Malediction

9 - Weekend Rendezvous

Sunlight from outside my window beamed down on my bare legs, warm and welcoming into Saturday morning.
It was silent, comfortable, Mollie curled up tightly beside me, deep in sleep.
I had been awake for about an hour, but I refused to get out of bed. The house was still, so I had easily assumed that both my parents and Luke were still in bed as I was.

My round white clock with two silver hands, pointed me to the suns time outside of the horizon. 9:32am.
Sleep ins on a weekend were a common thing in my household, we were all cautious of noise had we needed to get up earlier than 8am.
I had been due to start work at 8:30am, an hour and three minutes ago, instead, my near tragic accident had forced them to enforce mandatory leave on me. I tried my best to fight it, knowing I had needed to make up $200 thanks to Mathew, but my attempts were futile.

I stretched my arms out over my head, relieved in the appearance of the sun and blue sky outside. It was well overdue.

I hadn't made any plans for the day as of yet, but come 4pm, I would be booked out. Not only would I be attending Isaac's party at 7pm, but I would be beforehand meeting with Danny Newscot for a secret rendezvous.
It caused goosebumps to rise on my skin, it's purpose unknown to be of a good nature, or bad.

Ten minutes later, I emerged from my room, followed by mum and Luke.
Dad remained snoring down the hall, enjoying his weekends as much as he could. He did deserve it after all, he worked his ass off as an on call obstetrician.

"It's a beautiful day out there" Mum yawned, pouring herself a pot of fresh coffee "Any plans?"

I shrugged, chewing on my fingernails

"I'm going to Zane's birthday party remember?" Luke raised his eyebrows to her, nervous she'd forgotten and would recant on her promise to drop him off

"Of course, that's right" She recovered, hitting her palm lightly to her forehead "What time is it again?"

I shook my head and forced back a laugh, her memory as solid as a piece of plywood.

Whilst mum and Luke discussed the rules and etiquette he would display at Zane's, I waddled in my slippers to the sitting room, sunlight pouring in, dust particles drifting through the air.
Plopping myself down with my limbs sprawled out, I stared up at the white ceiling, calm.
Perhaps it was the idea of finally getting answers that had relaxed me. I wasn't sure, but I was becoming more and more eager to dig into the potential threat my brother was involved in.

Enjoying the last few hours of down-time before I would need to get ready to head out, I closed my eyes.
I wanted to make the most of the normality around me, because I had a sickening feeling that tonight, my idea of normality would be shattered.

At some point, with the sun hitting my face and legs, I had drifted back to sleep.
After my near death accident, I had found myself to be more tired than average. I put it down to my brain needing to recover from the concussion, and the confusion of the Newscots didn't help either..

It was when dad entered the kitchen I woke. An hour and a half had passed, the quiet rule well and truly over.

"Are you hungry Emilia Skye?" He called, peeping his head around the half wall blocking the kitchen from view

I groaned and sat up "That depends, what's cooking?"

His hair was dishevelled, he had not long woken up himself. When I entered the kitchen where he stood in his pyjamas, it was clear that mum and Luke had already left.

My eyes scanned over the stove where bacon sizzled in the frypan, spitting up oil. I snatched a piece and juggled the hot meat in between my fingers before shoving it into my mouth.