Human After All

Archive Log: 13

It just so happened that even without dragging out a farewell, it was hard regardless. Slowly but surely any real traces of Alma being awake and present were eradicated. The humble small tree was taken down, the things she used on a daily basis to pass boredom in the main living space were put away. Things were sorted out, straightened out and packed away.

She stood looking at the chamber before her. "I don't want to go back."

"Believe me when I say I do not wish for you to either." David stood by her side, back in his usual grey shirt, Alma had only just really relinquished her ownership of it after being told she couldn't go back to sleep with it on. David didn't exactly give a reason as to why she couldn't, but he just shook his head. So with a sigh she had taken it off and handed it back to him, she now stood in the simple cotton bindings and underwear she basically woke up in, in the first place.

"Can't I stay with you?" She asked while turning to look up at him. "You know I don't take up much room, and I won't interfere with any lessons you've still got to do. Heck, I won't even pass comment when you want to watch Lawrence of Arabia five million times on a loop. I may, however, tell you to shut up if you sit there and recite it word for word!" Alma laughed, even David let out a quiet laugh over her almost pleading yet joking words.

"You have to go back."

"This place can sustain life for how long? Just one person, I'm not going to take up many resources!"

"Miss-"

"8!"

David frowned down at her unhappily. "No. You have to go back, you must wake up with the others. I should not have woken you up in the first place. Though I do not regret doing so." He said while placing his hands on her shoulders. "Thank you, for sharing Christmas with me."

"Thank you for waking me up for it." Alma said with a casual shrug. Though she still looked sadly around at the others. They had not got a clue about the turmoil which was happening here in the conscious world. They were all sleeping peacefully away, dreaming of who only knew what, Alma hoped happy content things. Nightmares would surely be hell when in hypersleep. Never ending, and on a constant loop. She shuddered, she hoped none would appear to her now that she was thinking about it. "Will you visit?"

David looked at her with a small frown, "As if I wouldn't."

Alma reached behind herself and braided her hair loosely. "You don't have to drop by every day, David."

He placed an arm around her shoulders loosely. "I believe visiting you would be a good respite away from the other things I'll have to contend with."

"David, I know you have finished all lessons that were set. I've sneaked a peek at the log. You have nothing to do other than go over everything to refresh, but then you remember everything. Sorry to say that's a curse maybe, never being able to forget."

"That is not a bad thing, Alma. There are some things which I would not wish to forget." David said while brushing a stray piece of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"Oh, come here," Alma wrapped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. "I will miss you."

"It's only a year."

"Easy for you to say!" She exclaimed while pulling away and jumping up to sit in the chamber. She hung her legs over the side and looked up at him sadly. "I hope you don't get too bored, David."

"With you as company here and there, I highly doubt it." He smiled and helped her fully in by holding onto her ankles and lifting her legs up and into the cushioned interior. She sat with her legs outstretched, she let out a shaky sigh and looked up at him. "It'll be okay, Alma. Nothing will happen. I am here, remember? Nothing shall be different. It will be exactly the same as last time." He said as reassuringly as possible, nothing would be different. She'd lay down, go to sleep and be peaceful for the next year until he woke her up. That was it. He'd visit her like he used to, they'd converse and he'd leave and nothing, that was it. She had no reason to be worried. He didn't quite grasp her concern. He didn't understand why she was like she was. But then he never had to be confronted with something like this, so maybe he would never understand. "Just go to sleep, Alma. That's all it is. Just going to sleep for a long time, like that fairytale."