Dad, just like we used to!” Felix spread his arms wide. “That quilt is so wonderful! You have to try it.” 

So after breakfast, Henry followed Felix into his room. Even the bedroom was a drastic change from before. The bed was made and the clothes were piled in a neat corner instead of scattered all over the floor. Felix was returning to his old self! 

Both boys sat on the edge of the bed. Felix handed Henry the quilt, and Henry wrapped it around his shoulders. 

The quilt glowed and a comforting warmth spread from it. Henry looked down at the warm light, and then back up. Suddenly, the room was how it had been long ago. Felix’s walls were covered in retro wallpaper instead of the new paint. White wintery light shone through the windows. Henry gasped. He touched the wall, just to make sure it was real. He stood up, feeling the quilt fall to the floor, but he could still feel its warmth. 

Henry opened the door and walked down the hallway. It was also how it used to be, with dark wood paneling that his mom had despised for years. As he walked, he realized that his limbs felt normal again—not so long and lanky. 

Curious, he paused and opened the hallway closet. It was stuffed with coats, hats, and shoes. Henry spotted a bright green pair of snow boots and chuckled. After outgrowing them, he had never been able to find a pair that had the same bright color. 

He opened the door to Maisie’s room. There was a floor-to-ceiling shelf filled with books, all arranged to look like a rainbow. Her bed had a lace canopy over top, and little stuffed animals were piled near her pillow. And there she sat. Her hair was long and her face was relaxed. She hadn’t looked that happy when she left. 

Felix bounded into the room. He was much shorter and his hair was in a rough mullet. “Let’s play with the boat!” 

“I think I’m too big for the boat.” Maisie objected. 

“No one is ever too big for the boat. Come on!” Felix grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward the doorway. “Henry, help me!” 

Henry laughed.“Yeah, we’ll grow into old people and still use the boat,” he said. He was shocked at how high-pitched his voice sounded.

Maisie put her bookmark on a page. “Alright, but only a couple of times. I want to finish this book today.”

Felix and Henry high-fived. 

The three siblings ran upstairs. Old furniture and boxes of who-knows-what were piled high. But the floor was carpeted and the walls fresh with paint. Dad was in the middle of revamping the attic in hopes of making it the boys’ room. Felix and Henry couldn’t wait to rule that huge, wonderful room.

The kids ran to an old mattress that leaned against the wall. The infamous boat. They brought it to the top of the stairs. 

“Who’s first?” Maisie asked. 

Felix jumped in. “Me! Me!” 

“I wanna go too!” Henry climbed in next to Felix. 

“Let’s do all three!” Maisie piled in. It was a tight squeeze, but it wouldn’t be a long ride. 

Maisie and Henry held onto the railings as they scooted the mattress to its starting point. 

Felix counted them off. “Three…two…one!” 

They let the mattress slide down the stairs. It sped toward the hardwood floor at the bottom and then glided through the hallway. The thrill was over too fast.

“Again, again!” They cried. 

And so they did it…again, and again, and again.

Suddenly Henry looked up. He was back on Felix’s bed, the walls freshly painted. His arms felt too long again. His shoulders felt cold, and he realized that Felix had pulled the quilt off of his shoulders. 

He looked at Felix, who was eagerly leaning toward him. “What did you think?”
“It was—” Henry didn’t know how to put it into words. “I—I was reliving the past. Like, actually reliving it!” 

“I know! I can’t understand how it works, but it’s so cool!” Felix took the quilt from Henry. “I’m not sad about Mom and Dad anymore, or Maisie either. Instead of crying about how they are now, I can just hang out with them when things were good!” 

Then Felix yanked the quilt over his shoulders and disappeared into the past world again. 

Henry looked at Felix’s relaxed face and happy smile. He hadn’t seen his brother look that joyful in a long time. He smiled to himself and went outside. He took deep breaths of the warm summery air, feeling his chest expand and relax. Everything was back to normal once again. But something didn’t feel quite right. 

***

“Mom, is Felix coming to the ice cream parlor with us?” Henry asked. 

His mom was meticulously folding receipts that had been in her wallet. “He said he didn’t want to.” 

Henry sighed. He went into Felix’s room. Sure enough, Felix was lying on his bed, under the magic quilt. Henry yanked the quilt off without any guilt.

 Felix sat up. “Hey!” 

“We’re going to the ice cream parlor. Come on!” 

“I was just there.” Felix snatched the quilt back. “Back when everything was good.” 

“Come on, Felix.” Henry tried not to sound like he was begging. “It’s not summer without ice cream.” 

