Pinfeathers

Chapter 6 - Agreement

Athira frowned, trying to hold herself together. "Why am I here?"

Zoe's mum sat down on the bed beside Athira's waist and placed the tray beside her. "I found you on the doorstep of the apartment block, shivering yourself to death, and I brought you inside," she said gently, giving Athira a smile. "You weren't in great shape. You'd made yourself sick from the cold and got Grip because of it."

"Grip?" said Athira. Black spots were dancing in the corner of her vision but she forced herself to stay upright. "How long was I out?" 

Zoe's mum considered it for a second. "This is the fourth day, I think. Not including the night we brought you in. And Grip's an illness that takes hold in mainly kids when their immune system is down--I think I got to it before it could have any lasting side effects, but your colour might be a little off for a while." 

"Off how?" 

Zoe's mum tapped her shoulder, the gentle force of which nearly knocked Athira down. "Lie down, honey. You're going to need to rest for at least the rest of the week before you're allowed to up and walk around. And I don't know how. Everyone's colour reacts differently. Some get stronger, some stop working for a bit, some change entirely. It's hard to tell."

Athira reluctantly yielded to the pillow, only to find sleep pulling her down as soon as her head touched it. "I need... my amulet back," she said with a yawn. She fought to keep her eyes open. "It keeps my colour under control. Without it...it's not...good." 

Zoe's mum turned to the bedside table and took something out of the drawer, placing it in Athira's hand resting on the pillow. Upon feeling the cool metal warm between her fingers, Athira pulled it close to her chest and held it there. The tension faded, and without anything else holding her here, she let herself drift. 

She felt a warm hand brush her hair back and a faraway sounding voice echo through her head. 

"I'll check on you again in a little while. Sleep well, munchkin." 

Athira faded into the waiting darkness and this time, her consciousness came with her.

*+*+*+*

Miela reached the end of yet another file and pushed the table aside. She put her forehead on the table space it'd previously occupied and closed her eyes. 

Using up my paid holidays and nothing's different except the location, she thought. Home instead of hospital, still a sick kid to look after and endless paperwork to get through. When she lifted her head, the tablet hadn't disappeared like she'd hoped. Wouldn't be bad if this part of it would just disappear. 

Miela dragged the tablet back with a finger and, after taking the time to make herself a cup of coffee, sat back down with the intention to start up again when footsteps touched the floor of the silent house. 

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Zoe's bedroom door cracked open and a small head framed in black hair poked through. 

Athira saw Miela looking at her and froze, one foot outside the doorway. 

Miela waved her over and tapped the back of the chair beside her. "Come sit down and talk to me." 

She didn't think Athira would after the way she hesitated, but eventually, slow steps brought her to sit quietly in the indicated chair, eyes trained on her folded hands. 

"Hot chocolate?" asked Miela. Athira just shook her head, and internally, Miela sighed. 

She's a silent one. 

"So, your name is Athira, right?" said Miela, more to get the conversation than actual confirmation. Zoe had barely shut up about her in the last five days. "My name's Miela."