I snuggle deep into my sleeping bag. I wriggle my toes to keep them warm and squeeze my eyes shut to block out the soft sun as it threatens to announce morning. As I am drifting back to sleep, a hand grasps my shoulder and jolts it back and forth.I let out a sharp cry.
"What was that for!"
"Wake up Alex. The sky's awake." Carter sits back on her toes and sighs.
"Yeah, well I'm not," I grunt, fighting the urge to shut my eyes and escape to the world of dreams. Carter gives me a look as if to say, 'don't worry. I know you are an utterly stupid cow, but that's not my fault, so keep your stupidity to yourself'.
"Um Alex....." she looks me up and down, "You kind of actually are awake". She rolls her eyes.
"Well.....you know what I mean. I was until you tried to rip my arm off!" I glare at her and then sharply turn my body away and slam my head onto what I thought was my pillow, but is actually Carter's wooden travel box. "Ahhh!" I groan and rub my forehead gingerly. Carter is quietly giggling behind me. She really does think I'm an idiot. "Shut up Carter."
"Alex, there's no need to.."
"Go away Carter!" My voice cracks in my attempt at shouting at this time of the day. I hear Carter's small footsteps get quieter. She's given up. That'll teach her not to...."Ahh!" Carter throws my travel box at me. "What the hell?"
"Get changed." Carter is using the voice that our guardian used when we were children. The one that told us that we had lost and that they had the power. I glare at her one last time and then pick up the box. Carter not getting her way is basically unheard of between the two of us.
"What time is it any way?" I ask, since it feels like I've only been sleeping for an hour.
"5 am." Carter says.
"What the ...." I start and then stop myself. I try more calmly "Why are we up at this time?" Carter gives me that look again (the one about me being utterly stupid).
"You really don't know?" I shake my head. She sighs and says "We have a meeting with the placement manager. You really can be...well..."
"Stupid?" I offer. She answers by walking out of the tent. She slips the flap shut and is gone. I will myself to get up. The hardest part is getting out of my sleeping bag; a soft cocoon of warmth. I guess if I do it quickly it won't be as bad. 3...2...........1. The fresh air nips at my exposed body. The room is dark and I can't be bothered to find my torch, so I decide to put on whatever I can find. The hardest thing is determining whether the material in my hand is supposed to be a shirt or pants.
When I am finished, I step into the dim light outside. Carter is waiting, arms crossed. When she sees me, her face twists into a smile. She begins to laugh to herself.
"What?" I ask, totally bewildered by her sudden change of mood."Is it something I said? Because I am never funny".
"What on earth are you wearing?" She asks, holding her ribs and dabbing at tears with her thumb. I look down at myself. Oh. I knew I should have found that damn torch. Guess who's sporting a pair of Christmas, candy cane striped stockings under some fluorescent orange shorts with purple spots, a muddy green woolen turtleneck and a rainbow wrap cardigan? This guy.
"Um...I...shut up Carter," is all I can manage as she is wearing a cool pink crop top with a denim skirt and some white converse. Carter looks at me again.
"You look utterly ridiculous! What were you thinking?" Well I'm thinking at the moment that I should have used a torch, but all I manage is
"Rack off." My brain does not function well at this time. Carter rolls her eyes,
"Come on, you have no time to change. We'll be late if we don't leave now." We set off down the long path. Who knows what is in store for us today.
YOU ARE READING
Indifference
ActionThe world is a lie. Nothing can be trusted anymore. All that was is now gone. Imagine a world with no differences. No choice. No love. This world is real. It's here.
