Three hours had passed but Andy couldn't get her nose out of the book. She could now read the alphabet front to back and back to front with ease.
"I don't get it," Samuel said. "Even I can't read it backward."
"Beginner's luck, I guess," Andy answered and started showing off again.
"Z - Y - X - W - V - U - T ..." She didn't even think as she read out the letters. It felt natural to read and learn. She had never been happier.
"Show-off," Samuel said with a grin.
"You're just jealous!"
"Reading the alphabet backward is not exactly a talent to be jealous of," he replied but Andy didn't care. In her mind, she kept singing the alphabet song Samuel had taught her.
"Anyway, it's getting dark. I think we've got all we need," Samuel said closing the book and grabbing his pile from the table. Andy pulled her book against her chest hugging it tightly.
"Are you sure?" she asked looking at him. His face was barely visible from behind the books. "Maybe just a few more?" she teased.
"Do all Cirren people have such bad sense of humor?" Samuel asked.
"I guess I'll have to read my book to find out," she answered her face glowing with happiness.
Samuel rolled his eyes and started walking towards the door. Andy opened it swiftly and followed him with a little dance in her walk.
Andy didn't have much stuff to pack. She hadn't managed to save her previous book or Grandpa's box from the fire. She felt sad and disappointed every time she thought about the box. It was the only thing she had of him and now she didn't even know whether her family was alive or not. She was hoping they might pass some camps along the way to Carran and maybe she could be reunited with them. The dream she had had of them being all on Carran and Andrew wearing a bath robe, was still in her thoughts. It had been too beautiful to let it go.
Samuel had three big suitcases. He had one full of clothes. Andy didn't understand why someone would even need that many but she never dared to ask. No matter how nice he and his mother were to her, she was still a guest and a stranger to them. Andy looked at Samuel who closed his last case with contentment on his face.
"For a moment, I thought I might need another case," he said but when his eyes met Andy's, his smile faded.
Andy was sitting on her bed stroking the book. It was all she had now. Samuel carried the last case to the other ones that were already waiting by the door. He was quiet. Quiet was good - it was something Andy was used to. When she was still living with her family, they hadn't chatted much before going to bed. There was something comforting in the silence.
"Well, I'll be off to bed now," he said finally. "Good night!"
"Good night!" she responded.
As soon as he stepped out, Andy opened the book again. Although she knew the alphabet, she wasn't able to read quite yet. Samuel had told her to read the letters out loud and see what word could they be. But reading Cirren out loud to herself sounded more like 'siren' to her. She wouldn't stop trying. The words were her way of escaping the reality.
She didn't notice when she drifted off but when she opened her eyes the sun was already rising. She stayed under the blanket staring out of the window. What a blissful moment, she thought.
There was a knock on the door and Samuel's mother, Sephora peeked in holding a bowl of medicine in her hands. She smiled seeing Andy already awake.
"I couldn't sleep either," Sephora said. Andy pulled her legs closer to her allowing Sephora to sit on the bed.
She stirred the contents of the bowl a few times before handing it over. Andy looked at it with the same disgust as every time but swallowed with instantly. She wrinkled her nose sensing the smell coming from the bowl.
"I'll take some herbs with us so we can continue the treatment," Sephora said and took back the bowl. Usually, she left right then but this time she lingered on the bed as if there was something she wanted to say. After a few seconds, she just shook her head and stood up. Andy watched her walk out and got dressed. It was time to get on the road.
"I don't get it," Samuel said. "Even I can't read it backward."
"Beginner's luck, I guess," Andy answered and started showing off again.
"Z - Y - X - W - V - U - T ..." She didn't even think as she read out the letters. It felt natural to read and learn. She had never been happier.
"Show-off," Samuel said with a grin.
"You're just jealous!"
"Reading the alphabet backward is not exactly a talent to be jealous of," he replied but Andy didn't care. In her mind, she kept singing the alphabet song Samuel had taught her.
"Anyway, it's getting dark. I think we've got all we need," Samuel said closing the book and grabbing his pile from the table. Andy pulled her book against her chest hugging it tightly.
"Are you sure?" she asked looking at him. His face was barely visible from behind the books. "Maybe just a few more?" she teased.
"Do all Cirren people have such bad sense of humor?" Samuel asked.
"I guess I'll have to read my book to find out," she answered her face glowing with happiness.
Samuel rolled his eyes and started walking towards the door. Andy opened it swiftly and followed him with a little dance in her walk.
Andy didn't have much stuff to pack. She hadn't managed to save her previous book or Grandpa's box from the fire. She felt sad and disappointed every time she thought about the box. It was the only thing she had of him and now she didn't even know whether her family was alive or not. She was hoping they might pass some camps along the way to Carran and maybe she could be reunited with them. The dream she had had of them being all on Carran and Andrew wearing a bath robe, was still in her thoughts. It had been too beautiful to let it go.
Samuel had three big suitcases. He had one full of clothes. Andy didn't understand why someone would even need that many but she never dared to ask. No matter how nice he and his mother were to her, she was still a guest and a stranger to them. Andy looked at Samuel who closed his last case with contentment on his face.
"For a moment, I thought I might need another case," he said but when his eyes met Andy's, his smile faded.
Andy was sitting on her bed stroking the book. It was all she had now. Samuel carried the last case to the other ones that were already waiting by the door. He was quiet. Quiet was good - it was something Andy was used to. When she was still living with her family, they hadn't chatted much before going to bed. There was something comforting in the silence.
"Well, I'll be off to bed now," he said finally. "Good night!"
"Good night!" she responded.
As soon as he stepped out, Andy opened the book again. Although she knew the alphabet, she wasn't able to read quite yet. Samuel had told her to read the letters out loud and see what word could they be. But reading Cirren out loud to herself sounded more like 'siren' to her. She wouldn't stop trying. The words were her way of escaping the reality.
She didn't notice when she drifted off but when she opened her eyes the sun was already rising. She stayed under the blanket staring out of the window. What a blissful moment, she thought.
There was a knock on the door and Samuel's mother, Sephora peeked in holding a bowl of medicine in her hands. She smiled seeing Andy already awake.
"I couldn't sleep either," Sephora said. Andy pulled her legs closer to her allowing Sephora to sit on the bed.
She stirred the contents of the bowl a few times before handing it over. Andy looked at it with the same disgust as every time but swallowed with instantly. She wrinkled her nose sensing the smell coming from the bowl.
"I'll take some herbs with us so we can continue the treatment," Sephora said and took back the bowl. Usually, she left right then but this time she lingered on the bed as if there was something she wanted to say. After a few seconds, she just shook her head and stood up. Andy watched her walk out and got dressed. It was time to get on the road.
I think it's quite a cool talent to be able to read the alphabet backwards, I can't do it. Enjoyed this part very much as usual, looking forward to read more. :)
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