The tale of two scales

the trusted and untrusted

The smile settled on aspens face and stayed, comfortable with its newfound home. The sun was still resting on the horizon, as though relying on the sea to wake it up. It casted an orange glow upon the sky, chasing away the darkness of night and instead painting over it with a shade of fire and honey.

Aspen clambered through the window, the room now chilly with the extra air. The bedsheets were messy and unmade, holding the joy from foremost dreams. The air held a sea salt smell (just like many things when you live beside the sea) that seemed to settle onto ever surface. The amber glow of the sky illuminated the walls, chasing away the nightmares that might lurk in the  inky blackness.

Just as Aspen was about to collapse for some much needed rest, a figure caught his eye. Short and petite but her posture and face expressed anything but calm and collection.
Aspen kept his stand but couldn't hide the fear in his eyes as she opened her mouth.

"What we're you thinking?"

For Aspen, if he wasn't already living in hell, things were about to get ten times worse, and his smile ran off to find another home.

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For Toni if she wasn't already living in heaven things were about to get a whole lot brighter.

For starters
- they just got Aspen to open up (MASSIVE STEP!!)

Second
- she asked Aspen out to the dance

And last but not least
- he said yes

Toni stopped to let this settle in
'He said yes' she thought "HE SAID YES!" Toni giggled and laughed and danced in random and chaotic movements on her way back to the docks. Occasionally catching the stare of early wakers going fishing.

Travelling round a large rock she stared into the waves. They ran over one another as though fighting for dominance in short bursts of strength. She bit her lip and jumped in. The familiar tingling feeling spread through her body. Starting from the base and going upwards in a rush of bubbles before Toni set off for her island.

————————————————-

"What we're you thinking?"

"Mother really I-"

Aspen was scared, terrified even, of what his mother would do. Would she hit him? Punish him? Make him do the dishes? That would what he have hoped she would do.
Even The sun seemed to hide behind a cloud, plunging the room into a grimy pewter, the walls drowned in grey.

"you disobeyed me Aspen"
She was getting closer, with each step. The room seemed to taunt him, echoing her footsteps back at him again and again.

"I know I did but I can make it up to you-"

Aspen would do anything at this point. He needed a god, a miracle, weren't mothers supposed to be kind and loving? Understanding of their child's struggles? Why was Paige so different? Why couldn't she understand? She used to be so kind, what happened?

"You disgust me Caleb"

What?

"Mom! Please!"

She seemed to pause, taking in her surroundings and then her eyes nestled on her son. Olive eyes clouded with tears before quickly being wiped away, leaving a trail of basil shaded scales on their way out.

" I'm sorry" was all Aspen heard before the heavy oak door slammed and an uncomfortable sickened settled throughout the house.