Chapter 3
I caught a nasty cold, and felt like I was going to cough my lungs up. Caw didn't help screaming in the middle of the night.
On Thursday they gave me class off when I was so sick I could barely focus. I slept away most of the day, and when I awoke Rake had come in to see how I was doing.
I yelled at him because I had lost my pen and couldn't find it-it sounds silly now, but it was the sickness talking, I know that now.
"Settle down Alanna." He said, pulling the covers closer to my chin and giving me a sip of raspberry twisly.
"But if I don't find it I will flunk classes!" I cried, whipping the tears from my face. He smiled.
"Your sick Alanna, I know it's the sick talkin. Now get some sleep."
"What if I don't want to get some sleep." I pouted.
"Then sit there and rot." He said, gingerly kissing me on the forehead.
I didn't find it strange then, I do now.
Why would he kiss me?
He replaced the wet rag on my head and left the room.
I fell asleep after determined that I wouldn't because I wanted to show him I would rot.
I awoke at 5, and was so disoriented on what time it was I was dressing in my page uniform when Rake came to check on me again.
"There is the Rain Cloud." He said, setting a tray of food on the desk. "Here's your dinner." It was then I realized it wasn't time to get up, and I sat on the bed.
"Thank you." I said, I was starving, and my throat was as dry as parchment.
Rake left and I ate and went back to bed.
I fell asleep unto the morning bells, and arouse with them. I found my pen, which had rolled under the desk, and went off to breakfast.
No one had cheery faces to welcome me, and it was then I remembered I was alone besides Rake. When class was done I wrote my family, not that they really cared what I was doing. They were just glad they didn't have my mouth to feed.
I finished and fell asleep on the paper.
When I awoke it was because of that demon bird hopping onto my head.
"Curse you!" I cried, jolting awake. I looked about the room to find his droppings on the sheets.
I scrubbed the droppings from them, then locked him back in his cage.
I would really have to get that lock fixed.
Caw's wing was thankfully healing, birds heal quicker than humans I guess. Because he was already flapping it up and down when I got back to the room the next night.
Daine said that he would be able to get his bandage off in a week or two. Depending on him.
I was less than glad to take care of him that long-still, I was getting use to the little urchin.
Ron was no nicer to me as the days followed. But I learned to live with him.
I finished the exsams with flying colors, but still had not friended the other girl that was here.
I was devastated on my 12 birthday, I will admit. To start my monthlies.
Curse the god that ever thought that was a good idea.
I was irritable that week. Though Rake didn't even notice. No one understood the pain that I had to go through.
But I didn't really care. I just soldiered on.