darkness, I forced my mind to wake, shifting my feet to the
floor and making myself stand.
We
made a routine out of it, January and I, waking up at the same time,
her leaving as soon as she was dressed, and me catching up afterward.
We did this until all the days strung together, forming a whole two
months since I'd left the orphanage. With each day, I sensed her
resentment for me grow.
Gradually,
the days got warmer, turning the ice and snow into slush, which
melted into the ground, and caused the river down the pathway to turn
brown and overflow. It was a relief to watch the river turn crystal
clear again, and hearing it burbling along the bank reminded me my
home in Forlander, where the river flowed through the middle of the
town.
*****
Today
was the summer solstice, one of the most popular holidays on the
northern islands. Unlike every Sunday at the conservatory, the
solstice was a true holiday, one where we wouldn't have to do
anything for the entire day, except for the survival tests, of
course. Even those weren't mandatory. Liana had been talking about a
festival in Winter's Peak—the little town down the mountain—for
the past few weeks. In fact, the subject seemed to be on everyone's
mind lately. It was a celebration of the beautiful weather, but also
a solemn reminder of how little time we have left to bask in the sun
before the winter breathes over the land once again.
I
hadn't been allowed to go to Winter's Peak since I had tried to make
it all the way to Forlander and back, but the headmaster said that I
would be allowed to go on the solstice. Liana and I had planned to go
after the morning survival tests even though the festival didn't
start until dinner time, but our plans were ruined when she woke up
sick. It was the kind where she had to have a bucket at her bedside
at all times.
When
I had completed my survival test, I abandoned the crowd of students
headed to Winter's Peak, and hurried to my dorm room to check on my
friend. I shut the door and sat on my bed, which was still next to
hers.
Liana
was pale. A cold cloth had been placed on her forehead. I could tell
that she truly felt horrible because her usual cheerful face was
screwed into an expression of misery.
She
cracked open her eyes to look at me, squinting as if the light hurt
them. “Ivy, you should go with the other students. I know that
it's one of the only chances you'll have to enjoy the festival.”
I
shook my head. “I don't have anyone to go with. I'd rather not
go at all if I can't go with you.”
She
gave me a small smile. “Maybe it's time that you make some
other friends.”
We
heard the door open, and both looked toward it. Natalia came in with
a small glass of water in one hand and a thermometer in the other.
“Ivy, you should go down to the village with the others,”
she said. I wondered if she had been listening to our conversation.
“ I
prefer to stay with Liana,” I said.
Natalia
walked over and sat next to me. “I'm taking care o her. Plus, I
told Roland that you would go with him.”
“ Roland?
Why would you tell him that?” I asked.
“ Because
I know that you've been training with him in the mornings, and
figured that he was one of your only other friends, besides Liana and
me.”
I
was surprised and honored when she said that. She had just called
herself my friend. I'd thought Natalia was incapable of having
friends.
“ You
should go,” Liana pitched in again. “I don't want to
spoil your day. Mine's already spoiled enough.”
I
smiled and stood up. “Alright, I'll go. But don't expect me to
enjoy it without my friends.”
“ Wait,”
said Natalia. She went to her trunk and rifled through it, pulling
out a beautiful green dress. “You should wear this,” she
said. “It was my sister's, but it doesn't fit me, and I doubt
it even fits her anymore.”
I
took the dress and held it out. It looked about my size. “Thank
you so much,” I said, smiling at her.
She
shrugged her shoulders. “No
floor and making myself stand.
We
made a routine out of it, January and I, waking up at the same time,
her leaving as soon as she was dressed, and me catching up afterward.
We did this until all the days strung together, forming a whole two
months since I'd left the orphanage. With each day, I sensed her
resentment for me grow.
Gradually,
the days got warmer, turning the ice and snow into slush, which
melted into the ground, and caused the river down the pathway to turn
brown and overflow. It was a relief to watch the river turn crystal
clear again, and hearing it burbling along the bank reminded me my
home in Forlander, where the river flowed through the middle of the
town.
*****
Today
was the summer solstice, one of the most popular holidays on the
northern islands. Unlike every Sunday at the conservatory, the
solstice was a true holiday, one where we wouldn't have to do
anything for the entire day, except for the survival tests, of
course. Even those weren't mandatory. Liana had been talking about a
festival in Winter's Peak—the little town down the mountain—for
the past few weeks. In fact, the subject seemed to be on everyone's
mind lately. It was a celebration of the beautiful weather, but also
a solemn reminder of how little time we have left to bask in the sun
before the winter breathes over the land once again.
I
hadn't been allowed to go to Winter's Peak since I had tried to make
it all the way to Forlander and back, but the headmaster said that I
would be allowed to go on the solstice. Liana and I had planned to go
after the morning survival tests even though the festival didn't
start until dinner time, but our plans were ruined when she woke up
sick. It was the kind where she had to have a bucket at her bedside
at all times.
When
I had completed my survival test, I abandoned the crowd of students
headed to Winter's Peak, and hurried to my dorm room to check on my
friend. I shut the door and sat on my bed, which was still next to
hers.
Liana
was pale. A cold cloth had been placed on her forehead. I could tell
that she truly felt horrible because her usual cheerful face was
screwed into an expression of misery.
She
cracked open her eyes to look at me, squinting as if the light hurt
them. “Ivy, you should go with the other students. I know that
it's one of the only chances you'll have to enjoy the festival.”
I
shook my head. “I don't have anyone to go with. I'd rather not
go at all if I can't go with you.”
She
gave me a small smile. “Maybe it's time that you make some
other friends.”
We
heard the door open, and both looked toward it. Natalia came in with
a small glass of water in one hand and a thermometer in the other.
“Ivy, you should go down to the village with the others,”
she said. I wondered if she had been listening to our conversation.
“ I
prefer to stay with Liana,” I said.
Natalia
walked over and sat next to me. “I'm taking care o her. Plus, I
told Roland that you would go with him.”
“ Roland?
Why would you tell him that?” I asked.
“ Because
I know that you've been training with him in the mornings, and
figured that he was one of your only other friends, besides Liana and
me.”
I
was surprised and honored when she said that. She had just called
herself my friend. I'd thought Natalia was incapable of having
friends.
“ You
should go,” Liana pitched in again. “I don't want to
spoil your day. Mine's already spoiled enough.”
I
smiled and stood up. “Alright, I'll go. But don't expect me to
enjoy it without my friends.”
“ Wait,”
said Natalia. She went to her trunk and rifled through it, pulling
out a beautiful green dress. “You should wear this,” she
said. “It was my sister's, but it doesn't fit me, and I doubt
it even fits her anymore.”
I
took the dress and held it out. It looked about my size. “Thank
you so much,” I said, smiling at her.
She
shrugged her shoulders. “No