“You guys are going without Dad and Maisie, so you can go without me.” Felix disappeared under the quilt. 

Henry stomped out. Ice cream didn’t sound as good anymore. 

A few days later, Henry tried to take Felix swimming for the annual Siblings Day. But Felix had already gone swimming…in the past. Mini golf and bike rides were a no-go, too. Felix did nothing but stay huddled up under the quilt. 

June sped by, and July arrived. On Independence Day, Felix didn’t even come outside to watch the fireworks. And that was how the summer continued. Henry spent a lot of time walking outside, alone. He wanted to go hiking and camping, but what was the point without his little brother? Why couldn’t Felix come out from under the quilt and make this summer feel normal? 

***

Henry spent a lot of time with Eddy that summer. He was glad to have a friend like Eddy, who didn’t mind when Henry turned up unannounced. One day, he found Eddy sitting on his porch with one Popsicle in each hand. The hot August sun beat down, melting red and blue juice down Eddy’s arms. 

“Hen, my man! Get outta the sun and join me in this magnificent piece of shade!” Eddy sat on the plastic porch chair like it was a throne. “You dig a Popsicle?” 

Usually, Ed’s attempts at sounding cool didn’t bother Henry, but today he was already in a dark mood. The heat and Eddy’s interesting vocabulary did not help improve it. 

Maybe a Popsicle would help things. “Sure.” 

He climbed up the porch steps. It was littered with mismatched tables and chairs and faded plastic toys. A pile of melty Popsicles sat on a weathered wooden table. He chose a purple one and then settled down on a chair next to Eddy. “Do you want to go camping this weekend?” 

Eddy shook his head. “It’s too hot.”

“It’s not that hot.” Henry rubbed the back of his neck, feeling his sticky skin. He opened his Popsicle.

“You can’t say that to me. I have Nordic blood in my bones. I might actually melt!” Eddy licked the red Popsicle. “I also have plans with my cousins. So even if it wasn’t a million degrees, I wouldn’t be able to go. Sorry, Hen.” 

Henry did his best to ignore the nickname. He sighed, stood up, and leaned against the railing. He looked at the grass, brown and dried up, just like everything else about this summer. “That’s okay.” A breeze ruffled his sweaty hair. 

“Doesn’t Felix want to go with you?” 

Henry shook his head. “He wants to stay under the quilt. That’s the only thing he’s done this summer.” 

“Huh.” 

Henry’s mood was not improved by the purple Popsicle. “Dad called a couple of days ago to see if we wanted to go to the water park while he was in town. Felix didn’t want to go, so Dad decided to call it off.” 

“That sucks.” Eddy slurped at the blue Popsicle now. “I thought Felix was doing better.” 

“I thought he was too,” replied Henry. “But now, I don’t think so.” 

“Not worth the trouble, eh?” Eddy smirked. 

Henry shot him a look. He paced the porch. “It feels like summer hasn’t even started, and now it’s ending.” 

Ed sat up straight. “Ah! I forgot that school starts next week!” 

Henry wiped his sweaty face. “That doesn’t matter.”

Eddy just shrugged. 

Henry paced faster. “We didn’t do anything this summer. Maisie’s gone, so we didn’t go to her swim meets, and Dad isn’t here to take us camping, and Mom works all the time and just… Ugh!” 

He raised his arms, feeling his shirt stick to his skin. The air was too hot and heavy, and there was no breeze to be found. 

Eddy said “Hen—”

Henry wheeled around. “Stop calling me that!” 

“Woah, sorry!” Eddy raised up his hands. “I was just going to say that you still did things this summer, just different things.” 

“Fine, but they weren’t summer things!” He paced and swung his arms. His Popsicle tilted dangerously to one side. Suddenly, a line of sticky Popsicle juice ran down his arm. “Argh!” Henry chucked the Popsicle into the yard. 

Eddy stood up. “Woah! Henry!” 

Henry collapsed into the chair. He put his head in his hands. He felt tears sting his eyes, but refused to let them fall. 

Eddy sat down next to Henry. After a few moments of silence, Eddy said, “What’s wrong, Henry? What’s really wrong?” 

“I don’t know!” Henry’s voice choked up. He kept himself from blinking or else the tears would begin to fall. “I just…” He sniffed, and clenched his throat like a fist around a chicken’s neck. He felt more tears welling up, but he could not cry. He was far too old for that. “I wish everything was the same. Like how it used to be.” He inhaled and wiped his eyes. 

Eddy waited a moment, then asked, “Were things ever the same?” 

Henry looked up, eyebrows furrowed. “Things were the same when Mom and Dad were still together.” 

