Finding You

Chapter 1

Vanessa pulled the pillow over her head as the sounds of groans echoed around her. Dust floated to her nostrils causing them to burn with that familiar tingle. Taking a deep breath, she fought for what would happen next, and the sound of her sneeze bounced off the walls, causing the groans from somewhere in the room to grow louder. The cold air sends a shiver through her bones, she didn't remember her room being so cold. She didn't know why, but she knew if she reached out to the side of her, she would find a box, so she did. Grasping the cool tin, she feels around trying to feel anything familiar about the box. The rough engravings on the side of the box lead her to the small ribbon to the left and she pulled it open with a small click. Reaching her fingers inside the box she feels small thin wooden sticks.

Matches

Pulling one out she finds the rounded top and lights the match. The flame slowly snaked its way down as Vanessa's eyes scan the dark room in an attempt to hear which bed the groaning is coming from. She didn't notice the flame and its proximity to her finger until the smell of burning flesh and pain interrupted her senses. A hiss fell from her lips as the now black stick fell to the stone floors. Vanessa brought her fingers to her mouth distracted by the pain that slowly began to fade. She reaches inside the box again and lights another match. Vanessa reaches down and grabs the lantern lying next to her bed, she lit the lantern that sat on the table before her and blew the match out. The urgency returned to Vanessa as another noise came from across the room, bringing the lantern above her chest she tries to see her surroundings. Stunned by the sight in front of her, her breath catches in her throat and her mouth is suddenly dry.

The room was filled with no less than 15 cots. All filled with men broken and battered. From what she could see, most of the men here are asleep. Some have woken up from the disruption of darkness and attempt to shield themselves from light. Vanessa would feel bad for waking them up, except the noises from someone in this room were going to wake more of the men if she wasn't able to find him. And not knowing where she was, or who these men were, she would prefer not to wake anyone else up. Her body moves involuntarily and pushes her out of the small cot and down the aisle of men. She walks down the path, looking on both sides of her to see who had made the noises. The sound of her feet against the floor and the ruffling of her clothing made her nerves ring with fear.

From somewhere in her mind, she recognizes some of the men, though it was difficult to know what they had truly looked like beyond their wounds. Some men had scars that ran across their entire faces, the sight of some of them made Vanessa queasy. It horrified her to know that in any other circumstance, she would have probably found these men

attractive, but now in the middle of the ruin, she could do nothing but pity these men. She clenched her jaw and forced herself to keep walking.

Vanessa can vaguely remember this room before. It had once been filled with laughter, music, and light. Now the room smelt only of blood and dust. This room, she knew was haunted, and not simply by those who have lost their lives here, but by those told they are healed enough to be sent back to war.

Vanessa closed her eyes and listened, as the groaning became louder. She opened her eyes as they landed on a blonde-haired man. Her head raged as memories that did not belong to her flooded her mind. They had just brought him in the day before, blood had covered him head to toe. Though if the blood was his own or the enemies neither of them could know. The floors beneath his cot are still sticky from the blood that washed away during his bath. Within the new memories Vanessa had learned that if she had spent enough time in this room, she would leave her footprints of blood throughout the house.

She let out a shaky breath and walked towards him. Her hand holding the lantern shook making the light dance off the walls. Grumbling came from around her, the men well enough to speak began complaining about the light. She ignored them and focused on the man in front of her.