Underland Chronicles: 1 - The Border's Edge (A Gregor the Overlander FanFic)

Chapter 1

Pandora leaned against the kitchen cabinets as she loaded mashed potatoes onto the empty space of a plate already filled with pork chops and green beans. Her eyes darted to a small chip on the dish that discontinued the silver edge that lined it. Although she knew they couldn't afford a new set of dishes, she couldn't help but notice it. Her brown hair fell in her face, but with her hands holding two plates piled high with food, she ignored the annoyance until dinner was served.

Rose shuffled in from the hall that led to their bedrooms, eyeing dinner on the table, "You know, I would love nothing more than to serve myself my own supper, but my doggone hands are just too shaky to carry a heavy plate!"

Pandora laughed. "I've heard that excuse before," she teased, "but that still doesn't stop you from trying!"

Her thoughts went back to just that weekend when Rose tried, for the third time, to serve herself dinner. Rose's arthritis had been flaring up lately, and her hands got the brunt of the inflammatory pain. The attempt always ended up with shattered porcelain on the floor and gobs of food splattered all over the fronts of the cabinets. "I wish plates had handles," Rose had grumbled last time. They started off with a set of six plates; now there were only two, and one had a chip on the side.

They both stood in front of the stove, staring down orange prescription bottles. The taller one had Rose's name printed on the label, the fatter one had Pandora's.

"I'll take mine if you take yours," Pandora said.

Rose sighed, reaching forward to grab them. "How is it that I have to twist open a cap to get a tiny pill so that the tiny pill can help me twist open the cap?"

Pandora giggled. "It's the irony of the medical type, I guess."

"At least I invested in an infallible child-proof cap opener," Rose said.

"Oh yeah? What is that?"

"It's you, dear," she said with a laugh, handing her the bottles and then doing her version of a jog back to the kitchen table. Her gray curls bobbed up and down with each step.

After dinner, Pandora cleaned off the table while Rose filled the sink with warm, soapy water. "Be happy this is the only chore left today," Rose said cheerfully, "because tomorrow is laundry day. You know what that means!"

"I get to wear my favorite t-shirts again?" Pandora asked.

"No. More work for you!" They both laughed at their on-running joke.

The next day, Pandora was in a cheery mood. It was the start of the weekend and she had the day off from work. Working two part-time jobs during the summer sure wore Pandora down, but if she was going to pay tuition for the upcoming semester at college, it was something she had to do. Although she would like to spend every waking minute working in order to make a little extra cash for leisurely spending, Pandora was glad for the rest. She considered the fact that she couldn't make good tips if she was overworked and grouchy, and decided to make the best of the day.

"Here, dear! I found more in the bathroom," Rose called from a different part of their apartment. With a smile, Pandora came over with the dirty laundry hamper. She had procrastinated enough and was now ready to finally do the weekly chore. Pandora met Rose in the hallway, and Rose gently placed the laundry inside with shaky, arthritic hands. "I think that's it," she said in her sing-song, perky way.

"Thanks, Rose. I'll be back in a few minutes," Pandora grabbed her wallet off the kitchen counter and walked towards the door.

"I'm making turkey tonight, is that fine with you?" she asked, shuffling over to the kitchen.