The Girl From Above [Ground: Zero, Book 1]

16: That's a Lot of Names that She Won't Remember

Sunlight peeled open Ryan's eyes.

She scanned the room. It couldn't have been earlier than noon. The sun was pinned high in the sky. Golden rays cradled her face, their fingertips warm against her cheek.

Ryan blinked. Restlessness itched the back of her psyche. Something was missing.

She squinted. She tried to glare at the furniture like Devany or her aunt. She could be intimidating if she tried.

She sneezed.

"Alright." She muttered. "What the hell is going on?"

The furniture didn't answer.

She pulled the blankets off of her legs and stood. The warm afternoon was like a welcoming hug. She never had the smell of bacon in the morning, but she assumed that this feeling was a close second.

She stopped dead in her tracks. A chill raked itself from the nape of her neck to her toes.

She got a good night's rest.

How did she get a good night's rest?

She gulped. Fifteen straight years of nightmares and then not a single peep? No, something was wrong, she couldn't be this lucky, could she?

Ryan shook her head. She couldn't question it, a bit of good luck was just a bit of good luck, there was nothing else to it.

She stretched. Greeting her on the table sat a pair of neatly folded clothes with a handwritten note on top.

New clothes, I hope they fit.
Find me when you wake up, there's something I need to tell you.
- Devany

Ryan tilted her head and put the note aside. She unfolded the pile to find a grey sweatshirt and a pair of jean shorts.

She picked up the clothes and held them against her body, they were almost exactly her size.

Ryan pictured Devany taking her measurements while she slept. Her face felt hot. She nearly dropped the clothes at the thought of it.

She pulled on the jean shorts and sighed in relief. Pockets. Actual functional front pockets. Devany was a miracle worker.

She pulled on the sweatshirt and looked down at her old clothes. They were stained and ripped from all the fights over the past four days. She pulled her knuckles from her capris and shoved them into her pockets.

Ryan sighed. She kicked the clothes under the bed. She'd come back to them later, she'd have to find Devany for now.

Zack teleported in front of her, so close that they touched the tips of their noses.

"Good afternoon." He said.

Ryan screamed and tripped over the pile of old clothes. The world spun, she grabbed at a chair in a feeble attempt to regain her balance, but fell flat on her back.

Zack rushed towards her. "I'm so sorry, are you ok? I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Ryan looked to him, a giggle escaping her throat.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Zack helped her up and brushed the hair out of his face.

"So, do you want to go to the library?"

"The library?"

"To meet Liam, about your purpose?"

"Oh."

Ryan picked at her shorts and looked back to the note. Devany could wait just a little longer, right? Besides, if she found out what Ryan was doing, Ryan would never get a clear answer.