Four: "Something not completely black"

A Chapter by Maxi Belamie

The next few days were a whirwind of deep, troubled sleep, waking up gasping for air, shaking and covered in cold sweat, and exhaustion.

Every time he woke up he found himself in the same small room with Sophie by his side. She dabbed his forehead with wet cloth and whispered soothing things to him. She's make sure to give him something to drink and a little bit to eat, too.

The first time she brough him soup, he almost choked on the tears that welled up inside him.

- I, erm... I didn't know what you like. Doctor said nothing heavy at first, so I made you a soup... - she said, bringing a white ceramic bowl to him- It's with carrot, broccoli, and horseradish, t-that's why the funny color.

She rushed to explain, her voice wavering a little.

He looked at the bowl, then at the spoon on a tray, but when he lifted his hand to take it, he stopped. His entire forearm and hand was in thick cast, only the tips of his fingers peeking out. He looked at his other hand, but it was in cast, too. His stomach twisted and for a moment he thought she'd take the tray away because he wasn't capable of feeding himself. He wanted to cry like a baby then.

But Sophie only hopped on the edge of his bed and took the bowl and the spoon.

- Here. I'll help you until you're a bit better, okay? - she said with a smile.

As soon as she took a spoonful of delicious-smelling soup and went to offer it to him, his mouth closed around it and he swallowed quickly.

It tasted divine as it slid down his throat and he wanted to cry again because he couldn't remember the last time he ate anything other than old bread and potato leftovers, or drank something that's not dirty water dripping from the basment's risty pipes.

- Is it okay? I-I can get you something else if you don't like..-

Sophie's soft, worried voice snapped him out of his memories and he shook his head frantically.

- Are you sure? - she asked, searching his face.

He nodded several times.

- Okay. - she beamed at him and started feeding him again.

He tried not to be rude or eat like a starved dog, but the soup was so heavenly that he devoured the entire bowl in record time.

Sophie then placed the empty bowl back on the tray and took another one. This one was with salad. He ate it all, bite by bite, and after he finished it she brough a glass of cold orange juice to his lips.

- Here... - she breathed, leaning over him.

The smell of lilies and ocean enveloped him, strong and soothing, making his eye lids heavy. He looked up at her as he drank the juice with gratitude and raw emotion twinkling in his grey eyes. It was the first time she noticed how wonderfully grey, almost silver they are.

He felt like a small child, being taken care of and felt his hear rip wide open at her tenderness.

This continued over the next week or so. He continued to sleep most of the time and wake up even more tired. Sophie was always either beside him or he could hear her rustling nearby when he woke up. She'd bring him food and drinks, and wait ever so patient for him to finish, always with an encouragining smile. She'd check on his bandages regularly and change the ones that got dirty, always gentle and careful not to hurt him. She's even take him to bathroom, wich was a long and awkward process because he couldn't walk by himself. So, he'd lean on her while she held him around the waist and walked through the only door in his room, through what looked like a living room and down the narrow hallway to the bathroom.

At first he felt very embarassed and ashamed of his condition, especially when she had to take him to bathroom, but Sophie didn't seem to be bothered at all. And when he was too weak to take a bath, she'd wipe him with a wet cloth to freshen him up a little.

He couldn't stay awake for much longer than that, so she'd take him back to bed and carefully tucked him in. And he'd let the smell of lilies and ocean lull him to sleep.

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