A Cycle

Due to the amount of work that keeps coming and repeating itself, I never get to read the book or understand the culture of the people around me.

The night comes quickly every day but never stays long enough. I struggle to sleep as I think about the tattoos on the kids and I look at my own branding that shows a child on it, which confirms to me that their branding must give them a job to do, but when do they get their branding?

In the middle of the night, I hear my specialised alarm going off so I rush in my sleeping clothes to the room calling me. I find Alora sitting beside Udeline as she vomits uncontrollably and at first, I think it is normal sickness, but then I notice the blood. My eyes widen.

"Oh Athena," Alora says with tears in her eyes, "call the doctor quickly." I nod as I rush to get the doctor and they come quickly.

After some time I head to bed because even though this is the first day when the kids don't have school, they still need to be up bright and early.