Wings

Chapter 5: The Tour

I had been in the ward for two days; two days of rest, two days of sleep, two days of recovery, two days of only Lou for company. Don’t get me wrong, Lou was one of the sweetest people I had ever spoken with but I found myself wondering if the boys would come back as I tried to fall asleep at night or if Simon would come back to talk more as I gazed out the small window at the end of the room. I couldn’t actually see anything out the window, just the brick wall of the building next door, but every once in a while a bird flew past. It was the most entertainment I got when Lou was busy.

            But I constantly hoped for Simon to come back. He had told me that he couldn’t let me know anything else about this place or its people unless he knew I was staying, otherwise I would be a danger to their secrecy and survival. After just one day in the ward (and having plenty of time to think about the options that lay before me) I had come to the conclusion that I wanted to stay. The safety I felt in this place, the warm way I had been welcome, the confidence they all seemed to exert about their goals, the way five of the members had been passionate and caring enough to save a girl they did not know, it all made me want to trust them and stay. But most of all, they had hope. They really believed that they could end these dark days; they truly believed it could be done and that they could, someday. I didn’t care if it would be soon, or even in my lifetime. I just wanted to know that they would end, that children years from now would not be born into a world where they must fear for their lives and wonder where their next meal was coming from every single day. The hope that radiated seemingly from the walls of this safe haven also held me there, making me cling to this hope. I had had none before my arrival in the ward; I had been convinced that I would die on these ruined streets, a girl alone and scared. Here, hope was instilled in me; hope was instilled in a girl who had lost everything. It spoke for itself; I belonged here.

            So I waited for Simon to return, ready to tell him that I wanted to help. I didn’t care how even, I just never wanted to leave this place, never have this feeling taken from within me. But I wasn’t just being selfish (although I would admit that staying for the optimism they created was), I also wanted to contribute; after caring for only myself for so long, I wanted to be a part of something bigger and help those who needed it.

            It was the afternoon of this day that my wish came true.

The door opened, the hinges whining slightly in protest. I paid no attention, assuming it was Lou returning. She had left about two minutes before, saying she was going to check on her daughter. That was something I had learned in our conversations; Lou was married and had a young daughter, Lux. “She doesn’t come here with me because of the germs in this room,” she had explained. “She stays in my family’s room and various people watch her; nearly everyone here knows her now.” She had smiled broadly speaking of her child and I knew she loved her dearly. It was amazing to me that in times like this someone could fall in love and bring a child into this world; that alone showed the optimism the people here held for the future, that they had been comfortable enough to have a child.

            But it wasn’t Lou returning, it was Simon. I didn’t notice until he sat on the bed beside me, his hands clasped in his lap.

            “Hello Kari,” his deep voice spoke.

            “Oh hello Simon!”

            “Lou has kept me updated on your recovery and I’m glad to hear it’s going well.” He did sound honestly glad about it.

            “Yah, I’m feeling almost one hundred percent.”

            “Good, that’s perfect. Your cut is healed?” he inquired, referring to the gash I had received in my side.