binary | elsie [snapshots]

[Anneliesse Sauveterre]

11 june 1961
dining hall
midmorning.

It was very, very cold. Anna stood in front of the hot beverage station, wondering how it could truly be June. She reached a hand out to her left, without really making sure that her target was within reach, and tugged the sleeve of Elspeth's blouse.

"Elsie," she said, eyes fixed at the array in front of her, fist clenched on fabric. "how is it to make hot chocolate."

[Elspeth E. Tilden]

Curious eyes flit from side to side as Elspeth weighed out the options in front of her. Coffee was too bitter and the tea selection was dire, though there seemed to be an endless selection of hot chocolate and little treats to plop on top.

A tug then, and her hand intertwined with Anna's intuitively.

"You've never made hot chocolate before?" Her brows knitted together, "At all?"

[Anneliesse Sauveterre]

"No." she said. Anna paused, then added, "No, at all."

English idioms. She was a master.

Anna had seen the hot chocolate that other campers had concocted: thick decadent mugs piled with whipped cream and candies and peppermint and sprinkles and little squashy marshmallows. It had intrigued her. She squeezed Elsie's hand, curling around her friend's arm to hug it to her body.

"You have made it, yes? It is chocolate, but it is hot?"

Maman had allowed her hot milk with coffee, Uncle had always allowed her tea.

[Elspeth E. Tilden]

There was marshmallows in different colours, chocolates with different fillings, even gummy sweets and whipped creams that sparkled! This was no regular hot chocolate. Oh how lucky Anna was to be experiencing her first in a place like this -- and with Elsie no less!

Vanilla balmed lips quirked into a soft smile as she squeezed Anna's hand in return. She welcomed the warmth of her friend and a small shiver ran down her spine.

"Exactly." She confirmed, "Melted chocolate and some hot milk mixed together. After that you can add any of this other stuff."

She gestured to the spread before them and sighed. It was a little intimidating.

"Perhaps we should have brought a bucket."

[Anneliesse Sauveterre]

Anna eyed a particularly entrancing jar that was filled to the brim with rainbow sprinkles.

"So- these items," she said, after a moment of solemn contemplation. "They go on, not... in."

She squeezed Elsie's arm, bristling with excitement at the possibilities.

"What limit is there? What number? Of items?"