Page 25 of Little Fury

“Ava! Please don't have a piss at me right now.” Harry tells me clearly not enjoying my humor.

“Ok breakfast and information hour have now come to an end. Let’s go, you two. Theo is waiting.” He stands, snaps his fingers like a genie granting a wish. I’m pretty sure I didn't make this wish.

Wonder if I can return it and ask for a different one.

The next week passes fast. It's the same day every day. Harry wakes us up; Marcus and I do our best not to fall down the stairs with shaky legs. We eat breakfast with him and Beth. It’s a pretty quiet morning routine. None of us have the energy or strength really to hold a conversation. But when Sunday rolls around, Harry doesn’t wake us up at 7 a.m. Instead, I wake up at 9. I stare up at my ceiling, confused. I’m unsure why I got to sleep in.“Marcus,”I call out to him.

“Yeah?”he responds to me, still half asleep.

“Why are we still asleep at 9? Did Harry forget about us?”

“I doubt it. Maybe we get Sundays off?”Marcus questions.

“Maybe? But I got a distinct impression that the trying to kill us was going to be an everyday occurrence until we are deemed lethal.” I loudly ask through the wall we share.

I instantly regret talking to Marcus when I hear heavy footsteps on the stairs. I groan and fling my arm over myeyes. My door opens, and Harry pops his head in.“Sunday is the day of rest, Little Ava. So how bout you two just enjoy it and stop being smartasses. Yes?”

“Seems like a good idea to me,”I tell him all fake sweetness.

“We’re going to the mess for breakfast today, so get up and dressed. I'm hungry.” Harry's head disappears from my doorway, and I hear him crack open Marcus’s.

“Ava,”Harry's head says as it appears in my doorway again,“Hurry up, lass, Marcus is already up and dressed.”

“Harry, it's Sunday; I’m tired and way too early for you to be Scottish.” He chuckles and closes my door. I hear him make his way back down the stairs. My door opens again, and this time, Marcus pokes his head into my room.

“Let’s go, Ava! I’m hungry.”

Jesus, these two are annoying this morning.

I throw on a pair of jean shorts, a black T-shirt, and my Converse from my floor. Then I’m out my door and down the stairs. I pull my shoes on as I walk across the main floor to the front door. I can see Harry and Marcus already on the golf cart waiting for me. I hop down the steps and climb on to the cart.

“Someone’s feeling very little pain this morning,”Harry comments.

“Yeah, I feel pretty good, actually. I think maybe my legs are getting stronger. My abs still hate you and Theo, but it's getting better,”I say as I tie my shoes.

Marcus mumbles something under his breath that I don’t quite hear but I think it was something like “lucky”.

We pull up to the mess hall and head inside. There are quite a few people in here today. I can hear"Bittersweet Symphony"by The Verve over the sound system. I don’t know who controls the music for the mess and other buildings, but I’d assume it's Parker. Or maybe every building justplays their own? Not sure why this is something I need to think about but there it is.

We each scatter when we get to the food stations. I find Marcus and Harry sitting with Parker and Wes. Marcus is already inhaling his French toast and sausages, while Harry has toast and a coffee. I give him a look, showing I’m clearly judging his breakfast choice.“I’ve been up for three hours already. This is my second breakfast,”he informs me.

“Ah yes Hobbits such as yourself do truly enjoy second breakfast.” I deadpan.

Wes and Parker both bark out a laugh. Harry raises a red eyebrow at me in question. Marcus just shakes his head with a small smile as he continues eating.

“Ava you would think someone as smart as you would know not to make fun of the guy who decides how many crunches she does in a day. Besides, the Hobbits were onto something with a second breakfast and elevenses.”

I lean over the table and offer Harry my fist. He promptly bumps it back. “Respect, old man,”I tell him, then plop back down to finish my breakfast.

“What are you two going to do with your day off?”Parker asks us when we are leaving the mess hall.

“I think I'm going to go for a swim today,”I announce.

I look over at Marcus; he grins and nods, confirming he thinks this is a splendid idea.

Parker and Wes both nod in agreement with Marcus.“But let's go to the pond, not the pool,”Wes says.“Summer’s ending, and pretty soon, we won't be able to use the pond.”

“Okay, I’m going to change and grab a few things. I'll see you guys in a bit.” As I start towards the house, Marcus catches up to me.

---