The Tenth Muse
She didn't know it when she was still in the middle of it, but that night would change her life.
As she scooped brown pellets of fishy-smelling cat food into a striped white plastic bowl, she thought of nothing more important or specific than whether her homework was done – it was. Her thoughts drifted here and there, and she had yet to make any concrete conclusions or observations. Hands on autopilot, she finished feeding her pets without a thought to her actions, then walked barefoot up the stairs of the basement where the cats spent most of their time, toes curling against the cold floor. Her blue plaid pajama pants brushed pleasingly against her legs as she made her way upstairs, and she hummed a long-forgotten lullaby. Had her mother sung that to her once? Never mind, then.
She tied her silky, straight, dark brown hair into a messy braid, brushed her braces-covered teeth, and washed her face with a minty-smelling soap. Accidentally splashing water on her black vest top and all over the bathroom floor, she spent the next two minutes mopping up, scowling fiercely all the while.
Her younger sister came up to her, eyes wide. "Good night!" she proclaimed, and strained upward to deliver her good night kiss. The older girl turned and walked away.
She slid beneath her blue bedspread, after turning out the lights and turning on the fan. She closed her eyes.
What a nice day, she thought. Well…actually…what had happened to make it nice? Nothing, really. Hm.
What had happened, period? Well, she had…err…breakfast?
After a moment, she decided not to answer that one.
On the verge of sleep, about to drift off, she snuggled in closer to her pillow, letting out a soft sigh of contentment.
A moment later, she jolted awake, and shot out of bed, gasping and flailing, tangled in her sheets, at the strange noise that filled her bedroom.
"Bloody hell…" she murmured, eyes wide.
A/N: Sorry, it's kind of short, but it couldn't very well be any longer. I mean, there isn't a plot yet, and otherwise, not too much to say. Plot comes later, as soon as I remember what it was supposed to be. Next chapter coming soon, in which we meet the Doctor and talk for a ridiculously long time. This is my first story (sort of – I've written others, but this is the first I've posted) and it's not one of the ones I'm most happy with…but I like it anyway…of course, I would…I'm going to shut up now.
