Hydrangea

Chapter 5

    Charity sits up hastily, sweat beading along her hairline. She's breathes heavily choking on nothing while grabbing at her chest. Her hands clammy finally relax into her lap after realizing her lungs weren't overflowing with water. Charity coughs one last time realizing how startlingly dry her mouth is.

     She runs the back of her arm across her forehead taking the cold sweat with it.Charity takes a moment to get her mouth back to normal. Licking her chapped rough lips, her stomach growls like a ravenous animal.

     Andrea takes a step into the living room to see Charity's back. She was under the assumption that she would still be asleep.

     Andrea knocks on the wall making Charity turn around startled. She smiles at her friend who's hair is sticking out in every direction.

     "I almost forgot how thick your hair was," Andrea says walking into the kitchen.

     Charity reaches her hand up to feel the back of her head. As soon as she touches the mess of tangles she flattens it down with her hands. Charity combs through her chocolate brown hair with her small fingers.

     Andrea laughs and says," It looks fine."

     Charity smiles weakly and asks," Did you sleep at all?"

     Andrea looks at the floor with her back to Charity and lies," Like a log."

     Charity nods rather proud and says," Good."

     Andrea turns to look at Charity and says," How about you? How did you sleep?"

     "I slept alright I guess."

     "You guess?"

     "Yeah."

     "Hmh."

     "What?"

     "You suck at lying."

     "What?!"

     "You just suck at lying."

     " I do not!" Charity states.

     " Oh, why are you getting so defensive?" Andrea questions with a smirk.

     Charity crosses her arms staring at the wall in front of her and says," No reason."

     Andrea laughs as she grabs some fruit out of the cupboard. Charity slowly turns glaring in Andrea's direction. She smiles while throwing a pink penny sized berry into her mouth.

     Charity's stomach grumbles again but louder this time making Andrea snickers lightly.

     " Come here, these should be safe for you to eat," Andrea says holding out a small bunch of pink berries.

     Charity squints at Andrea cautiously and asks," Should?"

     Andrea nods and says," Well, for some you have to get used to being in Hydrangea first before you can eat."

     "Why?" Charity asks confused.

     Andrea throws the bunch in the air and lets it fall back into her hand before she says," If you eat the stronger ones you can get really sick and even bed ridden."

     Charity nods now suddenly skeptical about eating and says," You know what? I think I'm fine."

     Andrea rolls her eyes and says," Come on this is the most recommended fruit for newcomers."

     Charity looks up at her friend now skeptical of her and questions," Recommended by who?"

     Sighing Andrea answers," Back before everything went crazy a lot of people would come here. So, a herbalist who had studied the edible plants made a list. The good and the bad. The good new arrival could eat, the bad they couldn't."