At First Sight

Ten

Vivian 

I watch as flowers blow in the wind and the water laps at my feet and the wolf licks at my calf, a small thing. A pup so light grey it was almost white, I could've mistaken it for a dog but I knew it was a wolf. I watched the fox jump around the wolf before tripping over my foot, I started laughing. My laughter stretched and started to echo before emanating a low rumbling noise.

I scrunched my eyebrows and the rumble grew louder before stopping, I started to ease back into the sand when the rumble started again. There were odd bird songs leaking in and the water dried up and disappeared before I sat up with a jolt.

I looked to the floor of the wagon and spotted my phone, face lit up and vibrating against the carpet covered metal floor making the worst noise my sleep fogged brain could imagine. A bird squawked outside and with a groan I shoved my hand against my open ear, one side of my face still pressed to the bench seat in the back.

I look at the time and groan again before slowly sitting up and scooping my phone off the floor, along with three half full bottles; their dried herbs lost in the shag.

"Fuuuuuuck..." I said lightly, knowing I'd never be able to get the product back, once the shag has a hold of it not even a vacuum might be able to get it out.

I shake my head with a yawn and open my phone to see a few calls from Carnelia and three unknown numbers. I see a few texts as well, all coming primarily from two unknown numbers.

One is Rowan, asking if I'd want to join her and the girls for a mall hang after school today. Not sure why she texted me at 3 a.m. for that one.

The others were from another number and it took three texts in before Alaric told me it was him, I smirked and shook my head with a chuckle. What a cutie.

He was asking if I wanted a ride to school today, I think asking at 5:30 a.m. is a little premature though. 

Weirdos texting me at unreasonably early hours, I think to myself as I send a reply to Alaric that I have a ride but thanks and I was looking forward to seeing him today.

The guy did text me wicked early in the morning to try and hang out, he deserved some praise I thought with a smile before groaning again when my eyes landed on the herbs. I looked to the bottles - arnica, mugwort, and deadly nightshade - all medicinal herbs and two are sourced in areas so far away from us I know my mom is going to flip when she finds out.

I rub the sleep from my eyes and put the stoppers on the bottles before going to the bin in storage under the seat I was sleeping on, I grab the travel vacuum and clean the shag as best I can. I place the bottles up front where mom can see them and give the wagon - or at this point the apothecary - a once over before exiting and going into the house.

I heard noise deep in the house and pray to goddess it's in the kitchen, I'm not playing hide and seek in the house today.

I enter the kitchen, dressed in my now rumpled clothes from yesterday and a once tamed bun bouncing messily against my neck. I yawn and plop down on a stool while Emily turns and laughs with a wave.

"You look like you fought with the dead!" Emily said with another laugh.

"Hrmmmm." I groaned at her with my face against her cold island countertop.

"I'll take that as a yes!" More chuckles, she's too peppy for before 6 a.m. "We missed you at dinner last night, did you get the plate I sent back with your mom?" She asked while returning to her cooking.

I loosed another yawn and nodded before realizing she couldn't see me.

"Mmmhmmm, it was yummy.. thanks." I mumbled.