The Story Of Sarelle (Twilight)

Chapter 51

The violence of the jump from New York wore off in waves as I stumbled and gasped. My hands dropped my bag instantly on what seemed to be a tiled floor. As soon as the strap left my fingertips I began to fumble through the darkness around me, my head spinning as if I were on a Waltzer.

I needed to steady myself because with the fuzzy feeling still present in my head and the tingling sensation of the jump skating over my skin, I felt like I could pass over into unconsciousness at any moment.

Finally my fingers curled around a cool, smooth surface. A sink, small but the steady enough to hold my weight.

My legs were shaking like jelly on a plate; in fact my whole body felt like it wasn't quite solid, not strong enough to steady itself.

"Pull yourself together," I wheezed as I tightened my grip on the edge of the sink.

As my eyes started to adjust to the darkness I could make out the lines of a roll top bathtub on my right and a modest porcelain toilet to my left. In front of me were a mirror and the sight of my own sickly form.

The blood from my head wound had made a trickling web down the side of my face, congealing in my hair and curling around my jaw. However, now that I could see the damage it seemed to reduce the fog in my head. I knew the cause so on some level the confusion disappeared.

I closed my eyes as I inhaled deeply, focussing on the sound in the silence. At least that was one thing, wherever I was there was no one home, or if there was they were well into the depths of sleep. As they should be, it must have been about half four in the morning here. Wherever here was.

I slowly shifted my right hand along the curved edge of the sink as I focussed on my breathing. Eventually I hit the irregular shape of the tap so I slowly eased the top around to release the water.

I wasted no time in cupping my hand under the flow of trickling drops, capturing a pool in my palm before splashing it over my face. The icy liquid was like a shot of adrenaline to my brain. As soon as it hit my skin I felt my consciousness pulling away from the tempting cottony fog and back into reality. It was bliss, a sense of euphoria almost.

Even in the darkness I could see the water running a darker hue due to the blood cleaning from my face. Another plus. I couldn't walk around with a bloody wound, it would attract too much attention.

Once my face was the temperature of a brisk winter's day, and my cut was a mere centimetre of crimson skin, I smoothed my hair away from my face and turned to rest back on the sink. My flapper dress tinkled slightly around me, and I noticed the beading sparkling in the darkness as I turned my body.

As I watched the small crystals I thought of Kallie and the others. I would miss them, but not as much as I had missed others before. They had transformed me into a person so different from the one I was before. It was a person who didn't linger on bad decisions, or lament over regrets. Now I lived wholly in the moment, no hopes for the future, no grievances from the past. Just the present because at least with the present you know where you are.

Then again maybe that could all change again, jumping through time seems to leave a person more attuned to revolution.

I closed my eyes and tilted my head back. I didn't need to over think right now, I just needed a few moments to adjust to the headache playing against my skull.

"Who are you?" a small voice pierced the darkness causing my eyes to snap open.

It was eerie the sight of her before me, standing the doorway with her long, dark hair framing her little pale face. She seemed to poise herself in such a way that her body appeared unbelievably light and delicate, all swamped in a white nightdress.