Metamorphosis

4. Another world

Every inch of her body responded with pain.

Wincing, Lucy opened her eyes, and for a moment, it seemed to her that she was in her own room.

But the memories of preceding events poured into her consciousness like a heavy, dark stream, and Lucy sadly realised that all these incidents were not a dream. They lay on her shoulders like a dead, insurmountable burden, and she had no idea how she would bear it.

Lucy propped herself up on her elbow and looked around.

She was lying, covered with a blanket, on the sofa in the living room. At the far end there was a kitchen, separated from the common area by a wooden staircase leading upstairs. Sunlight penetrated through the thin tulle on the window, and the dust floating in the air sparkled in its rays.

Lucy remembered that as soon as she entered the stranger's house, everything dimmed before her eyes from powerlessness.

Who was this person? Was it worth trusting him?

In any case, he helped her and sheltered her in his home, and Lucy was sure he meant no harm.

She pushed the blanket aside and slowly stood up.

The room was furnished modestly but cosily. Bookshelves lined the entire wall behind the sofa, and on the other side of the living room was a chest of drawers with a couple of dust-covered family photos in frames.

Lucy approached the window and drew back the curtain. The artificial lighting under the city's roof created such a realistic imitation of morning light that unless you looked up, it was impossible to guess that the city was underground.

Lucy lowered the curtain and walked slowly to the mirror hanging on the wall by the front door. Looking into it, she was horrified by her appearance: the colour had completely drained from her face, bruises adorned her under eyes, her hair was tangled and her gaze became wild, like that of a trapped animal.

Wiping the dirt from her forehead, Lucy turned away from the mirror and walked towards the stairs.

An announcer's voice came faintly from the first floor, and Lucy headed upstairs. She found herself in a tiny hallway with several doors, one of which was wide open.

The stranger was sitting at the table with his back to the entrance, engrossed in his work on the computer. It was more of a laptop — Lucy had seen something similar in photos — but its body was much thinner and sleeker, and the screen was larger and brighter.

Upon hearing footsteps, the stranger turned around.

'You passed out,' he stated.

Lucy nodded.

'You can find clothes in the next room.' He waved his hand to the side and added, turning back to the laptop, 'The bathroom is at the end of the corridor.'

Finding some clothes, Lucy entered the bathroom, put her hands under the flow of water from the tap, and tears streamed from her eyes again.

After crying it out, she began to compose herself. She was relieved to exchange the detested prison garb for new clothes that belonged to a certain woman, but nonetheless, were also a bit too big for her. Tightening the belt, Lucy left the bathroom and went downstairs.

The man was sitting at the dining table, leaning against the chair's back. A steaming cup of coffee was in front of him, and he held a flat device with a glowing screen in his hands, resembling the devices that police officers had. Frowning, he was reading something from the screen.

Noticing Lucy, he looked up.

'You need to eat,' he said, nodding towards the plate of food on the table.