EPTShe rolled over and waited for the alarm's pattern to end. A few minutes and the alarm would shut itself off, assuming it had annoyed Kate sufficiently to get her up and moving. The alarm had underestimated Kate's ability to hold the line.
5 minutes... 5 minutes of peace after it shuts itself off, she promised herself while watching eagles fly across the flat and beautiful steppe of her mind. Eagles were so free. Free to sleep on their own schedule. Free to drop everything and go where they please. The beeping stopped mid-pattern and Kate knew she had won.
Ten minutes later, with the willpower of a thousand warriors, she managed to fling her blanket off of herself, as if the violence of the motion could stave off the guilt she felt at her lack of self-control. She'd most likely be late to work again, unless everything ran perfectly.
She ran for the shower, cursing the cold. She couldn't help but resent the new day for having taken away her cocoon of warmth. Kate knew such thoughts were a terrible way to start the day, so as the warm water hit her skin she tried to make herself think positive thoughts. But, finding nothing acceptably positive enough to think about, she settled back into her misery. It was like sitting on an old, worn out and slightly smelly couch. Comfortable, but only because it was familiar.
There was no breakfast to speak of, it having been sacrificed for those extra few minutes of eagle watching. She contemplated once again rousing her father to drive her to the train station but decided against it this particular morning. Perhaps it was out of empathy - let the man enjoy his sleep-in.
Kate found she enjoyed the walk to the station, the cold of early winter sinking in just enough for one to enjoy its bite. She felt the little icy teeth on her ears and on her cheeks while the rest of her body was warm under her clothes. Kate allowed herself a smile, even if she was going to be late. I don't even like my job anyway, she thought. The worst they can do is warn me or fire me. A six-month break from employment would actually do me wonders. Having settled the matter in her mind sufficiently, she felt free to walk into work with a smile.
This very smile effectively disarmed her manager, who probably would have given her a warning otherwise. Kate marveled at the irony of it all as she sat down at her desk.
