To Skin A Lamb

4

CHARITY

He was telling the truth.

When I finally gathered enough courage to fall asleep, I was untouched and safe. That was an unusual feeling.

Human beings can be cruel and they take advantage whenever they find an opening.

Terrance is a human being just like the rest of them. He could potentially be waiting for an opening to strike.

I won't let him.

Every ten minutes I would wake up and he was still.

We were both woken up to the sound of someone knocking on our door at an absurd time of night. I swear the sun wouldn't rise for another three to four hours.

Terrance popped up like he was wide awake and walked to the door. I heard him muttering something similar to my thoughts, "At this hour?" It was quiet, but I heard it.

He first threw on a shirt and then slightly cracked the door open. "Hey Gracie! What can we do for you?"

I could only hear bits and pieces because I was still in a limbo of being asleep and awake. The conversation was brisk because Terrance thanked her and then closed the door shut.

"What's that about?" I questioned, squinting and rubbing my right eye mercilessly. "It can't even be 5AM yet."

"Gracie said we have 15 minutes to get ready. We start unloading the truck in thirty minutes." He explained, walking into the small bathroom that was more like a coat closet, but it would do. "I'll be out in five."

I cursed and even growled. "Shit. Did we oversleep?" I asked him because he could definitely still hear me.

"I have no clue." He replied. I heard the sound of water running. "But either way Gracie seemed a little flustered. So maybe we all overslept."

There was no mirror at all so I was relying on muscle memory to do something sensible with my hair. I put my long curly black hair into a top ponytail, brushing through the naps took a while, but it was perfect timing. Once Terrance got out of the "bathroom," my hair was decent enough to move on.

Despite us being total strangers, we maneuvered around the space like we have known each other forever. Even us slightly brushing past each other wasn't as awkward as it should have been. Neither of us ever apologized for gently nudging each other. It was almost familiar.

It was strange because he was shirtless and drops of water glistened on his skin and that should have made me uncomfortable. Especially because he had a towel wrapped around his hips, covering himself up. But it didn't. I felt like if he didn't kill or molest me in my sleep then I was probably safe wide awake.

I went into the bathroom and took the quickest of showers that have ever occurred. I threw on the first thing I saw in my suitcase, which was jeans shorts and a white tank top. I laced up my sneakers and put on sunscreen for good measure.

Terrance was ready before me so I expected him to leave, but instead he stood at the door and watched me with a patient smile.

I didn't expect him to wait for me, it's not like we had any loyalties to each other, but he did. For the strangest feeling, I didn't feel rushed, I felt as if his eyes were begging me to take my time in the most sincere way.

Once I finished applying sunscreen, I started heading towards the door. He opened it first since he was standing right by it, but then held it open for me to exit.

As I said, it was too familiar. Almost rehearsed and intimidatingly comfortable. We walked sided by side to the shore.

Last time was a blur and I don't remember much, but I surely don't remember this tiny part of the country being this stunning. Things in the dark can be a bit hazy, but here, in this moment when my eyes are laid on the view for the first time, the sun is starting to rise on the most beautiful part of the world.