5:46 PM.

The digital clock might not have been ticking, but Anne could still hear it all the same. Tick, tock, tick, tock, counting down from just a few hundred as opposed to tens upon tens of thousands. Every second important, gotta stuff herself as much as she could. Nutritional intake completely out of whack, sugar crash likely in the near future. As long as they were out of here by then, as long as they were safe.

5:48 PM.

Finished shoveling in food, got up to stretch. Wash hands, wash face, wash glasses one last time. Brush deep inside the bowels of her bag, too late for that. She looked like a mess, she was a mess, inside and out. Double checked everything, unprepared for any of this.

5:50 PM.

Tried a few more bites of something, anything, throat too tight. She'd have to croak for the entire duration of her journey, the thought not even registering for her amidst everything else.

5:52 PM.

One last panicked sweep throughout her room, what in search of not even she knew. Anything and everything that could be important even in principle. Nothing was left, of course nothing was left. That's what all the hassle up to this point has been for, after all.

5:54 PM.

Yet another final check of take-on luggage and everything it should contain. Predictably, nothing had moved from its previous spot. Pippi rolled her eyes, Anne caught the gesture. In any other circumstances she would've laughed along, laughed at herself, how silly she was being. No real room left for laughter in her mind, not now, not with so little time left.

5:56 PM.

"Don't forget to breathe."

A reminder more useful than it had any right to be.

"Right, right. Lemme just-"

One bag on her back, another on her arm. So heavy she was leaving a crater in the ground, so light compared to what was churning inside her.

"Don't tire yourself now, c'mon."

5:58 PM.

"Adrenaline's gonna keep me awake into the next week at this rate."

"You'll doze off like a baby the moment you sit down on the plane."

"Wanna bet?"

"The loser makes the first dinner at the new place."

"Deal."

5:59 PM.

"C'mon, relax, with any luck the taxi will be at least a few minutes late."

"I just don't want anyone else to see-"

honk-HONK!

"It's here."

The signs were lightning fast, faster than even Pippi's usual pace, immediately kicking them both into gear. Every useless item discarded, bags grabbed, straight out the door. They left a mess, in service of leaving a mess. Anne could barely see or hear anything, thoughts so honed on the steps immediately afterwards that the whole world just disappeared.

Her heartbeat was deafening, the afternoon light was blinding. She could only see the front door, nothing else existed, nothing else could exist. Front door, stone path in front, flanked by enough rare flowers to keep mom always occupied. A dozen meters away, a yellow cab.

"T-take care Anne, h-have a nice trip-"

bip-bip-bi-bing!

The alarm was still loud despite the distance, sudden enough to startle the twelve year old. Her older sister didn't even look, didn't acknowledge her, didn't even hear the alarm. So many things she wanted to say, she would've said if there was time-

But there wasn't, there never was.

bip-bip-bi-bing!

"T-to the airport."

Anne's words were bone dry, throat felt like she hadn't drank in weeks. Head nod, acknowledgment, thank gods.

Behind her, a shout.

"W-wait, a-airport? A-Anne, wh-where are you g-going?"

bip-bip-bi-bing!

Not now, anytime but now, I have to go I'm sorry it's too late-

Hand grabbing her arm, weak and panicked. Forceful jolt out of reflex, anything to get out, to get out, to get out, hand flailed back to free herself. Struck something soft, something firm, finally her arm freed. A glance behind her.

Marie reeling back, red handprint on her cheek. Mouth agape, eyes staring at her, frozen in place. Worry, then fear, then terror. Tears flowing down her cheeks, words forever stuck in her throat.

An unspoken question, an unknown answer.

bip-bip-bi-bing!

At last motion again, Anne finally looked away. Back at the goal, at the cab, at the worried fairy, at the confused driver. One step, another, Pippi's already in. Didn't bother throwing the bag into the trunk, just need to get in fast, get out of here fast. Away, away, please.

bip-bip-bi- clunk!

In the cab, in the cab. Engine's on, the whole thing moved. Everything else muffled out of comprehension. Her body was frozen, her eyes spared one last look back. Marie on her knees in tears. Anguish, confusion, betrayal. A thousand questions being asked of herself on loop, what did she do wrong?

What did she do wrong?

In the cab, moving away. Eyes trailing the increasingly distant sight. Her heart still wouldn't let go, would even consider slowing down. Terror, panic, tears running down her face. What did she do, what the hell did she do, she wanted to say apologize, to do something, anything-

Too late.

Two small hands grabbed hers, fingers loosely intertwined. Held tight, tight enough for her to feel the fairy's pulse. Eyes finally pried themselves loose, Pippi's presence just as reassuring through tears. She was worried, she was scared, they both were, they all were. Eternal uncertainty on whether they'd be alright, on whether anything would be alright.

Slowly, Anne leaned in, guiding one Clefable hand over to her face. She was here, they were here, them being here was all that mattered. All they had was each other, so little and so much.

They couldn't mend the past.

But they could make the most of the future.

No turning back.

The alarm went off at six.