Mornings are a wonderful way to start a story. Not only do stories that start in the morning have a poetic sense to them, they also give a sense of what every day is like. Mornings are inherently full of ritual. So this story begins with a morning.
At five thirty Roxana's alarm goes off. Her body does not stir. The alarm rings again five minuets later. Roxana doesn't even twitch. Another five minuets pass, her mother starts her rounds. First Martin's room, Martin is Roxana's brother. He is four years younger than Roxana. Mother's voice carries through Roxana's door,
"Wake up. It is time to wake up. Rise and shine". Roxana's eyes snapped open, she closed them again to examine the wispy memories of her dreams. A high squeak signaled the opening of Roxana's door.
"I'm awake." It was a game that Roxana played with herself, telling her mom she was awake before she could open her mouth.
"Good morning Rox. You gonna get out of bed?" Her mothers tone switched over from warrior to mother.
"Yup." Roxana's phone was already in her hands and she was texting him.
"You at it already Roxie?" Her mother sighed, she did not like him.
"Of course, it would be rude not to say good morning."
"Whatever you say dear." Her mother left, with a distinct heaviness to her step.
Roxana unplugged the phone from its charger and started the daily dance of crawling out of her bed and down the ladder one handed. From there her morning continued. She continued to try and get a hold of him. She didn't hear from him.
Roxana went through a typical morning, putting clothes on, fixing her hair, doing make-up, all with her phone right beside her. Every few moments she looked over at it hopefully, thinking that this time he might answer her. Each time there was no answer she felt a twinge of disappointment. If he did not text her back, he was not awake. If he was not awake he would miss class. If he missed class he flunked out of school. If he flunked out of school, well their relationship was doomed. Each time he didn't respond her texts became more and more frantic. As if the more times his phone rang he would wake up and answer it, and get to class.
A half hour passed and Roxana found her self on edge. Martin was running late, as usual, and they had to be on time to school to drop off their neighbor Alex.
"Come on butt munch lets go!" Roxana yelled up the stairs.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Martin replied as a he pulled his pants on. Roxana sighed, it was like this every morning but it never stopped irritating her. Martin finally got himself together and the siblings went out to the car. Alex ran over and the three got off to school without a hitch.
What they didn't know was this was the beginning of the day that changed everything.
I think the ending is a little too ominous, and perhaps a little too short. Of course I will keep working on it.
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