Ritu spine went cold, she felt weak as if it would disappear at any moment. Breathing in, she looks at the urns. Just the other day her parents were making breakfast, despite that she grabbed a bowl and spoon.
"I'm just having cereal." The shadow of spiders skuttle spilling up the walls to splat into the corner.
She made this decision the moment before she was asked to scramble some eggs. They aren't her parents anymore, but are her parents in urns?
Knock Knock. Knock.
"Melia's asking for you, she's out in the livingroom." a voice says.
"Thanks." Ritu says. She pulls open her bedroom door seeing nobody, and not looking up. knock knock knock (they already knocked) knock knock knock (please stop.) knock knock kno-
On the couch was a nostalgic sneerish smile. "Heyyy, where the fuck you been Reeti?" Melia says.
Ritu holds back a sneeze, steps and pulls a curtain half closed and slumps into a chair across from Melia.
"Mel, what do you need?" Ritu says.
"You know how I am, always got to chit-chat." Mel says. The couch squeaks as if to punctuate her statement.
"Which is hard to do when you hardly come out." Mel continues. "It seems like everyone's seen a ghost sometimes." She plays her hair with her right hand while putting a pillow in a choke hold with her left. "Yeah, I've just been thinking about... you know. And I've got nowhere to go but here."
"Are urns such a big scare?" Mel says. "You can still have breakfast with us in the morning."
Ritu says. "Do you ever feel like you aren't right? -like you don't fit. I don't like feeling like I'm not supposed to fit in this house"
Mel laughs showing her teeth and the couch squeaks again. "Yeah, I know that feeling." Mel says. "On Halloween, you and Alexsis picked on me for that Super-guy costume and stubble." Mel says. "Or that-." Mel shakes her head. "Sorry not important."
Ritu leans towards Melia and uncrosses her arms and gestures with an open hand. "Well, it was mostly because you took his jacket and my eyeliner."
"Still. Halloween lets me..." Mel says. "Well, anyways how is that dweeb? Hopefully not too cold."
Ritu sighs. "Is there something you need?"
Melia puts both arms around the pillow. "Can you cut my hair. Mom says I should to grow it out but, that doesn't fit."
Melia leans in. "I'm more than girly enough but just the occasional 'dude' and she gives me looks."
Melia looks at their clothing as if they were turned into burlap and squeezes the pillow as if to flatten herself.
Ritu leans back. "If you wanted that you could've just said. It suits you, Mel."
"Ritu. I don't like that name, y'know." Melia-(???) stands up and tosses aside the pillow. "Let me know if you find 'em."
Ritu rubs her eyes. Alexsis should be able to help her figure this out but that's after brunch cereal and coffee.