300+
It was dark in her window filled room. The moon giving her nothing more then a slight glow to brighten her large space. Each were cracked, ever so slightly, to let the air of fall in. She liked the chill, her coat fighting the cold. Mati entered slowly, quietly as if she would disturb someone. Her little hedgehog slept on the bed, curled by her pillow as he always was. But Mati was sure she would not wake him, he slept through the worst of storms and long into the day. It was something else, something fragile and unseen that she hoped not to break or disturb. The lanterns that she held were placed gently on the table, away from any paper that was usually strewn around her desk. They had been on the tree her mother had decorated. But they belonged to her now. Mati lit the match, and brought the flame to the black wick. Instantly it took the light from the match and burned its own. Mati repeated the process, and then blew the match out. Carefully she placed the used stick in an old can, and watched the flame flicker and eat away at the wick and the candle’s wax.
Though the day had been long, the evening longer she could find no comfort in sleep and even less in potential dreams. Mati had always dreamed, vivid and skewed pictures. Many focused on the things that her mind would not give up on, and it was not surprising when she met Ares in her sleep more then once. Mati could not help but think of him, just as she could not help but dream of him. He wasn’t the only one featured in her nighttime thoughts, her family frequented them, as did those she had never met and were likely figments of her imagination. But, Ares came back again and again. The woman moved to the small bookcase, the light less faint and the glow of the candles giving her all she needed. Violet eyes looked at the titles, and yet could not find anything that could satisfy her taste. Unsettled, Mati looked to the door that was left ajar. Maybe she would sleep on the couch in the common area. Perhaps there the dreams would be less vivid and she would meet no one. At the thought of it her eyes lids drooped, and she took on of the lanterns and walked towards the door, her mind thinking of sleep.