#3 Where Monsters Lay

Chap. 3_cascading milk and unimportant names?

The awakening day painted a gloss of light onto Sarah's eyes. They flickered gently, almost elegantly. And she awoke, squinting, but still in her bedroom.

Ever since what had happened at the Felix, Sarah had been scared of going to sleep. It was weird, she thought to herself, but it didn't stop it from happening. She was scared, because she didn't know what was going to happen when she woke up.

She'd experienced the worst possible scenario after waking up: being forced to choose between the two people who support her most, then having to find out it was all set up by one of them, and that she'd mistakenly chosen the wrong one, who had, for a couple of weeks, not believed her when she told him openly that she had no clue over what was going to happen.

That was a hard scenario to deal with, especially considering the ensuing circumstances afterwards.

So she didn't like opening her eyes. Therefore she didn't like going to sleep.

She glanced furtively over at the camp bed to her right. There was no-one there, and she heard a bowl clattering around in the adjoining room. Gone for breakfast.

She hauled herself out of bed, with less effort than usual, and traipsed out of the bedroom door, slinging on her lilac dressing gown. She didn't like it, but it was her Mum's.

She dawdled before entering the kitchen.

Frank would be in there, but they'd never actually spent the night together. There were far too many trust issues to overcome before that, even before the Felix incident. And they both knew it.

This was the first time that they'd actually slept in the same room. Weird time to be alive...

"Morning," she said, pushing on the mock-wood of the door. It opened with an odd squeak and revealed Frank, fully dressed and munching on cornflakes. "How are you up already?"

"Sarah, if there's chance for food, I will take it. Even if that means getting up early, showering, getting dressed and then coming for food."

She nodded, understanding the sentiment. In all honesty, she didn't mind him using the shower or getting dressed. Or even the fact that at some point, he would have been naked in her flat. But it was still weird to walk into her kitchen and see Frank there. Especially having been so distant. And especially in such hideous attire.

"I like your dressing gown," Frank said softly, before spooning up another heap of cereal. "It suits you."

"It really doesn't!" Sarah replied harshly, before changing her tune. "Thanks though." She thought an added smile might dampen the previous comment's abrasiveness. But she refrained. Don't push it, Sarah. She turned to look out the window.

"Ah well. I think it's nice." The compliment was well-received, despite it coming through a cascade of milk, dripping from Frank's mouth. "Sorry," he said ashamedly.

Now Sarah turned to him and smiled.

"Don't worry. You keep on attacking those poor cornflakes, and I'll grab a shower, yeah?"

He nodded back, though now the bowl was up to his mouth, draining the remainder of the milk.

"You mind if I have any more?" he asked, almost nervously.

"Nah," she quickly replied. "Just be careful of the milk. I'm gonna have to go and get some more now! What are you doing? Teaching the cornflakes to swim in it?"

She turned and left, smiling as she did it, carefully shutting the door behind her. And disrobing on her way to the bathroom, she knew that Frank was smiling back.