Through Her Lives

Morgandy

She had finally finished. Taking off her mask, she took in a deep breath of the freshly sprayed paint fumes. Her work had turned out well. The contrasting and complimentary hues were fighting against each other in swirls. She had delicately painted a portrait of an old man with grey hair on the inside of the tree, every wrinkle and hair individually done with a paintbrush after spraying his dark background and main colours in. Across from him stared a girl in her early twenties, black of colour but her background was colourful and completely contrasted his side. Her eyes dark and knowing, ready for a confrontation. 

Morgandy scrimmaged around grabbing leaves and sticks to hide the now empty cans, mask and painting equipment then began walking slowly out of the forest, onto the school grounds and across the oval. It had been a long day and she thought of her soft warm bed as she walked tiredly up the stairs. She snuck quietly past the other girls' rooms in her hall and opened her doors to pitch black. She would have had the nightlight on usually. The thought of sleeping in darkness was not something she welcomed.  Her strength ran steadily out of her, so quickly she didn't bother with getting undressed or with the nightlight for that matter, but rather kicked off her muddy shoes and crawled into bed, knowing she'd regret it later.

She fell into a deep sleep, faces appearing in front of her closed eyelids. Sliding slowly across like an old film. She was in too deep of a sleep when a gloved hand turned the door knob and a dark figure slide quietly into her room, to hear it. Moving around the room stealthily and quickly before leaving the way they came in.

***

She woke up with a start, light filtering through the blinds and falling directly onto her face. Getting out of bed she shoved her dirty clothes in the wash basket and went into the shower. The hot jets pounded against her skin, a rhythmic alternating pattern, soothing and massaging her body.

Ten minutes later, she had a towel wrapped around her and was looking intently for her sneakers. The ones she'd worn last night. They weren't where she thought she had left them, on the floor in the middle of the room. She sat on the edge of her bed with a sigh. She couldn't be bothered with today. Though the weather was good, her mood was quickly turning sour.

She ended up shoving on slouch pants, a crop top and a military style jacket. 

It would have to do. 

It was brunch by the time Morgandy made it to the dining hall, in bare feet. Her eyes drifting over the circular tables, not even bothering to look for a friendly face. She had made no friends but seemed to continue to conjure enemies.  They glared at her, one stoney face after another.

Grabbing toast, she was about to make a quick getaway but not before she saw Ant stagger into the dining hall. A little less bubbly than usual, hair on end and make up smudged haphazardly across her face. 

Not a good look. 

Morgandy wondered briefly if she should approach her then saw those same ripples of whispers that she had been left to deal with on her own. She walked out of the dining hall without a second glance.