Day to Day

She was waken by an uneasy feeling. She just felt watched, or it could’ve been her dream. But as she opened her eyes, she saw Amelia staring at her. She couldn’t help but think that it was the cause of her awakening and uneasiness.  The girl was standing over Chloe’s sleeping body in a crouched position, holding something behind her back. Dawn was breaking; she could feel it in the air.

“What is it, kiddo?”

“It’s morning.”

Chloe frowned at her. “I didn’t mean that. What do you want? What are you holding there?”

For the 3 days the girl had been living there, she had woken up just before the break of dawn and never allowed Chloe to sleep in. Chloe found it strange and infuriating.

The girl revealed a pair of scissors tightly clenched in her fist. She extended her arm to allow Chloe to examine them closer.

“Scissors.”

She was taken aback by the fact that a young girl had been standing over her with a pair of scissors concealed behind her back while she was sleeping. But the girl was not acting in a threatening manner, but was quietly observing Chloe with an innocent look in her young eyes.

“What were you doing with those, Missy? New rule, no sharp objects to be touched with my permission and certainly not to be concealed!”

“I don’t understand. What have I done?” she gave Chloe a quizzical look and dropped the scissors on the floor, just between the two of them.

“Don’t be throwing sharp objects either!!! What the hell were you doing with them, anyway?”

“It’s morning. You said you will cut my hair. I was waiting for you to wake up. I wanted you to sleep in, so you would be well rested. I was being very quiet.”

“Oh. Hell, I forgot. F**k. Sorry ‘bout that. Just caught me off guard. Yeah, just let me make some coffee and have a cigarette and I’ll cut them for ya. Want some too?” Chloe yawned and got up.

After sharing a cup of coffee with the girl and having her cigarette, Chloe sat the girl down on her backpack. The girl wanted her hair short, as not to have them in the way during these hard times.  Impressed, she started cutting the girls long beautiful hair and finally forming it into a short Mohawk. Chloe now regretted not bringing a mirror along, because there was no way for Amelia to admire her handiwork.

“I was actually planning on going into town today, what ya think, kiddo?” Chloe asked the girl while she was brushing the remaining hair off of her face and neck.

The girl quickly turned around, her face a painting of terror. All she said was no.

“What’s wrong? I just want to check it out, that’s all.” Said Chloe in confusion.

Amelia sat down on the cold floor and turned her face towards the wall. Chloe wasn’t sure what to do, especially in case she was crying. But the girl wasn’t crying. She was sitting there with a face void of all colour and emotions.

“I think it’s about time you tell me what happened to you before you landed on my door step.”