Pastel Colored Sadness

CHAPTER 5 Blind Man's Brother

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Chapter 5

Blind Man's Brother

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I wake up to the feeling of something warm in my lap. The blind man had his thumb on the corner of my mouth, the full spoon in his fingers, and he was attempting to feed me. I take his thumb off my mouth and take the spoon from his other hand. The soup was delicious, instantly soothing my throat. "Thank you," I say.

"You talk in your sleep," he smiles.

I blush and finish what's left in the bowl. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable," I say, my throat feeling much better.

"It's fine. You couldn't really say much with the state you're in," he slid his hands beneath my back and knees, then lifted me up. His skin was hot against my skin like he had a fever.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed.

"Moving you to the bed. The couch isn't good for you to sleep on. You'll hurt your back," he warned, setting me down in a soft bed covered in a white handmade quilt with tiny pink flowers all over it.

"But I've slept so much... Do I really need to go to bed?" I asked.

"You've got a fever, and are recovering from your self-neglect. Rest is best. I'll make some other meals for you and put them in the fridge. My brother will be here this afternoon to help you move back in, at around six o'clock. He'll be expecting food, so I'll prepare something for him," he pulled the covers over me.

"Wait... I never got your name," I stopped him from standing up.

"It's William. My brother's name is Conner. Now rest," he gently shut my eyelids, his fingertips drifting down my skin again to my hand before he left. He must have realized I liked the feeling of his fingers on my skin. I don't even have the strength to blush as I roll over onto my side and fall asleep again.

Someone walked into my room as the sun drifted into the windows and started to turn gold, "Sorry I'm late. Could you open up the car? It's locked," he asked. I recognized him as the boy from the gas station, he was still wearing his uniform too.

"Conner, right?" I asked lazily. He nodded, and I sat up, searching my pockets for the keys to my car, only finding the keys to the house.

"It's stuck in the car," I sighed, rolling myself out of the bed before walking outside to my car. Pulling two hairpins from my hair, I start to pick the lock to the door. When it clicks, I unlock the other doors and pull the keys from the ignition.

"So you can pick locks?" Conner asked, clearly impressed.

"I only ever pick my own locks. I always forget to grab the keys," I say sadly, remembering Tom. He used to take the keys out for me whenever I forgot them. He always stayed behind just to see if I'd forget that time. "It's a bad habit," I muttered.

"How are you an adult?" Conner asked.

"The longer I spend away from... Tom... the more I realize I never was," I admit, hardly able to say his name.

"How long were you with him?" Conner asked as he started pulling things out. I took my guitar out before he could, finding it heavy now that I've neglected myself.

"Since I was fifteen years old. Ten years. Ten years of my life," I slowly faded into muttering as I spoke. Tethys will be looking for me soon. I shivered at the thought, hoping he'd never find me.

"Then it's long overdue that you found yourself," Conner suggested. I twisted to look at him, alarmed.

"You think Tom was overbearing or something? That he refused to let me do the things I loved? That I changed myself for him?" I demanded.