Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

 

     I let out a great yawn and tried to rub the sleep from my eyes, but my arms wouldn’t move. With my eyes barely able to open, I looked down to find that my wrists were tied with course, wiry rope, and sitting neatly in my naked lap. I was seated on a huge, ornate, wooden chair, with ample cushioning for my sore bottom. I suppose the cushions weren’t ample after all. My legs dangled from the seat, unable to reach the floor, and upon trying to get up, I found that my ankles were bound as well. I slumped back into the chair and looked around at my surroundings, or at least what I could make out in the darkness. A single fat, white candle was lit and resting on a wooden table fairly near me. There was nothing else on the tabletop, and the room looked to be quite tidy. The whole thing, ceiling to floor, was made from wood, as was all of the furniture. I thought I could make out a bed on the other side of the room, but between that and myself there were rows of cabinets, drawers, an armoire, and one whole wall was a bookshelf.

     I could guess that I was in someone’s bedroom, but beyond that, I really had no clue as to where I was. I heard muffled voices bickering, over what I couldn’t tell, but from them I could guess where the door was. The voices sounded familiar and so I tried to remember where I’d heard them. The night’s events came rushing back to me, jerking me into full awareness. I checked for the blood I remembered seeing when I blacked out, but I carried no visible injury. I was confused and too tired to really care if all of this was real or not. Even if I were actually dreaming, it was still better than my waking life where I had a fourteen-hour waitressing shift waiting for me, but I really hated that I couldn’t even relax in my dreams.

     It seemed like my eyes had only been closed but a few moments when the door burst open. I saw the red hair first, before seeing the two bodies. I groaned. I was already sick of this woman. She shot me a glare before throwing a bundle of clothing at me and storming right back out, saying something rather heatedly to her guy as she left. He sighed before coming over to me and undoing my binds, and I thought I heard him mutter the word “sorry” to me. I responded without thinking, “Eh, it’s not your fault. Sorry about being naked and all, I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I just don’t know what’s going on here.” I motioned my free hands at him, indicating that I wanted him to turn around. It was my turn to sigh as I put on the too loose, light gray sweater dress and knit leggings. “Of course you don’t understand anything I’m saying. I’m just tired I guess.”

     He responded hesitantly, “No, I understand some.” This startled me pretty bad, causing me to let out a little squeak of a noise. He turned around and I saw that his brow was furrowed and his knuckles to his lips, like he was deep in thought. “Why are you here?” he asked. “Good question.” was my response. I got a slight glare before the next question. “Where are you from?” “Clearly not from here. Where is here by the way?” “You are in SnowCat territory. We don’t take lightly to trespassers, especially not on holy ground.” “I’ve heard of the Catskills, but not SnowCat. I still don’t know where I am, how I got here, and I certainly didn’t knowingly trespass. I’ve got two theories at the moment. One, I’ve been kidnapped for God only knows what reason and two, I’m still dreaming. What do you think about that?” “Interesting you should mention God. My fiancé, the lovely woman you’ve had the pleasure of meeting twice now, is the priestess of this clan, God Touched in fact. She was rather upset that you were defiling the lifespring of our last remaining deity, Varterus. I am sorry she threw a knife into your back, but I need you to tell me everything you can remember from that point on.”

     My mouth went agape but I quickly shut it again with an audible click. “So that really happened…” I put my elbows on the table, a knuckle in my mouth, and proceeded to nibble on it. A little pain to remind me that I’m here, in this maybe reality. “Yes, but please, it’s important that I know what happened after, from your perspective. Tell me what you felt, thought, dreamt, everything.” I frowned. “Are you a shrink or an interrogator? Wait, don’t answer that.” Sighing I put both my hands up to my temples, rubbing the ache and insanity (hopefully) out of my head. “Look, there isn’t much to tell. The hot spring was nice but the next thing I knew I was in a pool of blood, then I was being caressed by light and flooded with emotions and images I can’t recall. It was all quite hazy and too overwhelming to retain specifics. I was either delirious or dreaming, neither of which could be all that important to you, though I really hope I’m not losing my frickin’ mind here, not that you’d care. Or maybe I’m seeing you because I have lost my mind.” I shrug as if losing it is not a big deal at all. A quizzical look flashes over his shadowed face but is quickly replaced with a stoic one as he stands. “Well, that’s all I needed to know. Thank you Miss Losing your “Frickin” Mind. It was a pleasure, good night.” And with that he walks out, slamming the door shut behind him. I hear a small “chink” and know that I’m locked in here. Well, at least there’s a bed in here, maybe I can dream up a more normal place. 

Author's Note

In the near future I will be condensing this chapter and combining it with chapter 3.

Reviews

[The Representative]

'Even if I were actually dreaming, it was still better than my waking life where I had a fourteen-hour waitressing shift waiting...'



'My mouth went agape but I quickly shut it again with an audible click.....I put my elbows on the table, a knuckle in my mouth, and proceeded to nibble on it. A little pain to remind me that I'm here, in this maybe reality.'



I was thoughtful, in particular over these lines. To just say it plainly - they're fun, in their each way.



I hope it's meaningful for you K.A., having particular lines quoted back to you.

[KA Sharp]

It IS meaningful to me. This book is my first attempt at writing in 5 years, so while it isn't well written, I'm truly touched that the passion and heart of it shines through, to one person at least.

Chapters 2 and 3 have a lot of unnecessary tidbits, so I'll be condensing and combining them in the near future, but please stick with it as it gets really exciting and the sci-fi aspect of it finally starts to show in Chapters 9-12.
I'll be reviewing your work soon, so look forward to it!