Page 37 - 2023/24 Kaleidoscope Volume9

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I sighed and knocked on the cold hard wood that made up Aunt Elizabeth’s
door, my eyes fiff lled with dread. “Renee? Oh you’re fiff nally here.” Aunt Elizabeth

must have sensed the dread in me, as she put on a foff rced smile and held up a plate
of cookies. “I really appreciate your doing this foff r me.”

I ignored her and walked into the house, only to be greeted with what lookeeeddd
like the aftff ermath of the nuclear bomb. Toys were scattered everywhereee --- BBBarbiiieee

dolls, toy spatulas and remote controlled cars...you name it. Thereee ssshhhe waaasss. SSSiitting
in the pile of debris is my nine-year-old cousin Lily. Her eeeyyyeeebbbrooowwwsss arched as her

boba-like pupils stared right into mine. I held her gggaaaze fffoooffffff rrr a moment and slowly
made my way through the toys laying on thee ggrrooouuunnnddd, anger boiling within me.

As I tried navigating thrroouugghh without stepping on something, I noticed she
was observing me quuiieettllyy. Her eyes locked on me and my movements. An inch
away frff om herr,, I stepped on something sharp. “Ow!” I squealed, which prompted

Lily to ddoouble over, giggling as I picked up a piece of Lego on the ground. I came
to the realisation that she had put it there on purpose, waiting foff r me to step on it.

“That was uncalled foff r!” I threw up my hands in anger, which only made her
laugh more. I was so tired and exhausted, trying so hard to contain my anger. I

took a deep breath, composed myself and said, “Apologise.” Lily frff owned and
whined. “It was a joke! You’re so not fuff n,” she crossed her arms, her lips pursed
as if I were at faff ult. I scoffff eff d and opened my mouth to say something, but

swallowed it as I told myself to “brush it offff ”ff .

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