The attic

"So! What's our house gonna be like?" "Well it's a very small apartment but I spent a lot of my time decorating it so that it's pretty!" Claire jumped in excitement. "I can't wait! Do I have a room or do we share one?" "We share a room with with identical beds." Claire dances around in a happy tune. I could also see that she felt relieved that she could get away from Aunt May. We talked about how things we going and our hobbies, favorite things, dislikes, etc. Claire was now 12, and she didn't have any friends or close relatives she could talk to this whole time, but at least she had me now. When morning came I woke up to see that Claire was gone, and I immediately got up and went downstairs. I saw Claire sitting at the small round dining table in the back of the house, eating what looked to be some brownish banana slices and a piece of burnt toast. Aunt May had just come out of the bathroom and saw that I was still here. "Oh, you're still here." She said it as if I wasn't welcome there. I nodded politely and took Claires empty plate to the kitchen to wash it for Aunt May. "Thanks." "Happy to help!" Aunt May went around the corner when Claire got up to come to me. "Good morning sis!" "Good morning bunny! Did you have a decent sleep?" "Yes! Did you have breakfast?" "No I haven't yet but that's okay." She gave me an, "oh really," look and started to get the cereal and milk out. "You didn't have any dinner last night, I know you must be starving." I waddled to where she was and helped her pour the milk. "Do you also want cereal? Your breakfast didn't look that tasty." Claire is quiet for a moment then turns around to head to the table. "Aunt May doesn't let me eat that cereal, she says it's too fattening." The moment I saw Claire, I could tell she was getting really poor nutrition and no exercise at all based on her very weak and skinny body. When we sat down at the table and began to eat, Aunt May came down the hallway into the dining room and gave me a funny look. "Claire did you let her have that?" Claire looked at me as if she were in trouble and then back at Aunt May and before she said anything I interrupted. "I'm sorry Aunt May, I was very hungry so I thought it would be okay to have the rest of your cereal. Claire didn't have any part in this." She looked angry and Claire but then looked at me with disappointment. "I thought a young lady your age would be more respectful. You leave tomorrow." And with that she took her ugly fur coat and cane and went out the door slamming it behind her. I looked back at Claire who I already knew was starting to worry. "I don't want you to go tomorrow! You promised you'd take me with you!" I looked at Claire's chubby angry face and smiled. "And I have yet to keep that promise. We will leave tomorrow at the crack of Dawn and catch that flight, together." Claire finally relieved her gesture and took me upstairs to read some books, because that's all she had to do. As we were looking at a magazine together, I wondered if she was always so bored here. "Bunny, is this all you do every day?" She look at me like I was dumb. "What else is there to do Crim? I read and study my papers for a few hours, then feed myself, then I read some more, and then I sleep." "Hasn't Aunt May ever taken you to do anything??" Claire got up and took a look outside her circle window. She was just as tall as the low A-Frame attic where she had to stay. It's like the house was built for her height. "Mmm no I don't think so. Sometimes people come over. I am forced to go up there when that happens." Claire points to a very small square flap at the top of her room just above the door. "It's a very tiny space I have to crawl through and stay in for 1-2 hours. I usually bring a blanket and a pillow, because even if they get dirty, I have nothing else to do other than sleep. It's too dark to read up there. It only happens occasionally when an old friend comes to see Aunt May, but when it does, it's not a very pleasant day." "Oh my goodness that's absolutely wicked of Aunt May to do that to you!" Claire gives a sorrow nod in agreement. "Hey, you don't ever have to do that or stay in this cramped place when we go away tomorrow. In fact, let me help you pack your bag now so you are ready for tomorrow." Claire agrees and comes away from the window to get her bag.