Elsa Brookes was awake. She had been since dawn. She had had another vision last night, the fire in the forest. It disturbed her more than she could say but there was also the sense of, well, Purpose that it gave to her. Whatever her visions meant she would sooner or later figure out just what she was meant to do.
But for now, as the sun rose slowly, Elsa was happy to stay awake and read in her room, floating above her bed. Or, at least trying too. Hovering with wings was not as easy as Elsa had expected. She could stay aloft fairly well but the act of staying in one spot, and spending as little energy to stay there, was more difficult. She also had to watch out for the four walls and ceiling of her room, all five solid objects that would generally come out on top should she lose balance. The current of air her white wings produced sent the papers on her desk rustling to the floor. She could see a page of unfinished homework, due today, flutter each time she bet her wings. Elsa made a mental note to make sure she completed it before the class.
A loud thumping noise interrupted Elsa's thoughts and before the girl could answer Vera Brookes opened her door.
"Darling, get down from there." Her mother said absently, stalking through the room and opening a window. The day outside was overcast and dreary, Elsa would much rather have stayed home and read.
"Your father and I are leaving tomorrow for Costa Rica, we'll be gone for two weeks at the most." Her mother said, waiting for Elsa's feet to reach the floor before handing her a list. "I've put all our emergency numbers on the list and Mrs Morrison's next door." Elsa glanced wordlessly down at the lengthy piece of paper. Every possible emergency had been covered with a few, to the point notes and a number to ring in the event that the notes were not enough.
"What about a black wing attack?" Elsa wondered aloud. Vera tutted at her daughter,
"Nonsense, why would they attack you?" She replied. Her hand came up and tugged a blonde curl free from the messy knot Elsa had put it in, "Besides, we've gone over what to do. Find Hallowed ground and stay there until reinforcements arrive." With the brisk instructions over Vera departed, leaving Elsa to wonder at the organisational power that was her mother.
Elsa glanced at her bedside clock, 7.30am. School would start in an hour and the piece of undone homework was staring at her.
Downstairs she could hear her mother loudly instructing her father on what to pack.
"I'll try the school library." Elsa muttered to herself, hoping that it would be open this early. She collected her scrambled collection of notes, gathered up her books - school and novel alike - and placed them in her school bag, a low hanging black backpack. Elsa slung the bag over one shoulder and walked towards the door. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she paused, dropped her bag and turned towards her dresser. Pyjamas were not ideal clothes for school, no matter how comfortable they were.
Ten minutes later, dressed in a much more respectable pair of denim jeans and white shirt, Elsa finally set off for school.