“Not really,” replied Ed. “It’s not like Felix stayed a little baby forever. You guys have always been changing. All the time.” 

Henry turned slightly to look at Eddy. 

“But,” Eddy shifted his Popsicle to the other hand, and set his hand on Henry’s shoulder. “No matter how much things change, one thing doesn’t.” 

“What?” 

Eddy leaned closer. There was no hint of sarcasm or attempted comedy in his voice. “The guy who controls it all.” 

Henry thought for a moment. He looked out into the yard at the chucked Popsicle. It sat in a pile of slush and juice. Bugs were already swarming around it, enjoying the half-eaten sweetness. 

“I don’t need a Sunday school lesson right now, Eddy.” 

“But it’s not just for Sunday school.” Eddy leaned forward. Henry had never seen him this serious. “I know it sucks that your parents got divorced and that Maisie left. But God did that for a reason, and it probably doesn’t make sense right now, but it will later on.” 

Henry’s eyes went back to the Popsicle sitting in the grass. That was what his summer felt like—something that should be sweet, but instead was lying, half eaten and melting, on the ground. Then he thought about God—he hadn’t thought about God in a long time. 

But… Henry sat up straighter. Even though the Popsicle was melting and covered in dirt, it still had its sweetness. Henry could pick it back up, brush off the dirt, and enjoy the part that was left. 

“I’m sorry, Eddy.” Henry gestured to the Popsicle. “And thank you.” 

Eddy gave him a toothy grin. “It’s what I’m here for.”

Henry stopped and squinted a bit. “How did you become so wise?” 

Eddy was unwrapping another Popsicle. “It’s the Nordic blood.” He took a lick. “But I’m serious—you should go do something with Felix. Stop eating Popsicles with me and go enjoy your summer!” 

“Thanks, man.” He clasped Eddy’s shoulder and headed off, down the porch stairs. 

***

Tree branches scratched Henry’s face as he led his little brother through the woods. Pine needles cushioned their steps into dull thuds. The rush of a river echoed distantly in the trees. He looked behind him and saw Felix a little ways away, dragging his feet and moving at a grandma’s pace. Henry looked at Felix’s face and saw that his eyes were closed. He chuckled.

 “Felix, wake up! How are you sleeping while walking?”

“It’s a learned skill,” Felix replied dryly. He adjusted his backpack, and groaned under the weight of it. “My legs hurt. And I have a bug bite. How much further do we have?”

“Just around this corner. Hear that? That’s the sound of the river!” 

Felix sighed. “Dad always carried my backpack when we went to the river.” He slowed down to a stop. 

“Oh yeah?” Henry grunted with the weight of his own backpack. But it was a miracle that Felix was even out here. “Fine.” 

They stopped hiking. Felix took his backpack off and handed it to Henry. It was packed tight, even though they had only put water, trail mix, and a small towel inside each pack. And Oreos, their usual celebratory end-of-the-hike treat. 

Felix kept walking ahead. Henry paused for a moment and unzipped Felix’s backpack. Sure enough, the red quilt was stuffed inside. 

He frowned. He wished it had been left at home. But then again, Felix was here, doing one of their summer traditions. 

They came out of the woods and into a clearing. Tall, brown grass spread everywhere and the bright sun beat down on them. 

“Why are we even doing this?” Felix wiped his forehead. “It’s so hot.”

Henry sighed. “Because we haven’t done anything all summer.” 

“I’ve done things all summer. And I did them with Maisie and Dad, too.” 

Henry slapped a mosquito on his neck. “You didn’t do any of those things, though.” 

“I did too! It’s a magic quilt, Henry.” Felix’s voice was caked with acid. “I did do those things.” 

“No, you didn’t!” Henry stopped. “You spent all summer underneath the quilt, doing nothing.” 

“I’m not going to argue with you.” Felix rolled his eyes. “Let’s just get to the river so we can go back home.” 

“No!” Henry stopped Felix. “We need to do this—you need to do this! You haven’t done any hikes or swimming. We need to spend the whole afternoon here!”

“I don’t want to!” Felix pushed past Henry, tramping down the tall grass. He walked faster and faster. Henry followed him, struggling under the weight of two backpacks. 

 They made it to the riverbank. Aspen trees grew in a big grove on the far side of the river, and a huge willow tree stood near the boys.

“Here we are, at the river. Where we hang out for hours.” Henry dropped the backpacks. 

Felix kept stomping, all the way to the edge of the water. “I never said I wanted to do this! You made me come.” 

Henry scoffed. “You have done nothing this summer. You needed to get outside and actually do something!” 

