Ellen slumped against the cold glass of the refrigerated section in the convenience store while she waited for her shift to begin at the headquarters. Her school bag was heavy and she'd already finished three cherry lollipops since the final bell rang at the end of her last class. She pulled a fresh one from her pocket and unwrapped the plastic with her teeth before she looked at the rows of sports drinks on the shelf.
"I'm tired of math equations and the idea of chasing Ethereals through a humid subway tunnel is slightly less annoying," she said to herself as she tossed a handful of coins onto the counter. She adjusted the dark grey choker around her neck and felt the weight of her tail as she moved toward the exit to start her walk. The evening air of New Eridu hit her face and she let out a long sigh while she headed toward the Victoria Housekeeping district.
