Eda's sunshine

alone

Waking up wasn't always nauseating.

In fact, Luz Noceda could remember many times where she hadn't woken up shaking and tear-stained, with bile tickling the back of her throat, or seeping into her sleeping bag.

Ever since seeing her mentor lose complete control and sacrifice herself, however, those panic-free nights were few and far between.

--

Sleeping wasn't always impossible.

In fact, Eda Clawthorne could remember many times where she was able to doze off in the most random places. Coming home and collapsing on the sofa, dropping unconscious against her hands at the kitchen table, hell, sometimes she'd fall asleep in the hallway just because opening her bedroom door was too exhausting.

Ever since the events of the previous week, however, blissful unconsciousness was a commodity she was unable to grasp. For the most part she feared even closing her eyes, for every bout of darkness was followed by a flash of red and a vision of her apprentice.

Luz falling quickly, arms outstretched, silently pleading Eda's help.

Luz trapped, crying and shaking from fear.

Luz being used as a human shield, almost catching the brunt of her mentor's sharp attacks.

Luz-

Eda forced down the bitter lukewarm coffee, successfully shocking her body mind back to reality with a shudder.

She walked back to living room, turning the TV off on the way; she wasn't watching it anyway.

Cracking her back and groaning, she glanced at the clock.

2:14 am.

Still at least 5 hours before the kid would be up for school and 4 hours before making breakfast would be necessary. The witch found herself dumbfounded and out of distractions. Her fingernails and toenails were covered in 3 layers of bad nail polish, the owl house had been cleaned top to bottom yesterday, she had no recent potion orders, and almost every book in the house had been read cover to cover.

Almost.

The woman thought about the Good Witch Azura books that the younger counterpart kept upstairs in her bedroom; tucked away on top of the dresser.

Eda typically didn't involve herself in such frivolous nonsense, but saying that out loud made her feel like one of those pretentious losers with standards. And hey, it beat 4 hours of sitting on the couch staring at a blank screen out of pride.