Inside the Shadow

Chapter eight: Fill my stomach with butterflies -POV: Erin

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Still in awe of having seen myself laid out on the couch, I closed my eyes; The feeling of my form beginning to be sucked back into my body. As I groggily opened my eyes they had to adjust to my still eerily dark surroundings. The curtains, thick and black, prevented me from telling how early or late it currently was. I started to glance towards the only light source, the TV, I realized that I had finished the movie entirely at this point.  

     ‘Strange, I could have sworn I was only about halfway. Maybe I was dreaming.’ I thought while I stared at the title screen of the movie; It of course was a DVD. We couldn't really afford any streaming services so my mom would make a point that I could always have a way to watch my favorite movies and shows whenever she could find the DVD copies here and there. Making out the shape of my two crutches that had been leaned against the other end of the couch, I noticed that I had an intense feeling of needing to release my bladder. I worked my way into a seated position, and I was close enough to the other side of the couch to where I could easily reach them both. 

     “Thanks mom.” I said aloud as if she would be able to hear me seeing as she most likely had already left for work. It was already technically morning when we got home, and she had a client who would schedule her for eight AM regularly; Today being one of those days. As I came to a stand with the assistance of the crutches, I made my way around the couch heading to the bathroom down the hall. I was lucky that the door had already been open wide, probably because of the work of my overly attentive mother. She was a great person, but she was an even more spectacular mom. 

     I gingerly completed the task of using the restroom and crutched back into the living room. As I approached the right side of the couch, I noticed a piece of paper held down by a pill bottle that had been set on the side table. I continued to take a seat on the couch so I could read it without working around my crutches. ‘These are for your pain. Only one every four hours, no more. Love you bud, From mom.’ It read. ‘Well, I guess I should take one now.’ I thought, preparing to make my way towards the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water. 

     I chose to stash the bottle into my back pocket just until I could put it on the counter by the sink. As I began my walk to the doorway into the kitchen, I remembered that I had my phone in my pocket before I went to sleep and now it was gone. ‘Probably just lost in the couch.’ I thought while finally reaching the counter. I laid my crutches up against it and got the bottle from my pocket and popped out a single pill from it. I placed the bottle next to the sink and reached for a cup from the dish strainer, filling it up from the tap. I placed the pill in my mouth and washed it down, finishing the whole cup still feeling dehydrated.   

     I put the cup down next to the sink for later and used the counter to work my way to the fridge on the other side. I opened the freezer and grabbed the box of cherry Toaster Strudels I had personally purchased a few days before. I half threw, half slid them over the sink and down the counter towards the toaster oven and began making my way back to continue preparing my breakfast. As they were toasting, I got a paper plate out of the cabinet and opened the icing packs. After I prepared my plate, I held the counter with one hand so I could balance myself as I placed my plate on the table that was behind me. I took a seat and began to enjoy my strudels. 

 

  While sitting in the kitchen that was only lit by the natural lighting coming in from the long window above the sink and countertops the image of me sleeping on the couch from several feet away was still burned into my memory; Almost as if every time I blinked I could feel the sensation of being separated from my physical form, even just within a single flutter of my eye. Now that I had finished my breakfast, I was eager to change my train of thought from the ‘dream’ I had experienced earlier this morning.