As the night deepened, the warm glow of the living room lamp softened into shadows. Megan’s eyelids fluttered as she shifted in the pillow fort; whether she truly slept or merely pretended, no one could tell. Jeff’s soft, even breathing beside her was proof that exhaustion—and contentment—had finally claimed him.
Jess hovered at the entrance for a moment, a grin tugging at her lips. She padded quietly across the carpet, slipped off her socks, and eased herself into the cozy huddle. Jeff, half-turned, mumbled something unintelligible; Megan’s small arm curled around Jess’s wrist almost instinctively. No protests. No fuss. Just the gentle weight of siblings who had, at last, found a moment of peace together.
Within minutes, Jess’s eyelids drooped. Her head settled on the makeshift pillow beside Megan’s cheek, and she drifted away, lulled by the comforting chorus of two little snores.
Somewhere between the slow rise and fall of Jess’s chest, Megan’s eyes cracked open. She blinked once, twice—then slipped her hand from under the blanket and, with surprising stealth, reached toward the Chronivac tucked in Jess’s pocket. She withdrew it carefully, balancing it on her tiny lap before sneaking it free of the fabric.
Her little fingers danced over the interface, the screen flickering green in the dimness. Jeff shifted but didn’t wake. Jess shifted too, murmuring a soft, half-awake sigh, but her arms stayed draped protectively around the fort’s pillows—now empty of its smallest architect.
Megan peered down at the device, her expression a mixture of triumph and mischief. The world felt vast and exciting again. What would happen next? Who knew… but as she tapped another menu option, the Chronivac hummed back to life, ready to reshape their little universe once more.