She knocked lightly on the door, her fists trembling, her tail twitching, sweat droplets beading at the small of her back. She was not ready for this. For what this meant. For what this would mean. Twelve! She was nervous. It had been so long for the both of them. The crap written in her journal…none of it would help her once that door opened.
"Lini? Are you there? It’s me…Open up."
She heard the turning of the knob, and her pulse quickened. What would she look like, what would she sound like, her personality, what, what, what, a thousand whats!
The door opened and there she stood, a small, delicate girl of about 17. When she looked at her, she saw the resemblance. Same shade of hair, same telltale beauty mark…but the other features, they were her mothers. The skin, the nose, the eyes…almost red but not quite. She had envied those eyes when she was younger, but now…What was behind them was curious. She could not read them. No matter. It was done now.
"Um…h-hi."
The girl looked at Alothia for a moment and then dropped her eyes to the floor. She was obviously nervous, maybe moreso than she. Lini motioned for Alothia to come in and shut the door behind her.
There were a thousand questions begging to be asked, a thousand words that needed to be said. But they would not come. Alothia took her sister in a strange embrace, one born of longing, of needing to be connected to something from home. Lini smelled of home, of the forests, the earth. Alothia breathed in her scent and closed her eyes. Lini, taken aback at the ferocity of the embrace initially, settled into the hug from her sister as if she had never left. Alothia pulled away and looked Lini in the eyes.
"I am so sorry. I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry I abandoned you. I’m sorry I…"
As she spoke, the tears softly fell. Why should this moment make her cry so?
Lini grabbed her by the shoulders, “It’s okay now. I don’t care. No one cares. I’ve found you! You’re still alive!â€
Why should she care whether she lived or died? Why should anyone care? It had been so long, so long…
Alothia looked at the girl, confused. “Why are you here? What did you come searching me out for? Why aren’t you at home? Tell me…â€
Lini nodded and began to talk…Â
"Lini? Are you there? It’s me…Open up."
She heard the turning of the knob, and her pulse quickened. What would she look like, what would she sound like, her personality, what, what, what, a thousand whats!
The door opened and there she stood, a small, delicate girl of about 17. When she looked at her, she saw the resemblance. Same shade of hair, same telltale beauty mark…but the other features, they were her mothers. The skin, the nose, the eyes…almost red but not quite. She had envied those eyes when she was younger, but now…What was behind them was curious. She could not read them. No matter. It was done now.
"Um…h-hi."
The girl looked at Alothia for a moment and then dropped her eyes to the floor. She was obviously nervous, maybe moreso than she. Lini motioned for Alothia to come in and shut the door behind her.
There were a thousand questions begging to be asked, a thousand words that needed to be said. But they would not come. Alothia took her sister in a strange embrace, one born of longing, of needing to be connected to something from home. Lini smelled of home, of the forests, the earth. Alothia breathed in her scent and closed her eyes. Lini, taken aback at the ferocity of the embrace initially, settled into the hug from her sister as if she had never left. Alothia pulled away and looked Lini in the eyes.
"I am so sorry. I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry I abandoned you. I’m sorry I…"
As she spoke, the tears softly fell. Why should this moment make her cry so?
Lini grabbed her by the shoulders, “It’s okay now. I don’t care. No one cares. I’ve found you! You’re still alive!â€
Why should she care whether she lived or died? Why should anyone care? It had been so long, so long…
Alothia looked at the girl, confused. “Why are you here? What did you come searching me out for? Why aren’t you at home? Tell me…â€
Lini nodded and began to talk…Â