Adventures of the Introvert

Chapter 2

Gentle fingertips were forming circles on the warm skin. She didn't know for how long she has been feeling that cold touch. Circles would close up - but with every end there was another beginning. Trapped in the unending darkness, she was aware only of that tender and tireless repetition on her right palm. And nothing mattered. And nothing was all.

Once more in the endless row, the circle was completed. A quiet beating echoed somewhere far away.

One more circle was closed up and the beating became louder, courageous. Bold enough to impatiently await for the next circle.

More vivid, the beating was echoing through the darkness and her whole world was only that - the familiar beating of Sophia's heart.

"Hey." She heard pleasant female voice. "Sleepy."

Sophia was staring at the ceiling illuminated by dim light.

"Do you sleep with your eyes open too?" the voice was heard again.

"I..." Hoarse whisper left Sophia's mouth. "opened... my eyes?"

"Five minutes ago."

"I can even... speak" Her voice was slowly coming back.

"Mhmm"

The feeling of pure happiness flared up. She could see, hear, talk... even feel again. Her heart was racing and her breathing speeded up. The joy she had felt started to fade out. What happened? Where was she? Who is--

"You are probably wondering who I am." She heard that girl again, but didn't say anything. "Or not..." Still quiet. "Because that would be... normal?"

Sophia rashly turned her head. A girl was sitting on an old armchair. Her pale ice-cold hands were holding Sophia's, elbows set against the bed. Dark hair gleamed under the candle light, its ends touching girl's shoulders. Sophia's sudden move didn't startle her, and she calmly moved her gaze from thier joined hands. Warm blue eyes met Sophia's.

"I'm Kamile," her voice was soft and pleasant. "But you can call me Kami." A wide smile brightened up her face.

Sophia slowly raised her head off the pillow and sat leaning against the head of the bed. She tried to convince herself that she was dreaming. Considering the whole situation, she couldn't think of another explaination.

"Ohh..." She mumbled confusedly.

"You are eloquent." Kamile teased.

"You'd be surprised." Sophia smiled, removed the blanket and sat straight. Breathlessly she observed her dirty and torn clothes.

"You know what? I'm impressed." Kamile stated, leaning back in her seat.

"By my outfit?"

Kamile's laugh turned into a cough. After few seconds she soothed her breathing. "You could say so." She smiled. "But I meant something else."

Sophia moved to the very edge of the bed.  Her bare feet touched the soft carpet. She was right across Kamile. "And what is... something else?" she asked, although she already knew what the answer could be.

"Ahhh..." Kamile sighed deeply. "I expected you to start screaming, panicking... Probably to pull my hair or maybe scratch my face. Then to yell that you have been kidnapped and try to jump through the--"

Her eyes met the large window on the opposite wall. First signs of the new day were visible through the silk curtain. She paused, straightened in the armchair and with quiet and a bit hoarse voice continued. "Anyway... I like you." She smiled and looked Sophia in the eye. Leaning in, she whispered. "You can trust me."

Sophia was sitting tensely, looking at the sky-blue eyes. And she trusted them. Without any particular reason - she felt safe. Maybe she had been kidnapped, maybe she should have screamed and tried to run away. But she didn't. What's happening to me? she thought. I hope I'm dreaming.

"And what would have happened if I met your expectations?" She cut the silence, noticing that she had spent too much time blankly staring at Kamile's eyes.

Kamile laughed and stood up, walked to the other side of the room and opened huge wooden wardrobe.

"Don't worry about that." She was rummaging through the stuff. "I have a bodyguard in the room next door." She giggled and pulled out few clothes from the piles. "Here you go. I think these will fit well. The bathroom is down the hall left, if you need to refresh." She put the clothes on the bed next to Sophia. "You can leave yours in the bathroom, mom will take care of them."

A bit surprised by the development of the situation, Sophia needed few moments to proccess all the information. "Mom?" she asked. "On whom could I stumble upon here?"

Kamile laughed. "You just don't fail to impress me. Instead of  'Who are you?' and 'Where am I?' or anything similar, that is the question I get?" She coughed. "I will be... In the next room..." Headed to the door, her steps were slow and unsteady. Leaning against the doorpost, she mumbled. "When you finish-" Cough interrupted her. For a second her legs trembled. She grabbed the door handle and avoided the fall.

Sophia jumped off the bed and hurried to her. "Are you okay?" She asked and tried to hold her.

"No, no..." Kamile rejected the help.

"I'm fine." Her voice was barely audible. She tried to cover it up with a smile.

"I..." Unconvinced, Sophia went back and sat on the armrest of the ancient armchair. "I have a question. Actually - a few."

"Woah... Finally." Kamile teased again. "Off you go. What would you like to know?"

The silence followed. A whole ocean of questions was on Sophia's mind.

"You are not kidnapped, if you are interested." The teasing continued. "And I guess you should be... I don't know..."

"Am I dreaming?" Sophia finally formed the question.

"And what do you think?"

"Well... It's too realistic for a dream. But also... vice versa." Sophia said awkwardly. "I just feel... different. I'm not sure if that makes any sense but--"

"You'd be surprised." Kamile imitated. They both giggled. "More questions?"

"You didn't even answer this one." Sophia complained.

"Maybe you should find out by yourself... So? More questions? Because... I need to--"

"Do I know you?" Before she could stop them, the words left Sophia's mouth. Embarrassed, she tried to explain. "You know... It just feels like we know each other."

"Well... Now we do." Kamile shrugged and coughed again. She pulled a white tissue from her pocket and put it on her mouth.

Sophia was sitting still, unsure of what to do. She wanted to help but she had been rejected once already. And there was no way to help anyway - it seemed like the cough was tearing up girl's lungs. When she finally calmed down, she folded the tissue and tucked it back in the pocket. But Sophia noticed the red stains.

"Is that--" She blurted out and jumped from her seat.

"I really need to go now." Kamile sounded exhausted. "See you later." Then she opened the door and disappeared from the room in a blink of an eye.

Sophia was left alone. She crossed the room and took the folded clothes. Holding them in her arms, she was looking through the window. The morning sun was slowly showing up on the wooded horizon. Weak winter sunshine was reflecting on the sea of pearly white snowflakes, and the daylight overpowered dim candle light in the room.

The visible landscape was unfamiliar to her. Meadow and woods were everything she could she.

I'm dreaming for sure, she thought with relief. While somewhere deep inside of her, hidden and furtive, there was a fluttering desire that she was awake.