Rain, Rain, come my way, wash these bloody tears away...

A day in the life of Raven Black

I sighed as the alarm blasted a re-vamped version of “Safety Dance” into my skull. Still groggy, I flung the infernal contraption in the general direction of the wall, scaring Salem, my cat. Unfortunately, I didn’t break it. Groaning, I got up and turned the stupid thing off like a sane person.
“I abhor Mondays,” I told Salem. Salem looked like he agreed.
I got dressed in my usual all black-black turtleneck, black micro-mini skirt, black knee-boots-and proceeded towards the kitchen.
“Riana, what on earth are you doing?” I resisted the urge to slap my forehead. My ditzy roommate was attempting to shove an entire frozen pizza into one of the toaster slots. Of course, she’s always trying to invent some new toaster-capable food product, but it’s usually eggs (in the shell), cookies (mixed very badly and poured into the unsuspecting toaster), or some form of fish (like my former beta, Lela).
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making Hot Pockets!” Riana looked so proud of herself, she didn’t realize that her pizza had snapped in half and got stuck in the toaster slot.
“RIANA!!! Come on, that’s the third toaster this week!” I really hate it when she does this….
“Huh? Oh…” The toaster had started sparking and smoking. “Well, look on the bright side….”
“There is no bright side! You’re paying for this one.” I had bought the last five toasters because this is technically her apartment, but this is starting to deplete my paycheck.
“Come on, Raven. It’s not that big of a deal.” She beamed. Of course she wouldn’t think so, with all her dad-funded designer wardrobe, lavish apartment and near-celebrity social status, she wouldn’t think anything was wrong. I hated her. I actually have to work for my money. Speaking of work….
“Whatever, Riana. I have to go to work. Guess I’ll go to Starbucks or something. There better be a new toaster here when I get back, and not a pink, diamond encrusted one, either.” That’s what she got last time she bought a toaster. It cost like, $5,000 or something, and twenty minutes later she shoved my red beta fish-the aforementioned Lela-into it.
“OK, OK. I’ll even get a black one, just for you, roomie dearest.” She smiled sweetly. I wanted to rip out her blonde extensions. Instead, I left for work.

Egyptian Sorceress Eboni

I rode my llama through the cold desert night, with the moon at my back and the stars all around me. Shaena, my llama, was starting to grow weak, for we had not seen water in days. I knew it was risky to try magic at this kind of location, for if I failed I would surely perish. But if I did not, my llama would die and the llama-fearing nomads who wished to eat my sparse flesh would catch up. I reasoned that the benefits outweighed the risks, so I tried the spell that would conjure up life-saving water.
I drew the sigils into the sand that would summon the Egyptian water goddess Anuket.
“aedgvzcj yivcdx”The symbols surrounded the ankh I had drawn in a circular pattern, and the wind had started to pick up. I had never used this spell before, but my sister Banu had taught it to me just prior to my leaving the temple. She had warned me about the cannibalistic nomads, but did I listen…no.
Of course Banu had always been the better one at spells, and it was no surprise when it was not Anuket who appeared but Nut, goddess of the sky.
“Eboniiiiiiiiiiiii………..why have you summoned meeeeeeeeee??? Do you wish to return to your sister, Banuuuuuuuuuuuu??”
“I would be honored if you would return me to my sister, O mighty goddess….”
“Then go nowww, Eboniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii……………..” The next thing I knew, I was back at the temple, where Banu was attempting to eat a rat. Did I mention she was a priestess of Bastet? The cat goddess Bastet?
“Banu! Guess who’s home?”
“EBONI!!!!!! YOU’RE BACK!!!!!! AND YOU’RE NOT DEAD!!” She ran up and gave me a hug. At first glance, you wouldn’t be able to tell we were twins. She had long hair the color of papyrus, and I had short kohl-colored hair. But our eyes were the same Nile-blue, and our skin was the same unusual pale white. But she was the crazy one.
“My, aren’t you a keen observer of detail? No, I’m not dead. And neither is Shaena.”
“…Then, where is she?” Banu looked confused.
“She’s right….not there.” Shaena musn’t have been transported!
“Great. You lost our llama. Way to go, Eboni.” Banu had a fondness for the llama that almost rivaled that of Abayomi, her cat. His name means literally, “he who brings joy”. Speaking of….
“Why don’t we get Abayomi to find her? He’s a spirit cat. He can do anything.”
“How did you lose her in the first place? She’s a llama for Bast’s sake.”
“Uh…Nut transported me here, but must’ve kept Shaena.”
“Well, then there’s nothing we can do. She’s a gift now.” Banu knew everything about the gods, so I can’t really question her. “All we can do is get another llama. But that will have to wait, I have to finish my ceremonial rat.”
“Do you really have to eat that?” I was kind of disgusted.
“Yes, I do. I have to get closer to the goddess for the full-moon ceremony tomorrow. So don’t interrupt me.”
“Fine. I’ll look through the market tomorrow morning, I guess.”

Starling's skip day

“STARLING!!!! YOU’LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!” Robin, my mom, yelled at me this morning.
“I know, mom! I’m out the door already.”
“Oh, no you’re not. Take your sister to the bus stop!”
I groaned. “But mom, she’s fourteen, she can walk herself. Kestrel’s a big girl now.”
“Yeah mom! I can walk myself. I don’t need the freaky Goth girl to muck up my reputation anymore.” Kestrel was the blond, perfect little prep my mother adored. I hated her.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, my little Kessie! I had no idea she was hurting your perfect little crystal image, sweetie. Fine, Starling. Looks like you don’t have to walk her after all. Now go.”
See how quickly my mom changes personas? “I love you too, mom.”
I got the heck out of there, into my spray-paint black Accord, and on the highway in about 30 seconds.
I took the long way so I could pick up my friend, Snow, at her house. In case you can’t guess, we’re not going to school.
“Finally! Where you been, Star? I been wait’n for like, 20 mins, man.” Snow was, well…snow-colored. She had white-blond hair, icy eyes, and was really pale. Me? Well, I’m…pale, like her, but I don’t resemble my namesake. I’m more raven-colored than starling-colored.
“Mother.” I needed no other explanation. Snow knew my bird-obsessed mother hated me. I was an ‘accident’, by the way. Speaking of accidents…!
“AAAHHHHHH!!!!”
“OHMYEFFINGGOD!!!!!!!!!!” We were on a collision course for a huge semi tractor-trailer!
CrUncH. Was that the car or me?
It was the car. We were practically swimming in what was either a lot of blood, or a lot of ketchup. Hopefully it was the latter.
About an hour later, we were pulled out of our ketchup-filled car (we had hit a ketchup truck) and swore to never ditch again.