The Mender

Punching Eggs

"Wake up, Esri. I'm hungry," Jilly said inches from Esri's ear.

Esri opened her eyes and stared at Jilly.

Jilly whined, "You sleep and sleep all the time and I'm hungry. I tried to make my breakfast but I have many, many problems."

"You have many, many problems? What kind of problems?" Esri sat up. She didn't smell anything. That was a good sign. She was sleeping a lot. So much was happening at Flat Rocks: killing the antelope; the scouting party going for so long; finding Zura's brother, Barsa, and the other new people; the Elders Council. Things were getting complicated, but at least the scouting party was back and the new people seemed all right. It was amazing that they found Barsa.

"Esri, come on. Stop looking like a zombie."

Esri turned to Jilly. "Yes, ok, I'm here, Jills. Let's see about your many, many problems."

"I tried to make pancakes but I can't punch out the eggs."

"Jilly, you know you're never, never to touch the stove."

"Don't get so mad. I didn't touch the dumb stove. I was making pancake stuff."

Esri walked into the kitchen. It looked like Jilly had tried to "punch out" quite a few eggs before she gave up. Broken shells and raw eggs were strewn across the kitchen table and dripping down the legs. One egg must have dropped on the way out of the refrigerator. Some had made it in the bowl along with their shells and a small mountain of pancake mix.

"Yes, many, many problems. Let's see what we can do." Esri cleaned up the floor and table and carefully scooped out as much of the pancake mix as she could salvage that was still dry and put it back in the box. She picked egg shells out of the batter and added milk to bring it to the right consistency. There would be enough batter to last them for several days.

"Next time, wait until I'm up. I'll show you how to crack the eggs and how to mix and measure everything, but we should do it together," Esri said.

"But you sleep and sleep and sleep, and get mad when I wake you up."

"I'll tell you what. I promise not to get angry if you have to wake me up, if you promise me not to wake me by yelling in my ear. Okay?"

"Okay. Don't get all huffy again. Am I going to Nasima's today?"

"Yup, Farhana's not working today, and tomorrow I'll take you and Nasima to Jenny's birthday party and pick you up after."

After Esri came back from taking Jilly to Nasima's, she plopped on the couch. It was great not to have to go back to school for a few more days. She had no plans for the rest of the day. It was appealing to do nothing but lie and stare at the ceiling until her Dad came home. Doing nothing in the here and now, that is. Her head was full of the activities at Flat Rocks and she struggled to process what was happening in her dreams. She decided to go see Clea.

In the elevator she ran into Nicole with Billy, surrounded by a large suitcase and several bags. Nicole glanced at Esri and quickly looked aside, but Esri had already seen the fresh bruise on the side of Nicole's face.

"Nicole, what happened?"

"Esri, I'm glad it's you. I'm leaving Darren. He's gone out but I don't know for how long. Can you help me get these things on the bus?"

"Sure. Where are you going? Let me come with you."

The elevator reached the lobby. "We need to hurry. I'm afraid of what Darren will do if he sees me. I don't have much money. I have to take a bus, if only it comes soon. Can you help me get my things to the next stop, away from the building? We have to move quickly, in case he comes back."