The Year of the Horse (Book two of the Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 14 (Edited)

I woke up with a gasp and sat straight up. I looked around, confused and saw that it was still dark. However, it started to turn lighter as night turned into day. What time is it? I thought, moving my arm to scratch my head. I winced, because my shoulder was still injured. It sure doesn't feel late.

I shook my head and sighed before I looked at the clock, on my nightstand to see that it was 6am. "Man," I muttered, shaking my head again. "I must've been really tired if I had slept for almost the whole day." I laid my head back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling, debating on whether or not if I should go to school.

I groaned, knowing that I had to, so I pulled the covers off of me and got up with a stretch. I couldn't help but yelp a little, but I quickly covered it up with a yawn, shaking my head to wake me up.

There was a knock on my door, while I was starting to get a towel from my closet and go take a shower. "Martha," someone said, knocking on the door, again.

"Come in," I called out. I groaned, standing there with a towel in hand. I was glad that I undressed in the bathroom, because I knew that whoever knocked on the door would come in anyways, except for John.

The door opened and John came in. He looked at the towel in my hand and smirked, slightly. He looked me up and down, wondering on how I was feeling and such. "How do you feel?" he asked, finally looking me in the eye.

"Hungry," I replied, my stomach sounding like a dying whale. "And dirty." I wrinkled my nose, wanting to take a shower.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Well, you should be. You haven't eaten anything since Saturday morning, before the meeting."

"Well, before that. My stomach was turning around, because of nerves, so I didn't eat anything." I shrugged my shoulder, not really believing that I hadn't eaten anything in two days. No wonder my stomach sounded like a dying whale.

He shook his head, probably wondering how I could survive two days without eating anything. "Well, I guess that you get to eat now." He smirked. "If you want to... of course."

I gave a 'dude you are crazy look' look. He really thought that I wouldn't eat after two days of not eating. Sure, I could survive a week without eating, but hey, I needed to heal my body. That meant I had to eat.

He laughed and shook his head in the 'oh dear' fashion. "You are the one with many faces, Martha." He smiled, showing the love and pride he had for me.

"Well that's what you love about me," I said, shrugging my shoulder. "Now, if you excuse me, my shower is calling me." With that, I turned around to walk to the bathroom. I turned back around and saw my brother staring at me, a deep sadness in his eyes. "What?" I asked raising an eyebrow, breaking him from his thoughts.

John cleared his throat and shook his head. "Hmm..? Oh, uh nothing." He cleared his throat again, before forcing a smile on his face. "I'll see you after your shower and whatever else you have to do," he said. He turned around and left my room, not letting me have a word.

I frowned and shook my head, wondering what that was all about. "Strange," I said, talking to no one. I shrugged my shoulder. "Oh well, I'm guessing that I'm going to have to figure it out on my own."

With that, I turned around into the bathroom and took a long needed shower, washing away the week underground with Faolon and the battle with Randi.

***

"So, are you ready for school?" Dad asked, while I came down into the kitchen. A good morning smile was on his face while he sipped his coffee. His eyes held warmth and pride while he looked me up and down.