017. Go to bed early.

"Never mind," I scowled at my sister's cruel words. "I'm going to bed."

"Don't you want dinner?" my sister asked with frustration.

"I'm not hungry," I pouted. I could tell I was being childish, but I just didn't care. I was hungry, but I just **** myself to ignore it as I turned my back on her and undressed. I got into bed and saw she had turned her back as she ate to give me our traditional privacy while changing. "Blow out the candle when you go to bed," I grumbled which was usually her line since it usually took her longer to undress. She carried it to her side of the room and I heard her begin removing her clothes while I just numbly stared at the wall until the light went out.

The room was instantly dark, but my eyes quickly adjusted to the bright pale light of a high and nearly full moon on that clear summer night as I heard her bedding shift as she got into her own bedding. That day had just been so crazy and I brewed at having no one to talk to about it with. All my older guy friends had gone away to the war, and the only ones left in town my age happened to be girls.

I felt truly alone and small in the world and wondered how I was going to cope with it. I really was on the verge of tears as I shifted to stare relentlessly at the ceiling when thankfully sleep finally took me.