She woke up knowing there was someone
beside her. She knew it was sure as you know that water will be wet
or that the sun will warm your skin. She was sure right up until she
reached out, and her arm passed straight through common air.
Suddenly awake, she sat up. She was
lying in the top half of a bunk bed, with a backpack at her feet.
Looking around the room, she saw two other similar bunks and two
doors. All of the beds were empty, and the sunlight through the wind
showed it to be late morning.
She felt a sense of unease, like she
was waiting for another shoe to drop. Her heart ached with longing
and despair for something she couldn't quite name. And her throat
really, really hurt. She
swallowed saliva, which did nothing to soothe her throat before
unzipping the bag and hunting for a bottle of water. Her hand found
it, almost by instinct, and she gulped greedily. It helped, a
little.
Picking
up the backpack, she climbed out of bed and tried one of the doors.
It opened into a bathroom.
Her
face in the mirror was pinched and pale. It was pretty enough, with
dark eyes and curly dark hair wild around her face. Her skin was a
little olivey, and the bags under her eyes were as dark and purple
as bruises.
Sighing,
she brushed her teeth with a travel toothbrush she found in her bag
and climbed into the shower. The water felt amazing. She hadn't
realised how badly her body was aching until she'd stepped into the
flow.
Desperately
trying to stave off thought, and knowing that no one was sleeping,
she began to sing. She started softly at first, building up to a
louder belt on the chorus. She loved to sing. She loved the sounds
felt moving through her mouth, how expressive the music was. She
loved that she could lose herself in it.
She
felt sad, suddenly, almost as if she wanted to cry. She wanted to
do...something. She wanted something in her life that was lacking,
something she had no words for, no conception of, but wanted
desperately none the less. The powerlessness of the position angered
her, and she sang more loudly to drown the feelings out.
Finally,
sung out, she stepped out of the shower and began to dress. She had
nothing more to do but face the facts, which was that she had no idea
who or where she was.
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