The morning air was chilly against the parts of Kimberly's skin that weren't wrapped beneath the scratchy motel bed sheets. The faint sound of cluttering and soft sizzling could be heard in the kitchen as her eyes fluttered open. Kimberly groaned as she messily threw the sheets off herself and sat up, rolling out of bed. She placed her feet firmly on the floor before looking around, her eyes still adjusting to the light.

The scent of sweet nectar filled her nose. A small smile grew on her lips. The smell was familiar and drawing and within an instant, her mouth had watered deliciously. She knew exactly what was cooking and it was the motivation she needed to drag herself out of bed.

Letting her arms go limp, she walked out of the mouldy motel bedroom and into the small kitchen. Kimberly's eyes adjusted to the orange morning light that shone through the dusty window. Smiling, she saw her eighteen-year-old sister Sarah standing over the stove, flipping a circular pancake. The light gleamed around Sarah, casting a shadow as she flipped the pancake and her normally harsh and demanding aura was replaced with a nurturing, sisterly one.

Kimberly's stomach growled as she dragged a chair and sat down. Sarah quickly turned her head to see her younger sister sitting at the table, preparing herself for the pancakes.

"Hello to you too," Sarah smirked, turning back to the pancakes. "Why're you up so early?"

"The sheets were scratchy," Kimberly complained. Sarah placed a small bowl of golden, sticky, thick syrup on the table.

"Get used to it," Sarah said firmly, her nurturing demeanour decreasing as she stepped out of the light. Kimberly nodded her head and rubbed her eye sleepily.

"Yeah, I know," Kimberly replied. She watched as Sarah turned around with a large tower of pancakes on her hand. Placing it down on the table she sat down opposite Kimberly. Kimberly raced and got two plates and cutlery. Rapidly, she threw herself on the chair and grabbed a stack of five thick, golden pancakes on her plate, coating them with a delicious syrup. She didn't care about the strange look her sister was giving her as she stabbed five pancakes and dropped them into her plate. She looked at them greedily. She had been waiting for these pancakes for a long time.

Kimberly watched in delight as the syrup dropped from the spoon onto her steaming stack, admiring the gloss as it trickled down the layers. She eagerly cut into the stack and shoved as much as she could fit into her mouth. She muffled out a moan as she tasted the sweet syrup combined with the fluffy pancake. After swallowing, she immediately missed the taste that lingered on her tongue, causing her mouth to water.

"This is gonna be a big hunt. Are you sure you're up for it?" Sarah asked, raising a cheeky eyebrow at Kimberly. She knew Kimberly would never back down from a hunt, the question was merely motivation.

"Of course! You can't do it by yourself," Kimberly smirked and Sarah smiled in response.

"Yeah, I know."

Kimberly took another eager bite, causing a laugh from Sarah. She looked up, her cheeks like chipmunks filled with pancakes and stared at her sister.

"What?" Kimberly asked, small pieces of pancake flying out of her mouth as she spoke. Sarah coiled away in disgust and chuckled.

"Don't eat too fast, we've gotta go after this," Sarah warned lightly. Kimberly shook off her sisters warning as she took another delicious bite. Kimberly looked down onto the pancakes and smiled, unable to summon the willpower to stop herself from eating them. "Seriously Kimberly, slow down," Sarah added sternly, her light-hearted warning exchanged to her military-like demands.

Kimberly scoffed down the rest of her pancakes in a hurry, satisfyingly her craving. She kept eating until she was unable to eat anymore. Even though her stomach was full, Kimberly still wanted more of her sister's pancakes, not knowing when she would next have a chance to eat them. Sarah's pancakes were warm, sticky and sweet with the texture of clouds that were lighter than air. They were perfectly circular and wonderfully fluffy but most importantly, they radiated with golden warmth, the feeling of home. Home, when Kimberly was lost in a sea of Motels. She truly believed that they were the closest to heaven that she'd ever get.

She finished off her plate, licking the syrup clean off the surface. Kimberly waddled to the motel couch, plonking herself on the scratchy cotton. After a few minutes of Sarah cleaning up, Kimberly suddenly regretted her decision of finishing off her plate and began to feel her stomach quiver sickeningly. The taste of the sweet syrup still stuck in her mouth as she licked her lips despite her sick feeling. The pain rippled in her stomach as she felt the heartburn rise in her chest. She closed her eyes and groaned, hoping to sleep off the pain, when she sister marched into the room.

"Kimberly! I told you not to eat that much!" Sarah growled towards her sister as she watched her roll about of the couch when she should be getting ready for a hunt. She groaned in response, turning to face her sister. "You're an idiot, you know that?" Sarah quickly grabbed her hunting equipment and swung her duffel bag over her shoulder. A pang of guilt rose in Kimberly's heart.

"I'm sorry, I can still go with you—"

"We have a responsibility and you go ahead and get yourself sick after I warned you that we have a hunt! That we have people we need to save!" Sarah roared, her expression radiating with anger.

"It's not that bad. I can still come."

"Kimberly—" Sarah growled, warning her not to argue.

"Stop being so stubborn!" Kimberly shouted.

"No more!" Sarah finished, turning to leave. "You want to continue to be a stupid thirteen-year-old, fine. But, stupid thirteen-year-olds aren't responsible enough to be out hunting. If your gonna act like a child, I'll treat you like a child!" Sarah spat.

"What?" Kimberly asked, shocked, sitting up from her position. Sarah didn't want to take away the only thing that reminded Kimberly of home but it was the only way she would learn. Sarah had to continue to train Kimberly to be a stern, expert hunter in order to survive. She had to learn the whole world was against her, even her sister.

"You heard me! And no more pancakes until I say otherwise." Sarah went back to the kitchen and Kimberly watched as she dumped the remaining pancakes in the trash. Kimberly watched furiously as Sarah looked at her destruction with satisfaction.

"You can't do this alone!" Kimberly yelled angrily, getting off the couch, sucking up the pain. She went to go get her bags and go with her sister.

"No! You're not mature enough. I don't need to be worrying about you out there. You're staying here, you got that?" Kimberly didn't reply, the command rolling off of Sarah's lips. Sarah sighed before turning her head to Kimberly. "I asked you to do one thing. You didn't listen." Kimberly tried to defend herself but her sister's anger was too overpowering. Sarah sighed heavily at her younger sister. Kimberly watched Sarah's hazel eyes shift with disappointment before turning to leave. When she made it to the door frame she stopped and shook her head, her back facing Kimberly.

"You never do anything right."