Day 4 - Scene 1 - Part 2

Far away, from beyond a mass of heavy, aching, sand, a knock on the door stung him in the mind. Desperately clinging to the last warmth of sleep Enar woke up, again. Blurry eyes stumbled across the floor; a towel, half a jug and lots and lots of pottery shards.

His shoulder's ached. His hips and knees and legs ached. His back ached. Everything ached and the knocking came again.

Crap.

Rolling back he looked up into the ceiling. The morning had come a long way. Light streamed in through the curtains and outside in the orchard more birds than he could handle bickered about whatever stupid things birds get worked up over. The kitchen floor pressed hard and cold against his back.

“Enar, are you there?” came Linnea's voice from the outside.

“Yes,” he croaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I'm awake.” Another breath. One more try – to make the point. “Yes, I'm awake.”

“Are you okay? Dad said to bring you extra water and make sure you were up.”

Water. Yes. His mouth still tasted like last week's leftovers. Bless.

“Yes, yes I'm okay.” The words rasped out of him. “I'm coming...”

Grumbling, he forced himself up to a sitting position and shook his head to clear it from the haze. Bad idea. His poor skull. The cracks. He really should learn.

“I'm coming,” he muttered to himself and didn't move.

Three deep breaths later he twisted around and, supporting himself against the door frame with both hands, he climbed to his feet. The world spun. Floor and wall, window and kitchen, Enar himself and the hallway with the broken jug – for a brief moment they all got mixed up and he couldn't tell anything apart. Ramming his eyes shut he clung to the doorway, struggling to find his balance and himself.

“Enar, are you okay in there?” Linnea's voice cut through from somewhere else.

“Yes,” he shouted, a little louder than really needed. “Yes, I'm fine. Just a moment.”

Breathing slowly to steady himself Enar opened his eyes. The world sat still, the way it was supposed to. Swaying slowly he let go of the wall and shuffled out into the hallway to answer the door.

Sticking close to the inside he cracked it open and peered out. “Hi,” he croaked into the blinding light. He cleared his throat and squinted. “Good morning.”

Outside, in the bright morning sun, stood Linnea; young and healthy and awake. Perky. “Hello there Enar. How are you this morning?” She smiled at him. “Dad said to bring you extra water.” She picked up a large jug of water from the ground beside her and held it out for him to see; a twin of the one that lay dead and in pieces on the floor behind him.

“Yes.” He stared at her. How could she have so much energy? “Thank you.”

They looked at each other; Enar clinging to the inside of the door, Linnea clutching the jug, none of them moving.

“Don't you want the water,” the girl asked eventually.

“Yes...” His mind searched for words, like a hungry old crow at a dried out, picked over, carcass. “I...” He swallowed. “I'm not decent.”

“Oh...” Linnea blushed. “I'll just leave it here then.” She bent down and placed the jug on the ground in front of the door. “I... I'll be heading down again then. Please come down when you are ready. We still have some breakfast left for you.”

Still? How late was it? How long had he slept? What day was it? “I... My apologies. I'll be down as soon as I can... Thanks. I'm sorry... I'll hurry.”

“Dad said to let you sleep so we already ate. He said you might be feeling a little bit delicate.” She smiled at him and her cheeks reddened. “Eric's taken the kids to see Rufus and the dogs, so it won't be so rowdy around the table.”

Enar released his hunched up shoulders and let out a long breath. Bless. “Thank you.” To think he could still smile. “Tell Rolf I appreciate it.”

Linnea giggled and turned to leave. “Just don't take too long. We need to clear the table soon.”

“I'll hurry,” he promised.

Enar looked after her as she disappeared down the path, a butterfly in the morning sun. These people really were too nice to him. Much more than he deserved. When he was sure Linnea was out of sight, he pulled the door open a little more; wide enough to slip out and collect the jug.

Back inside, with his back against the door, he drank deep. Cold, fresh, water ran down his throat and spilled down his chin, filling up his stomach and dripping on the door mat under his feet.

Satisfied, he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally. The road back to the land of the living didn't seem so long anymore. He might just get this miserable carcass through the day ahead after all.

In the washroom he found the broom.

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Continued in Day 4 - Scene 2.

Back to Enar's Vacation.