By the twelfth day of October, Nocte had in her possession: one shrunken head, two ill-omened crows, three Hell hounds, four warhorses, five obsidian rings, six rolling die, seven broaches, eight Yuan Bao statues, nine crowns, ten costumes, eleven white kings and twelve pocket watches.
“Oh. My. Goddesses,” Nocte gaped.
There was just so much… stuff.
Her parents certainly out did themselves this year.
Groaning, she hit her forehead with her desk, a solid thump that startled the crows, and wished for the nightmare to end. Perhaps other children loved getting gifts — elaborate and startling — for the days counting up to their birthday, but Nocte was not one of those children. All she cared about these days were the dance steps Siyamak had been teaching her and when to give the Hellhounds their daily walks.
Not good.
“N-Nocte?” Savvy called out cautiously.
“Yeah?” she answered, her words muffled by the desk.
“T-Tomorrow is your birthday,” Savvy said.
“Don’t remind me,” Nocte muttered unhappily.
“O-Oh.” Her roommate looked down nervously and somewhat… disappointedly?
Nocte immediately backtracked. “I’m sorry, Savvy. You were saying?”
The blonde looked up and said, “Um… well… I know that tomorrow you’d be busy-”
“Trying to keep my family at bay, yes, I’d be busy,” Nocte cut in with a whole cavalry of sarcasm. “Sorry, keep going.”
“Well, I…” Savvy took a long pause, thinking hard as Nocte waited anxiously for her to continue. Finally, in what seemed like hours, Savvy reached into her book bag and drew out a wrapped box. “Happy early birthday.”
“Oh!” Nocte exclaimed, surprised. “Oh, Savvy, you didn’t have to! Thank you! Thank you very much!”
Savvy glowed with delight when Nocte reached for the present eagerly.
“Can I?” Nocte asked, gesturing at the wrapping paper.
With a confirming nod from the blonde, Nocte slowly untied the purple ribbon with much anticipation.
What was it? A shirt? A game? Or even better — a new set of quills?
Nocte couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as she lifted the box cover and-
She gasped!
Sitting neatly on purple velvet was a translucent ball spun of glass. Holding it near the streak of light, the intricate wisps of blue and green glass cast a beautiful glow around the room.
“It’s a friendship ball,” Savvy explained, hoping she’d like it.
“Oh,” Nocte whispered, touched. “Thank you so much. I’ll hang it over my window.”
“You’re welcome,” Savvy said with a flush. She had never been thanked properly before.
#
Saturday, October 13th, - - - -
Nocte,
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Nocte! Happy birthday to you!
Did you like my singing? If you sing it out loud, Elsu will sing along too. I’ve been training him.
This year you’re turning 13. I think that’s extra special because your birthday falls on the 13th! Symbolism and all that stuff. It’s bound to be good!
YOU ARE READING
Nocte Yin
Teen FictionAll teens think their parents are evil - they have no idea. For 12-year-old Nocte Yin, she knows the truth. She knows what it is like to have a mad scientist for a father (screams from the basement) and a seductive sorceress for a mother (perfect fa...
