Noel slowly opened her eyes. The sunlight trickled into the room as the sun crept up from the horizon. Noel stretched her arms and rubbed her eyes. Then she froze. The clock read 8:00 am. 

‘Imposible,’ Noel leaped out of bed and pulled on a shirt. She ignored the cold floor and rushed down the hall. The slapping of her feet on the floor was drowned out by her whirlpool of thoughts. 

It was 8:00 am. Apollo only slept for two hours at a time. If it truly was 8:00 am, then he’d slept for six hours straight. Noel froze at the door, her hand halfway to the knob. Schrodinger's cat. If she opened the door, then reality would kick in. She bit her lip and quivered, finally grabbing the cold metal. Slowly she turned the knob. 

A gust of wind nearly knocked her off her feet and she had to guard her eyes from the violent winds. The room was a disaster, with books, toys, and chairs being flung into the walls. For a second Noel only gawked at the scene, then she returned to her senses. She lifted her hand and then concentrated. The wind shuddered, like a puppy being told ‘no’. Then it calmed. The flying objects crashed to the ground and Noel leaped forward, catching the cause of the mess. She landed hard on her chest and Apollo fell gently into her arms. 

Then the sting of pain came. Like a thousand needles stabbing her brain. She used all her strength to keep from moving. If she curled up in a ball she’d crush Apollo. She calmed her breaths, breathing in for several seconds, then out. 

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It took ten excruciating minutes for the pain to subside to the pint that she could stand. Apollo was fast sleep in her arms, too exhausted to be affected by the pain that came with the curse. 

Noel kept her strong face one a little longer before letting her sorrow out. Apollo was connected to the source, so his destiny would be as bad as hers. 

She lifted the crib back into place and placed Apollo in it, then laid his blanket on him. She watched her son, peacefully resting, enjoying the tranquility and normality of the scene. Right there and then, she was a normal girl, a normal mother, and with a normal son. But reality was cruel. She was not a normal girl, she was not a normal mom, and not even her son was normal. 

He truths crushed her and she left the room after kissing Apollo on the forehead. She looked at her hand, deep in thought.

‘It’s getting worse.’ The curse had worsened. She shuffled wobbly back to the bed and sat down. The sun rose still on the day her world would fall apart. She stayed there for several hours before getting up and getting dressed. 

She needed to be strong. Apollo’s life had just begun, and as his mom, she needed to be there for him. She chastised herself for wallowing and tied her hair back. She swaddled Apollo in several blankets. His gold hair tousled as she carried him. She put on her boots and opened the door. She breathed out, letting the mist rise. Then she stepped out into the white world.