LoK: Lifestyle
by Odeena Sabnach
// The next morning...
// A very sleepy Raziel crawls out of the bedroom, tumbles down the stairs and finally stumbles into the kitchen
Raziel: Mornin', dad, mornin' mum, and mornin'... err... *pauses, looking at Vorador* Am I supposed to call him grandpa or something?
Kain: *shrug*
Raziel: ...right. Can I have some coffee?
Kain: Sure, help yours--
Umah: No way. You're too young to drink coffee.
Raziel: But mum--
Kain: But dear--
Umah: No 'but'. That's final.
Kain: ...yes, dear.
Raziel: But without coffee it will take me half the day just to wake up!
Umah: Try doing something else! Go jogging, for instance! Or do some exercise! And you also need to improve your diet. Here, have some milk and cereals.
Raziel: But that's for little kids!
Umah: And just what are you supposed to be?
Raziel: A... teenager?
Umah: Wrong. You're a kid. Now eat your cereals.
Raziel: *mutters something unrepeatable*
Umah: What was that?
Raziel: Err... nothing. By the way, Vorador is eating cereals from my bowl.
Vorador: I don't see your name on it.
Raziel: Look closer.
Vorador: *turns the bowl around and sees Raziel's name written in small letters on the other side* ...oh. Sorry .
Umah: Dad, don't talk with your mouth full. And Raziel, just take another bowl.
Raziel: I can't do that.
Umah: *glares* And why not? I doubt that's the only bowl in the house.
Raziel: It's not that. You see, each of us kids has his own bowl, so if I were to take another one, I would risk an unnecessary and furthermore regrettable conflict with one of my siblings. *to himself* I'm starting to sound like Rahab. Go figure... *loudly* So why do it then?
Umah: Okay then, have some butter toast.
Raziel: Can I have some cappuccino after that?
Umah: *flatly* No.
Raziel: Chocolate sauce?
Umah: No.
Kain: Why not? I mean, it's not unhealthy or anything...
Umah: It's fattening.
Kain: Oh.
Raziel: Dang! *kicks at one of the table legs in frustration* ...Ow.
// Fifteen minutes, three slices of butter toast and a glass of milk later, Raziel feels a little better. Then, he notices something strange...
Raziel: Dad?
Kain: Yeah?
Raziel: What's with that twig in your hair?
Kain: *mutters* Damn, I must've missed that one... *loudly* It must be from that swamp tree Umah tel--*Umah kicks him in the shin*--ow! What did I do?
Raziel: *eyebrow raised* Swamp tree...?
Kain: Yeah, well, we--*Umah kicks him again*--swamp tree? What, did I say swamp tree? I meant... err...
Umah: Never mind what he meant. Where are your brothers, anyway?
Raziel: Sleeping.
Umah: *looks at her watch* At this hour?
Raziel: Well, they did have some... err, difficulties last night, so I say let them sleep on.
Kain: What difficulties?
Raziel: To sum up, Melchiah locked himself in the closet, Dumah lost his snake and wrecked the entire room until he found it curled up in one of Turel's shoes, Turel had to sleep under the bed in order to preserve his body integrity, and Rahab and Zephon have been bickering all night. And that's that.
Kain: What about you?
Raziel: Well, I went downstairs and slept on the couch.
Vorador: So it's you who have been poking me in my ribs all night!
Raziel: You... mean... you... were... *chokes*
Vorador: Yes, I was the one sleeping on the couch. What, didn't you recognize me?
Raziel: *clamps a hand over his mouth and runs out of the room*
Vorador: ...what's up with him?
Kain: *eyebrow raised* I have no idea...
~ To be continued ~