Seven Ways To The Abyss

NEW BEGINNINGS

The next morning, Amaline took the day off from work.

“Let’s go register you,” she said, grabbing her handbag and keys, already poised to leave.

Sofia, still in her pyjamas and far from ready, froze mid-step. “What?”

“In the school naw,” Amaline replied impatiently, glancing at her watch.

Of course, Sofia knew what she meant. But feigning ignorance seemed easier—it bought her time, after all. She wasn’t ready to face the inevitable.

“I’m not ready,” Sofia muttered, her voice deliberately casual.

“Oya, go and get ready!” Amaline snapped, gesturing in frustration.

Sofia hesitated, staring at the stairs as if they were a mountain to climb. She didn’t want to go to school—didn’t want to go anywhere, really. Staying home sounded so much better. But now that the moment had come, she couldn’t avoid it. With slouched shoulders and heavy steps, she trudged upstairs.

“My friend, will you hurry up!” Amaline yelled from the bottom of the stairs, jolting her out of her thoughts.

Sofia sighed and picked up her pace.

She was quick—one of those people who could get ready in less than a minute when motivated. Even Amaline looked momentarily stunned when Sofia reappeared downstairs, her outfit neat and her hair tied neatly in a pony tail.

The car ride was silent, save for the hum of the engine.

“You didn’t eat anything,” Amaline said, breaking the quiet.

“I wasn’t hungry,” Sofia replied simply, looking out the window.

Amaline let out a loud, unconvinced sigh. “You’re never hungry,” she pressed. “Do you have an eating disorder or something?”

“No,” Sofia replied firmly. “I just have a tiny appetite.”

Amaline glanced at her out of the corner of her eye but said nothing more. The silence returned, heavier this time.

At the entrance to the school, Sofia couldn’t help but marvel. Again.

The gates towered before her, intricately designed with golden embellishments that sparkled in the morning sun. The sprawling grounds beyond were perfectly maintained, lush greenery flanking the pathway to the main building.

It’s magnificent, she thought, though she quickly pushed the sentiment aside, unwilling to let her awe show.

The registration process was straightforward. Within hours, it was done.

“And that’s all,” the matron said with a polite smile. “She may start tomorrow.”

On the way home, Amaline insisted they stop at a nearby café.

“You need to eat something,” she pressed.

Sofia reluctantly agreed. She  tried ordering the dish she'd   had the day before, but it seams like that was dish peculiar to that particular cafe She ended up ordering cake —something light enough to manage—and tried her best to act like she was enjoying it, hoping her performance would fool Amaline.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of chores and stolen moments with a new novel. After her outing to the library, Sofia had discovered a surprising love for reading. Books provided an escape, a way to lose herself in someone else’s world.

Night fell, and as she lay in bed, Elaina’s voice filled her mind like a burst of sunshine after days of rain.

“Gist me,” Elaina said brightly, her tone playful.