Unraveled

ZION

"I'll never give you a nickname,
For changing something so beautiful would be a crime.

Just like our friendship.

Perhaps it would have been better if we'd  remained strangers,

Now I'm left with nothing but silence."
...

Just as Zion unpacked the last box, he received a text from Oliver—it said that he couldn't see him today as he had to take his friend to the hospital.

Zion was relieved, he didn't want to meet Oliver just yet. He wasn't looking forward to the awkwardness of reconnecting with an old friend.

He collapsed onto the bed, his body sinking into the mattress. He was surprised by how comfortable it was, it hadn't looked comfortable.

With the tiredness of the day pulling him in, he drifted into a deeply satisfying nap.
....
No coffee, Zion thought, annoyed, as he rummaged through the 'starter kit'. There was tea, sugar, salt and all the essentials—but no coffee.
Still, he had to admit, it was nice that a remote town like this provided a starter kit at all.

He threw on a hoodie and sweats, and left, needing to get some caffeine in his system before he sat for work.
He headed down to the security cabin for directions, but found it to be empty.

After standing there for a while, hoping the guard would appear, he felt a strange sense of being watched.
Turning around, he spotted a girl in horrid condition—her face was pale, almost ghostly—except for her nose, the only hint of colour— a red, swollen, bandaged nose.

"Are you looking for something?" she asked.

"Uh...No" he replied, while scanning the area for any sign of the guard.

She offered a small smile, preparing to turn away, her long black hair swishing with the movement.
Hesitating, he called to her.

"Um...do you know the way to the convenience store?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yeah, just head down this street and take a left at the second intersection. It's about a five-minute walk, near the lake."

"Thanks " he replied, trying to muster a small smile, though he secretly hoped he wouldn't get lost—he was horrible with directions.

As he turned to leave, she called out, "Do you need me to come with you?"

He looked at her, slightly surprised.
"It's alright, I wouldn't want to trouble you." he replied, his gaze shifting to her injury.

"It's no trouble." she replied with a warm smile. "I need to buy a few things myself."
...

"I'm Sylvia, by the way," she said breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them.

Zion liked the name—it reminded him of forests, his place of comfort.

"You can call me Sylvie though. Everyone here does," she said.

"Sylvia's fine" he replied, not wanting to ruin the beauty of the name.

A pause settled between them, and he noticed that she was looking at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, pushing open the door.