October 13, 2021 - Jackson Heights, Queens, United States

The following day, she came down in her pajamas after waking up way too early, stretching and yawning. Her brother was already wolfing down cereal with headphones in, head bobbing along to something.

She made her way over, got a bowl of cereal of her own and snagged the milk out of Harish’s grasp before he could drink it all.

Heading back up to her room, she started thinking about her final issue which was really the long pole, what was going on and how could she prepare for it better.

She had been attacked. These splintered realms existed and were waking up. Magic sometimes worked here in the real world. And she had at least one ally in Kothin. And a crown.

She could continue to arm herself and prepare. On that note she dropped down and started doing push-ups. She failed at eight. And they sucked. Get stronger went onto her lists at number six.

Her phone chimed and she saw a message from Jade as well as another from her mother. Her friends from home had all texted from their various places to wish her well, but none were around.

She idly texted some more. Then added another item to her list:

7. Learn first aid and get kit.

That afternoon she got restless again. Her brother came home and she heard him playing video games through their thin wall. She jammed in her headphones and cranked up the music but she could still hear the rattle of artificial gunfire.

She hopped off her bed, went over, and grabbed a controller.

“How do I play this?”¹

—-

That night she told her parents she was feeling well enough to head back to school.

Her mother looked about to say something and Ella gave her a look before it even started. For once, it seemed to quell her which surprised everyone at the table.

She texted Jade to let her know she would be back and her professor to see what she had missed.

Time to get serious.