“I’ve done plenty, with the quilt!” Felix glared at Henry. 

Henry could see the anger in Felix’s eyes. His nose and forehead were scrunched up, like a firework about to explode. He had seen that look before, many times when they were little, after he had taken a toy from Felix or when he had bossed him around. He also knew exactly how to press Felix’s buttons. 

Henry spoke in a low voice, “You need a reality check, Felix.” 

Before Henry knew it, Felix was suddenly on top of him, slapping and punching. Henry tumbled down on the grass. He did his best to stop Felix’s small fists. But Felix was fueled by pure anger. 

“Get over yourself!” Henry shouted. “It’s not the end of the world!” 

Felix kept at it. 

“You’re being a big baby!” 

Felix was still hitting and yelling like a wild man. 

Henry managed to get Felix off of him for a moment. He lunged for Felix’s backpack and unzipped the main pocket. He yanked the quilt out and threw it into the flowing river. 

“Henry!” Felix shrieked. He stopped punching and took off, following the river. 

The quilt was already flowing out of sight around the bend in the river. The problem is floating away! Henry thought. But his conscience got the better of him. I shouldn’t have done that. 

“Felix!” Henry followed, dashing through the tall grass and ducking under low tree branches. He lost sight of his brother but kept following the river downstream. He had to be there somewhere. 

When Henry found Felix, clouds had rolled in front of the sun, casting the riverbank in a cool, gray light. Felix was curled up on the side of the bank, knees to his chest. His clothes were soaked. The wet quilt was wrapped around his shoulders, but it held no warm glow. Felix’s eyes were clear instead of milky and dreamlike. The magic was gone. 

Felix turned to look up at Henry. Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice trembled. “It doesn’t work anymore.” His shoulders slumped. 

Henry sat down next to his brother. He put his arm around Felix’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” The knots in his stomach slowly unwound. “I really shouldn’t have done that.”

 Felix leaned into his chest and cried. Henry wrapped his arms around Felix, feeling just how small his little brother was. He felt Felix shake with sobs, and held him tight. 

“I just…” Felix sniffed. “I don’t know how we can keep going without Mom and Dad being together.” 

“It’ll be hard, but I know we can,” Henry said softly. 

“And I miss Maisie.” 

Henry’s voice cracked. “Me too.” Before he knew it, tears streamed down his face too. He understood why Felix had spent the whole summer underneath the quilt. All he wanted to do was go back in time, when things were fine, and stay there forever. 

Felix cried more. Henry felt his face being drenched in tears. At first, he took great gasping breaths, but then they subsided into soft inhales and exhales. Then he realized that his face was wet with rain too. He heard it drip gently onto the trees. Gradually, the gentle drip-dropping increased until all they heard was the rush of falling rain. 

After awhile, Felix sat up and wiped his nose. “I feel a lot better now. I don’t know why.” His hair was drenched in rain. 

Henry didn’t say anything. He watched his brother ponder things for a moment. 

Then Felix stood up. “Henry! The Oreos!” 

The boys dashed back to their original spot, the wet grass soaking their clothes even more. The backpacks were scattered around the clearing. Felix’s backpack was wide open, and the Oreos sat in a puddle of rainwater. 

Felix scooted to Henry’s backpack. “Maybe your bag kept them dry?” He looked up at Henry. “Since it was zipped?” Felix asked. 

But Henry’s Oreos were soaked too. They were mushy, and not in a good way. 

“Now it really doesn’t feel like summer.” Henry shivered from the rain. 

Felix smiled a little. “Get over yourself. It’s not the end of the world.” 

Henry chuckled.“I’ll eat one if you eat one.” 

Felix opened the package. “Deal!”

The boys choked down a few soggy Oreos and then decided it wasn’t worth it. The sun came back and warmed them. They played at the river that entire afternoon. Then they hiked back in silence. 

As the mud squelched under their feet, Henry said, “I’m sorry for ruining the quilt. That was stupid of me.” 

Felix shook his head. “I’m glad you did it.” He smiled. 

Henry wrapped his arm around Felix. Things at home might not have been great. Their parents were divorced and their sister was living on the other side of the world. And their Oreos were still rain-soaked. But that was okay. The sun was shining overhead and he had his little brother with him. They were going to get through this. 

Hannah Martin

Hannah is a crazy pen-wielding, jack-of-all-trades writer. She writes contemporary and magical realism stories that usually feature big families, delicious food, and plenty of adventures . When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, skiing, sewing costumes, making music, and spending time with her lively family. To see what new shenanigans Hannah might get into, visit her blog at precariousbookstacks.com.