Athena Sweet,
Residence 12,
Triumph Road,
New Dawn.
Letter Sequence 74.
Dear Mother,
Here I am again. Feeling rather tired and abandoned at the moment. It gets like that sometimes, especially when I’ve been away from home for so long. The weather hasn’t helped. It’s either been raining or, at the least, over-cast and dreary all week. Maybe it will brighten up next week and my mood with it.
I suppose I might have felt a little less down in the dumps if something even mildly interesting had happened this past week, but it’s all been so quiet. Living in such a small community is hardly the most exciting of experiences, but I could do with being somewhere bigger, where there’s more happening, at the moment. Perhaps, when I get the chance, I will book myself into a city centre hotel for a few days.
There was a break-in at the medical centre on Sunday night or, more accurately, the early hours of Monday morning. The thieves were, though, wasting their time. Everyone round here knows the medical centre’s security is water-tight and Law Enforcement are, we hear, able to get there in under ten minutes and that’s a ground unit. An air unit would be faster still. I guess the obscene value of medical supplies at the moment makes it worthwhile having a go, even at the risk of getting caught. The punishments here for such things are quite severe, you know.
Liana has been away for part of the week. She spent three days with her aunt and uncle on the north-east coast. As usual it was Melanie who conveyed that information. I don’t know how she manages to tease these things out of Liana, who always seems to me to be so reticent to say very much. Maybe I need to take some lessons from Melanie. Anyway, Liana was back on Thursday evening.
I followed her to our local store on Friday afternoon and made sure to bump into her there. I asked her about her visit to her uncle and aunt's. She was in quite a cheery mood, which was very different to the last time I spoke to her when she was distinctly grumpy, for reasons I know not why. She was quite effusive this time, describing in detail the walks she took along the cliff-tops overlooking the sea. Apparently the sea looks wonderful but it’s still too cold to go swimming, unless you’re a seal or have a wet suit. She didn’t seem interested in saying much about her relatives, despite my best efforts to encourage her. A little heads up for you that she plans to go back before the year is out.
I also met Melanie while I was at the store, but she only had time for a brief chat as she needed to get away for an appointment with her dentist. It seems he’s quite a dish and she spends all her time looking dreamily into his hazel eyes. Sounds very different to the ogre who looks after my teeth.
You’ve been very quiet for a while now, mother. Is everything alright? I know I’ll sound like I’m the mother and you’re the daughter, but I do worry when I don’t hear from you for a while. Do write back and let me know what you’ve been getting up to as soon as you can.
I’m going to end there today. I’ve a headache coming on now and I think it will be best if I get a little sleep. Hopefully, it will do me some good. Please, please do write back soon. Even a few words would make all the difference.
Your loving daughter, Athena.
xxx
