Sea of Stars

Chapter Two: Somnolent

Spring 2011, 3 March, 0435

She could hear the soft breathing of Violet behind her in the house. Sitting on the doorstep of the house, the cool night air did nothing to soothe her aching head. She sat on her heels, the flashlight between her knees illuminating the cassette, fingers pressing the earbuds close to her ears. Rosemary could feel the nerve endings in her brain frying, see the wiring short-circuiting, spitting blue sparks as her internal systems caught fire.

God, it had been seventy-two hours since she had last slept.

Goosebumps stood on her skin and her eyes were aching and for some godforsaken reason, her hand could - not - stop - trembling. She tightened them into fists and flexed her fingers repeatedly, but her fingers maintained the wobbly, bone-deep tremor that had started to come on around the fifty-third hour. She was a loaded gun with a hairpin trigger.

She was endlessly tired yet endlessly wired. All the excitement was building up to a head. She had pressed play on the cassette player, fingers trembling with anticipation and apprehension. She heard the call of the whale song once more, lulling her leaden eyelids down, down.

Rosemary was asleep before she hit the ground with a soft thump.

***

Spring 2011, 3 March, 0900

"What has gotten into you? Wake up!"

Rosemary startled awake. The world spun lightly. A warm flush rising to her cheeks, she craned her neck up to see the severe expression on Mrs Saffron's face. "I'm sorry, ma'am."

The pointed stares of her classmates felt like needles on the back of her head. She cleared her throat mutely and straightened her back, discreetly scrubbing at her mouth and using her arm to conceal the stain of drool on her textbook.

Late winter was diffusing into early spring. Under her wool coat, Rosemary was in the middle of a full-blown Sahara summer. She had half a mind to take it off, but shrank back as she saw Mrs Saffron's stern gaze fixate on her face.

With her gaze just left of the teacher's head, Rosemary detected sympathy in the countenance of Mrs Saffron. Either way, it didn't matter. A burning red halo of shame hung around Rosemary's cheeks and head.

"Earth to Rosemary."

"Sorry, ma'am." Rosemary straightened again, and cleared her throat to compose herself. With some effort, she managed to focus her gaze back on Mrs Saffron long enough to discern she was definitely looking concerned now.

"You know you can always come to me, all right? If there's anything I can help with." Mrs Saffron lowered her voice.

Rosemary refused to meet the older woman's gaze. "Understood, ma'am." Mrs Saffron's heels clacked against the tiled floor. If only she could just... she pictured herself laying her aching body down on the floor, pressing her cheek to the cool ceramic, feeling the discomfort leach out of her like poison. If only she could press her palms against the floor, feel the balmy chill against her skin... Her eyes shut before she knew it.

"Attention! Rosemary!"

"Yes ma'am!" The words were out even before her eyes snapped open.

***

Spring 2011, 4 March, 0201

Rosemary's conclusion over months of sleepless nights was that the more you sleep, the more tired you feel. It was the same reason she had stopped trying to battle the insomnia altogether.

Running her tongue over her teeth, Rosemary winced, tasting rust. The tender gums were swollen and sore. Her shadowed eyes scraped open, meeting blindingly white haloes. God, the fluorescent lights were obnoxiously bright, overwhelming her senses.