Maddie's way of avoiding doom

•Chapter 1•

The sound of the train slowing down on the tracks echoes through the carriages of the train, bringing an unpleasant chill down Maddie's spine.

However, It didn't wake up Sonia, she sat against the low quality cushioned seat sleeping like a baby. Once she felt the movement stop, she got up from her seat, picking up her suitcase before tapping Sonia on the shoulder.

The little girl in-front of her awakens from her slumber, the slow rising of two ocean blue eyes coming into view.

"It's time to go. Got Diane?" Maddie's voice was slightly muffled because of the mask that she wore, the beige and brown striped fabric with a dark brown cross where the tip of her nose was underneath.

"Yeh! I got her!" She kept the doll close. Unlike most cheap dolls, The doll known as Diane didn't have hair that felt like straw, it was soft. You wouldn't have guessed that the doll was a cheap one from a random toy store.

Diane's flowery cotton dress looked like something out of Snow White, but the colours weren't as neon and vibrant. The skirt was a dashing mint green whilst her chest was covered by a tiny silk white corset, the stitching was perfection. Maddie was lucky enough to find the doll for Sonia before some random kid have gotten the chance to snatch it off the shelf and pressured their parent to buy it. The look on Sonia's face when her big sister picked her up from school that day, holding the beautiful boxed doll in her hand. It was a memory that would be burned in Maddie's brain for eternity, a memory to be cherished.

Maddie opened the small sliding door that had Sonia's suitcase and backpack, grabbing it and gently pulling them out of the containment and placing them onto the floor for Sonia to be able to hold and drag around with ease.

Once they had their luggage, Sonia made sure to keep ahold of Maddie's hand with a tight grip as to not get lost within the big crowds of civilians exiting the train, but she was nowhere near prepared for the cramped and crowded streets of Halodine, it was like an apocalypse.

They made sure to keep each other close. Maddie was personally making sure that Sonia didn't get a glimpse of any alleyways, she didn't want Sonia to get glance of something that she shouldn't see.
"Maddie... I'm hungry..." Sonia said quietly but loud enough that Maddie would hear her pleads. Maddie didn't respond, she heard what Sonia said, but she was too busy keeping an eye out for anybody sketchy or anything that could bring danger to Sonia. Maddie was usually as cautious as this, that was just how she was.

The tug on Maddie's coat sleeve was what woke Maddie up properly.
"Oh! Sorry Sonia, I was a bit distracted is all. Yes we can get some food, what about..." Maddie paused, looking around for any kind of sign.

"-the Heaven Cafe?" Maddie said, pointing to a LED sign that was hanging above a building a few feet in-front.
"You looked at the sign didn't you? You had no idea that it was there." Sonia remarked playfully as Maddie turned to Sonia with a dramatic sad expression on her face. "Yes I did! I feel so hurt that you would even accuse me of such a thing..!" The two sisters chuckled before making their way through the crowd, eventually getting to the door of the cafe and pushing it open.

The smell of freshly baked goods and desserts choked the room. Whilst Sonia's eyes instantly landed on the strawberry cheesecake that was on display, Maddie's eyes explored the room. Warm coloured fairy lights and LED symbols lined the pearl white walls. By the window, were seashell coloured booth chairs, all the tables were white marble overlayed with shiny clean glass. What made the cafe space more homely was that pumpkin spice candles.
'So that's what the smell was...'
She felt calm here... as if time just stopped and it was a time to forget about your worries and life struggles.

She turned back to Sonia to see her talking to the lady at the counter. An Angel. A real Angel... the wings on the woman's back were a solid white, they looked to have been brushed carefully and gently. The two halos surrounding her head were hypnotic, one looking more solid like, the other being more flexible like liquid as it moved, it's white transparency made it look more like a dream that something real, like a hallucination.

"Welcome to the Heaven Cafe! What can I get for both of you lovely ladies tonight?" The Angel woman spoke, the innocence in her voice was recognisable with her soft spoken tone. The sound of her black boots taking each step on the tiled floor was loud since it was quite in the cafe, other than the subtle sound of the kind of cozy music that you would find on those 'music for studying' videos from YouTube.

"Can we order the chocolate glazed donut and a slice of strawberry cheesecake please?" Sonia's face lit up as her older sister mention the cheesecake.

"Can I get the Angel designed one, Maddie? Please??" Sonia's voice would have almost made Maddie feel bad if she said no, so she nodded before giving the angel lady a look. The woman nodded before starting to prepare their order.

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"Did you enjoy that?" Maddie spoke up as Sonia made sure to put her knife and fork together as a sign of respect. She nodded, Diane still with her, but in her lap.
The sister duo both stood up, grabbing their luggage before walking up to the counter.
"Thank you so much..."

"Rosaline, my name is Rosaline! And feel free to come back any time!" Maddie smiled as she placed down a 50 dollar bill onto the counter, the woman almost seemed shocked, but she was happily grateful for the large tip. "Thank you so much, stay safe you two." Rosaline waved goodbye to the two young women as they pushed open the door to the cafe and onto the Main Street again, this time it wasn't as cramped.

The walk to their new apartment didn't take long since the streets were less busy. "Remember: number 17 on the 3rd floor. Can you remember that?" Maddie asked Sonia, a tint of teasing in her voice. "Of course I can, I don't have to look at signs to remember stuff unlike you- HEY WAIT FOR ME!!" Sonia yelled as Maddie was started to walk in without her.

Walking up the stairs until the sign 'Floor 3' came into view, pushing open the door; the first apartment door had the number '17' on it. "See, I knew i wouldn't have to remember it since we found it quickly!" Sonia's ego was something that you would normally only expect from a moody teenager, it wasn't the type of ego you would expect from a 10 year old. "There was no 'we'. I was the one that found it, you were to busy looking at outside the windows as we walked up the stairs..." Maddie spat back, a bit of cockiness in her tone knowing that she had won the small debate judging by Sonia's silence.

The jingle of the house keys sounded louder due to the silence in the hallway, opening the heavy door with a bit of a push. She held it open for Sonia to bring herself and her luggage in before closing and locking it behind them. Most of their furniture seemed to have already been moved in, one of the two beds not being put together yet, that bed being Maddis's. When the two of them saw this, Sonia stuck her tongue out at Maddie before running to her own room to go to bed. Maddie lightly chuckled before heading to the two seater sofa that had already been set up in the living room, pulling out a blanket and positioning the pillows in a comfortable place before laying down. It took her a minute to get comfortable but she eventually managed to find a comfortable spot.

"Tomorrow's gonna be a long day..."

She muttered before closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.