:: so we started again :: tattle! ::

Generally, Nora was a morning person. When she lived with her mother, she’d wake at six and play before she had to take her tablets, and the haze of illness and abuse would cloud her wilted little mind. One would think that since her move to the Lightwood household, and her newfound ability to spend all day playing, the habit would eventually not fade. She still normally woke at six, and would get up and read before school.

Today, however, was different. She had been up half the previous night with a particularly interesting read, and so had only a slither of the energy that she was accustomed to. The alarm had gone off far to early, and she had flopped down the stairs, fleece dressing gown wrapped tight over her thermal pyjamas. Last night, she had needed them. Although the snow had started to melt, there was still a thick layer of frost covering the world outside the window, and the pipes were wailing and moaning trying to push frozen water through their veins. It was still bloody cold.

Taking her usual seat halfway down the table, Nora poured a bowl of cereal without even glancing at the bowl. Nor did she look at the packet; she was fairly certain that this morning, she was too tired to even taste. Not that she had particular taste over cereal flavours; since regaining her appetite, she seemed to eat whatever was thrown at her.

It was only as she turned to reach for the milk that she realized her ‘sister’ was asleep on the table in the seat next to her.

“Asteria,” she whispered in the girls ear, and then repeated a little louder “Asteria. Wake up.”

“Pass the blinking milk.”