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— Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
○ ○ ○
IN A TOWN FAR EAST OFF AVONLEA
September 21st, 1876
As the delicate pitter-patter of the drizzle beckoned a rhythmic serenade against the wintry frame of Riley Carter's bedroom window, drowning the once pure silence of sleep, the young girl shifted against the rough material of her quilted sheets.
The misty overcast called for nothing but utter dread and the repetitive nature of what she had perceived to be a regular day within the household, something she had longed to escape the monotonous cycle of. Thundering footsteps that belonged to Nicholas Carter sounded against the dry, battered floorboards amidst the hallway of their modest sized home, knocks hammering against their youngest sisters bedroom door, waking the children from their deep slumber.
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It was peculiar to a mere outsider how the siblings had been able to obtain such an extensive level of maturity and responsibility at the present ages of thirteen and fourteen years. However, it was to much dismay that the Carter children had previously experienced great tragedy during the early stages of their forlorn live's the moment an abrupt flame that sparked in a small town shop their father, Charles Carter, had been working at that very night had taken his life.
Amongst the following two years of pure anguish, their mother, Louise Carter had been consumed by a severe illness, leaving her bedridden. The two eldest siblings knew well enough that it was only a matter of time death would strike their family once again and with the insufficient resources, there was only so much they could do to prolong their mother's short-lived life.
The siblings strayed away from mentioning such morbid topics of their reality, particularly from their younger sister, Emma Carter, who they were convinced was left shadowed from the harsh cruelty of their world, free of the piling worry weighing down both of their minds.
Though well and truly, the three knew woe would pummel back into their lives in the year 1878.
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"Riley, help get Emma dressed and ready, I have to prepare breakfast for mum." Nicholas shot a faint glance at Riley as he hastily peeked into his sister's room, hands adjusting his rather large, circular glasses up the bridge of his nose, the tousled locks of his brunette hair draping across his face as she nodded in response.
