The day bleeds into nightfall

'Your eyes shine so bright, I want to save their light.'

Friday 3rd July 2037

'You ready for this?' The older boy asks the younger girl, just about managing a weak smile. They had decided they were going to try school today, it may be that they aren't ready, but they needed to try. Theo passed his driving test two weeks before Ruby died, so he's driving the pair of them to school. Joe has gone back to work, and they decided that they were going to try.

She takes a deep breath, heart racing. 'When I was here last, I ran out crying.' She tells him, trying to make it a joke even though it is far from it.

'When did you try?' The elder body is surprised, not knowing what his sister is talking about. For the last few weeks, he had been in his room. The days have morphed into one, the curtain remained shut. Time became a thing when Joe told him about going to identify the body. He wanted to be able to go with him, but he didn't feel well enough.

'A week after she died.' The unspoken name, she finds it hard to say aloud. There was something about now she was gone, saying the name hurt. Neither could explain it, it was a dull ache that was constantly niggling at them. 'I ran out of school, I just couldn't.' He gets it, as they get out, locking the car door.

'Today will be okay.' He's not sure who he is trying to convince, her or him? He's worried he will faint, or worse, have a break down. They only have under two weeks left, maybe there wasn't any point going in, but they had to try. The nerves would be even worse, they have the whole summer ahead of them to mope about, each day was a stark reminder that she wasn't here when she was supposed to be.

'I guess this is it mouse.'

'I'll see you at 1 teddy-bear.' He nods, they aren't sure if they will stay for the whole day, at this rate Maddie would be happy to make it past period one, she isn't so sure she will be able to make it to the classroom she has registration in.

They can tell people are looking at them, whispering about them. Most of these people knew Ruby, by default they knew who they were. 'Maddie?' A voice calls, coming up and touching her arm, breaking her from the trance she's in. 'You coming to registration?'

'Lucy.' She says, she can't smile, she thinks she is genuinely unable to smile anymore, she's just so sad. She nods, not really able to say much, she's choked up.

'Come with me.' Theo had disappeared, she can make out the shape of his torso walking down the drive. 'C'mon darling.' She grabs her hand, lost in her own world. Walking down the hall, all she can think of is her sister. She shudders, but she manages to keep on. She's greeted with lots of welcome backs and that they hope she is okay. She's not, and she never will. Every notice board, every classroom brings in a new memory of her sister, and she thinks she is going to break. She tries to keep her eyes on the floor, not looking up, praying she doesn't bump into anyone.

Theo's is a similar situation, there is lots of sympathetic glances. Neither of them like it, they want to get on with their own lives, they need to start rebuilding them. They need to start accepting that they won't see her again. They've got past the denial, they saw her dead body, they know she is dead. They worry about their mum, they don't know what she is doing.

They are both called out of form, by their respective pastoral care teams, sixth form had a different one to lower school, essentially, they got told the same thing, given a green card that they would be able to leave lessons if they wanted too. There was no mention of the German lesson, no punishment. Maddie wasn't sure how she felt about that, maybe it would have felt more normal had she been in trouble.

The pair manage to get to lunchtime, break was spent with their respective friendship groups, they got asked about Ruby and both were at a loss on what to say. They told them that she died and that they didn't want to talk about it, both equally haunted with the image of her body on the table.

Theo met his sister at reception, where they decided that they wanted to go home, no one complained. Theo knew that neither of them wanted to go home, it was a constant reminder of who wasn't there. They didn't want to have to face their mum, she was spiralling into a depression and there was nothing they could do about it. She was hurting herself, and her children, and it hurt that she didn't care.

They weren't expecting anything more than an acknowledgement that they existed and they, too, were hurting. They weren't expecting normality, they weren't expecting much, just a simple conversation.

'Let's not go home.' Theo suggests, studying his sisters face as she fiddles with the radio. 'Let's go to grandads.'

'Can we get changed first? It's not like mum will notice.' He nods, as he makes it to the drive thru. He doesn't need to ask his sister what she wants, it's always the same, Ruby was the one to change up her order. Until she went to uni, it was Ruby that would take them to the drive thru, or the Starbucks, she drunk so much, she wondered how she didn't become a Starbucks coffee. Maddie didn't think she would be able to drink their coffee again. That was Ruby's thing, and now she's gone, it wouldn't feel right.

Maddie was right, their mum didn't notice, she had moved from her bedroom to the sofa, eyes glassed over. That hurt, that was like a stab wound to the heart, their own mother couldn't talk to them. They left pretty promptly, not wanting to be in the house longer than they had to be.

The drive up to their grandad's was filled with conversation, and the occasional song. Both felt terrible, that they were laughing without Ruby, that they were talking in a semi-happy state without their big sister, the world was supposed to have stopped. Their world had come crashing down, and they felt selfish for smiling.

Knocking on the door, a very confused Graham answers it. 'You okay kids?' He asks, checking his phone to see if they should be in school, knowing they were back today, quite clearly, they weren't. 'Aren't you supposed to be at school?' Theo just shrugs, stepping into the house.

'We stayed till lunch.' He tells him, as the pair kick off their shoes. 'You don't mind we came here, being home with mum.' He pauses, not sure what to say.

'She still not talking?' Maddie shrugs.

'How did you know?'

'I spoke to your dad?' Figures the pair note to themselves. 'Either way, it's nice to see the pair of you, I've been worried about you.' He pauses for breath. 'You are always welcome here, you know that. Do you want a cup of tea?'

'Oi Maddie.' Graham grins. 'Happy birthday for tomorrow.'

A/N Thoughts?