As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I noticed Eleri standing at my door, wrapped in another one of her oversized sweaters, hands hidden deep in the sleeves. This time one with snowflakes on them. Like clockwork, she's always up before me. Part of our morning routine.
"You're up early again," I said, stifling a yawn.
She shrugged, offering a faint smile. "I couldn't sleep," she murmured, her voice barely rising above the whisper of the snowfall outside.
"Bad dreams?" I asked gently, though I already knew the answer. Eleri had nightmares from time to time, just like me, though I never told her about mine. I don't want her to worry.
She nodded and turned her eyes toward the window, where the snowflakes danced and piled up along the sill. "It's the snow. It always makes me feel so small."
I knew what she meant. I suppose there's something about a heavy snowfall and a sheet of white against the world that makes everything seem vast, like everything outside was too big, too indifferent. It could make you feel like a tiny speck in the grand scheme of things.
"Come on," I said, stretching and getting out of bed. "Let's head to the common room. Sometimes it's easier to just watch the snow rather than thinking about it."
Eleri followed me, as she always did. She was like my shadow, always close by.
We made our way through the kitchen, grabbing a couple of steaming hot bowls of oatmeal, and found a soft spot by the big bay window in the common room. The world outside is a winter wonderland, always snowing, quiet and untouched. Transforming the streets into a sea of white. Inside, the warmth of the room and the faint hum of the heater made the scene unbelievably cozy.
"Listen up everyone," the headmistress said, raising her voice above the chatter. "In a few weeks, we're going to have a few different visitors from each community. First will be the Sirens. A few Tidecallers from the community will be coming to give introductions and gain some volunteers."
The room erupted into whispers. "I know a few of you have expressed interest in the past. This will be your chance to ask questions and learn more," she continued.
I felt a shiver run down my spine. The idea of joining the Sirens? It was something I had never seriously considered. It sounded… unreal. Becoming one of them, living under the sea- it was the stuff of legends.
Beside me Eleri was practically bouncing in her seat. She was like a bumblebee trapped in a jar. "Can you imagine?" she whispered excitedly. "Becoming a Siren? It would be incredible!"
I smiled at her enthusiasm, though I didn't share much of it on my own. There were too many unknown. The idea of transforming into something not entirely human, of leaving behind the life I knew, made me uneasy. But Eleri was already swept up in the excitement.
"I want to ask them everything," she continued, her voice bubbling with anticipation. "What's it like underwater, how do they live.. Everything."
I forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah it'll be interesting, I guess."
In truth, the thought of it all scared me. Terrified me, actually. I liked who I was , even if the world around me felt small sometimes. The idea of becoming something else- something I didn't fully understand- felt too overwhelming. But Eleri's eyes were filled with wonder, her mind already racy ahead.
"I bet they swim with whales and dolphins," she said, her voice filled with awe. "Can you imagine?"
I nodded again, my thoughts were elsewhere, racing a mile a minute. But for now it was still far off. For now, we have time-time to watch the snow, to dream, to stay in the moment a little longer.
As we sat there the snow continued to fall outside. A bit of normalcy to calm me down. For now we were just two girls in an orphanage, sharing breakfast by the winter. The future, with all its uncertainties, can wait. Hopeful indefinitely.