EARTH'S DEFENDERS: battle for survival

Denise's mind drifted away as she thought of what awaited her in her new school, when she walked in silence along the narrow path lined with lush flowers on both sides.

Would she be able to make new friends? Memories of her old, lonely school crept in, but at least she had her sister then. Perhaps this could be a fresh start…maybe things would go differently. Brushing her arms against the flowers, she tried to calm her nerves.

She followed Aunt Lilian, passing through corridors lined with classrooms and offices until they reached a door marked ‘REGISTRAR’ in bold letters. Aunt Lilian knocked on the door, and a raspy voice replied, “Come in, please.”

She turned the handle and stepped inside, with Denise following closely.

“ You are welcome, please have a seat,” the registrar said, and gestured to the chair opposite her desk.

The office was small but neat and books were arranged carefully on a shelf to the left, and stacks of files sat in tidy piles on both sides of the desk. A telephone and computer sat on the desk in front of the woman, who wore a black knee-length skirt and a white blouse. She looked to be in her early fifties, Denise guessed.

“Mrs. Lilian, right?” the woman asked, her lips curving into a warm smile. She turned to Denise. “And this is…?”

“Denise Larsson, my niece,” Aunt Lilian replied.

“Okay, I’m so happy to have you join us, Denise. Feel free to come to me whenever you need anything,” she said warmly, donning her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. She opened a desk drawer and pulled out a form, smoothing it with her palm before handing it to Aunt Lilian.

“Please, fill it out correctly, use capital letters when necessary,” she instructed politely.

Reaching into the small candy box at the corner of her desk, she unwrapped one for herself, then held the box toward Denise. “Do you want one, Denise?”

Her eyes roamed Denise’s face longer than necessary, studying her with gentle curiosity as she absorbed every detail.

“No thanks,” Denise declined, earning a disappointed sigh from her aunt, though she barely noticed. She wasn't supposed to be here, she hated it. Every part of this office, the sweet smell of candies, all of it reminded her of what she had lost. Flashbacks pulled her to a time when she was living happily with her parents and sister,unaware of the tragedy that would soon change everything.

—

“Wake up, Agatha ,wake up!” Denise shouted, shaking her sister's shoulders, Agatha had always been a deep sleeper.

“Leave me alone, you little monster,” she mumbled, rolling over.

“Ahhh!” Denise groaned, frustrated, she pressed a pillow over Agatha's face, watching in amusement for a few seconds as she flailed and kicked about. Unfortunately, it was the only way to pull her back to reality.

“Stop it!” Agatha yanked the pillow away, gasping for air. “Is it morning already?” she asked, fighting to keep her eyes open. “Why do we have to get up so early?”

“Because Mom says so,” Denise replied, heading to the bathroom.

“This isn’t fair, we are on summer break, we should be allowed to sleep till noon,” Agatha wailed, her voice muffled through the walls.

Denise rolled her eyes “ mom always insists we have breakfast together.”

Coming out of the bathroom, Denise found Agatha still sprawled on the bed, staring at the white ceiling lost in thoughts. She tiptoed downstairs, sneaking into the kitchen to snag a cookie. But the moment she saw her mom already there with a knowing look, she paused in the doorway.

“Good morning, sweetie those cookies are for breakfast,” her mom said, pointing at the tray of hot, freshly baked cookies on the counter.

Denise helped her mom set the breakfast table. Her dad, already dressed for work, sat in the dining area. When he noticed her, he looked up and smiled.“Good morning, angel.”

She smiled back and took a seat as the three of them gathered for breakfast.

Agatha joined shortly after, her black wavy hair still damp from the shower. Breakfast was simple, white bread, freshly baked chocolate cookies, crisp salad, and two steaming cups of tea and coffee for her parents.

Her mom set a plate of warm, toasted bread with butter and a side of salad in front of her. Denise groaned loudly, poking at the greens with her fork. “Mom, can I have some cookies now, please?” she pleaded, gently pushing the salad away.

“Sure, but only after you finish your salad, sweetie,” Mom replied with a smirk.

Agatha, meanwhile, was fully immersed in savoring hers, eyes closed in appreciation, earning a proud nod from their mother. Unlike Denise, she had always loved salad and wouldn't missed an opportunity to lecture her sister about how nutritious it was.

Denise shot her a side-eye, waiting for the perfect moment to make her move. When her mom stood to pour her dad a cup of coffee, she seized the chance. Dumping her salad onto Agatha’s plate — unbeknownst to Agatha, who was too absorbed in discussing her plans for the day.

They were barely done eating when the home phone rang,and Dad hurried over to answer it. They couldn’t make out what he was saying, but he returned moments later, announcing that he was leaving for work early due to a minor issue at the office.

“Then I’ll have to go with you today, my car is still at the mechanic’s,” Mom said, rushing into the bedroom to grab her bag. “Agatha, clear the table after you two finish eating, okay? And Denise, don’t eat too many cookies. Too much sugar isn’t good for you.”

“Heard you, Mom. Love you,” Denise said as she kissed her cheeks before going out.

“That can’t be a minor issue,” Agatha said in a low voice.