Chapter 9. Suffering from epic major writer's block so I have a feeling this is going to drag on a little bit. Sorry if it's not the greatest chapter ever :/ Fairly short, but it'll be longer next time, promise.
"Sure, grab a plate and start washing."
I had secretly been hoping she would've said no, but that would've been best-case scenario. I hate doing the dishes, but my brothers always ended up bailing on me whenever the time came for us to do them. I suppose I'd just have to shut up and deal with it.
I picked up the plate that I had and scraped it into the tiny trash bin. My stomach hissed at me and I hoped they hadn't heard.
"Have you eaten enough, Kyara?"
Damn. Magenta had. "I have." My stomach gurgled a little louder. "Where do I wash it?" I interjected loudly trying to change the subject.
"Over in the sink here. Columbia, move over." Magenta bumped a sore Columbia out of the sink's path and gestured to it. I walked over and grabbed the handle.
"Wait, not that one, that one's-"
I pushed it up and water came from the faucet like a mild geyser, covering my robe, Magenta's apron, and drenching Columbia's sequins. Pulling it back down, I shook myself off.
"Broken."
Oops. "Sorry…"
"It's fine, it's fine. Use this one instead." Magenta instructed, pointing to the lever to the right of the broken one.
Columbia squealed and was fussing with a dish towel trying to get dry. I didn't really care. I would prefer any day to get sprayed with liquid from the sink than to be out in that thunderstorm. Just thinking of it made me shiver.
Dishes clinked, towels dried, and soon we were finished. They led me once more through the labyrinth of halls back to their room.
Once there Magenta flopped onto the couch, Columbia on her heels. I sat in the chair in the corner, looking around for a wall clock.
"What time is it?" I asked, not finding one.
"Does time really matter?" Magenta sighed, examining her fingernails. "Why are you so concerned with it?"
Really, I was just counting the minutes until they were asleep. I had a plan. But of course I would never tell her that. "I just want to know because… I… uh… because. Yeah."
They looked at me strangely. I smiled back like I usually do when someone gives me that look. It usually works but this time I had a knot in my stomach that wouldn't untie. Shrugging, they returned to their chatting.
"Dinner was delicious tonight, Mags," buzzed Columbia. "I sure loved it."
"Thank you," Magenta bubbled in reply. "I try my hardest."
I truly couldn't say anything nice about it, but I guess I could try. "I liked it too."
Magenta laughed a hefty laugh and turned her gaze in my direction. "I could tell. You loved it so much you decided to share with the dumpster."
My face felt hot. "Um… Sorry."
"Quit apologizing, kid, it's fine."
"Okay." I sat back in my chair with my head in my hand, listening to Columbia's squeaks and Magenta's one word responses. After what seemed like ages, they drifted off to sleep. Now it was time for my plan to commence. I stood up from my seat trying to make as little noise as possible. Tiptoeing over to the dresser where Columbia and Magenta had tossed my wet clothes, I carefully untied the sash of the robe they had given me and let it fall to the ground.
With great difficulty, I stretched my damp jeans over my sneakers and socks. I felt my dead phone in my back pocket and another lump in my front. Feeling in gingerly, I realized it was the Swedish Fish I had put there beforehand. Popping one in my mouth, I managed to get my frizzy hair and freezing bikini top into my soft green sweater. Glancing nervously over at the two sleeping, I grabbed my bag from the table, quietly replacing everything Columbia had dumped out of it earlier in the evening.
Slinging it on my back, I crept over to the door. I grabbed the glass knob and twisted it. The door released with a long creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeakk. I shuddered and looked over at the two. Columbia shifted around in her sleep and muttered something inaudible but then returned to her sleeping position. I sighed silently with relief, able to feel my heart pounding a million miles an hour in my chest. Stepping outside, I quickly and soundlessly shut the door.
I sighed audibly this time and sat down against the door. The suspense had killed me, and as far as I was concerned, the hardest part was over. I was wrong though. The hardest part had just begun.
