When I woke up everything was dark around me and in an anxious moment I thought I was back at the prison camp. My body reacted instinctively and I fluttered my arms in panic to understand where the hell I was. The palm of my hand was smashed straight down into a hard chest and I heard a muffled moan next to my ear.
"Completely harmless ..." he muttered ironically next to me before turning his back on me and pulling the blanket over himself.
"Sorry" I whispered and reality began to creep in. I was lying in a bed, a clean bed, next to Twelve in clean clothes and I was not thirsty, I was not even sweaty.
I pulled my fingers through my curly hair and sat up carefully so as not to disturb him. My heart jumped when I realized that he must have gone and lay down next to me. I wanted to ask him what time it was, but decided not to disturb him any more. It was time to test how that toilet thing worked, I thought and hurried out of bed on trembling legs.
A weak light in the floor showed the way as I walked as quietly as I could, but on the way there I noticed something else. There was a plate of food under a heat lamp on the kitchen counter.
With a gaping mouth I went there and felt how my mouth watered as soon as I felt the scent of the delicious delicacies.
I knew what it was, sometimes we would have bought similar rations if we had something to celebrate, but most of the time they were too expensive. I stared at the plate with dreamy eyes until I gently dipped my index finger into the green sauce and lifted it to my lips. The spices made my taste buds explode in my mouth and I immediately picked up the little bread bun that was on the table and started dipping it in the green mixture first and then in the golden puree.
I stood still for a while and enjoyed the taste, but my legs did not hold me so I closed my eyes and sank to the floor, just to lean my head against the kitchen cabinet with a thump. I was close to crying again where I sat held the plate to my chest. I tried to hold back and be strong, but with each bite, the feelings became overwhelming and eventually I could not hold back the tears.
From the darkness I heard him move under the covers and I could see the blue ring shining when he opened his eyelids. He said nothing, but I felt his gaze until I finished my meal and wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand.
"Put the plate on the bench and I'll do the dishes tomorrow," he mumbled and turned again.
I snorted and got up on shaky legs "Thank you" I whispered again, not sure how I would ever be able to pay him back after what he just gave me.I glanced away at his back, he had saved me and brought me here. Why?
Suddenly I felt a terrible feeling of hopelessness that knotted in my stomach, he would give me a new Link, and then what? Then he would send me home.
I bit my lower lip and rubbed my palm against my forehead, how the hell could I go back to my normal life after this?
A/N - This was a short chapter, but only because we'll be back with Hannes and the others in the next one.
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In Search Of The Neon City
Science FictionHow do you survive in a world without rules? ------- Some of them were old enough to remember what it was like before everything turned into sand. When there were cities, communities and grocery stores. Now there was sand, scorching sun and more sa...
