Chapter 6: The Sixth

Suni, in his room, looks out the window – the first day in the college did not go too bad, he thinks. Rather, it went without any adventures – which is a good thing in his mind.

Suni decides to turn off the lamp, the mother would be less likely to disturb him. 

The two moons – Monte and Small Orion – Illuminate the front yard and add some light to the dark room. The barren, damaged surface of Small Orion doesn't look that much appealing to the eye – debris from its blown-off surface still orbit the planet. The tides have changed since then. Maybe, these moons – now appropriate to call no other than piles of rubble – are also responsible for the death of a lake.

Suni doesn't feel sadness over it – more a slight hint of the sorrow over a world before, which he never saw. He is born into this one, and can't leave it. Someone of his status is prohibited from departing this planet.

Suni opens his bed cabinet – three pills left in the blister pack. No, he can't.

He calms himself, the sleep will be peaceful. The nightmares that usually haunt him won't come tonight. Right. Suni promised himself to only take it if they would become too severe.

"Fine... for now," he whispers.

And – it does prove peaceful. Although, less than Suni would want. He likes to just sleep through, without anything bothering his mind – up to the morning.

No, it wasn't a nightmare. Quite the contrary – dream, a pleasing one. Something from childhood: he and Var are playing around near the lake a decade or so ago; chase each other; splash water; share a bar of chocolate. The dream consisted of intense tones: the sky was pink, grass – poisonous green color.

Suni isn't even sure such events happened in the real life, but the scene is too generic for them not to. That's all they did when they were kids after all – just played around. But he doesn't sense nostalgia from those times. It isn't there for him. Maybe, he is just too young to feel it, Suni figures.

"Did you sleep well?" the mother's voice interrupts his early-morning's mind-wandering. She stands at the doorway, apprehensive to go inside his room.

"I did."

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"How was your first day? Did you make friends?"

"More or less."

"I wanted to ask yesterday, but you..."

"Yeah, I... I understand."

"So... anyway, good luck today."

"Thank you."

Cold and distant. The atmosphere, the conversation. It feels like there is a whole world of difference between them. An ice wall that they pretend not to see. Although, one person out of the two – Suni – is less in denial.

"Did anyone... compliment your hair?" she asks the last thing, before leaving.

"No, not really."

"I see..."

As a result of a sudden question, Suni catches himself on the sudden urge to cut it – his hair. He snaps himself out of it, there is no need to be that impulsive.

Although, it is not the last time that such compulsion will appear. Perhaps, it will show itself many times over.

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