Stay Awake Till I Come Back

Starting

I wake to music and the smell of honeysuckle.  For a moment I think I'm in my room, but all comforting thoughts disappear as reality crashes down on me. I groan softly and try to sit up, my muscles screaming in protest. I survey my surroundings and find myself in a small, cave like room with glowing stalactites and stalagmites. a thin mist blankets the room in a silver light. at first it seems as though the light is shining through the fog but as i wave my hand through it, it glimmers, glowing all by itself. 

at first glance, the soft material below me looks like giant potatoes, and after studying them further they still  look like giant potatoes. Slowly and cautiously i stand and make my way to the entrance of the cave.

 there, i enter another cave, this one smaller than the first. a small bowl is carved at waist level on the left side, accompanied by bare stone shelves. on the other side is a waterfall that is filling up a small white and gold tub. next to the tub rests a body sized mirror. suddenly self-conscious i tuck my hair behind my ear. 

i stare at myself,  there isn't anything remarkable about my frizzy red hair or skinny body, if anything i'm staring at myself because of that. my hair is flat and tangled and i can see and smell the salt that got absorbed. my clothes are still damp and my cheeks still have a flush in them from the exertion of swimming here and fighting the whirlpool.

but its my eyes that catch me of guard. through the mist my eyes glow. the red from my cheeks brings out the green in them and makes them brighter and happier. it seems like they are full of energy. 

but that doesn't make sense. my eyes have always been flat and dull. a sort of dark earthy green, but now they are a different color.

pulling my gaze from the mirror i decide to try to make myself presentable to the person who saved me. but i'm uneasy about her or him. How did they get me out and why? i'm just a random stranger! but really the main reason is because this is here at all. I've never seen this island on any map and I've memorized almost every map for our area. it was a pretty big island from what i saw in  the distance.

stripping my clothes of i step into the tub. immediately i feel the water warm up to the perfect temperature that i always like it. frightened, i step out quickly.  Too  quickly. i slip on the wet floor and my feet come out from under me. falling backwards , my head slams into the tub and as i drift into blackness all i'm thinking is "here we go again"......

                                                                                             •••

i wake again, but this time i can feel silky sheets covering my body and a soft breeze. i open my eyes and a headache hits me.i close my eyes again. Curling into a ball against the pain. "drink this" i hear a soft comforting voice and a silver cup is pressed to my lips. i'm in so much pain i don't resist. i drink it and my headache fades into a dull ache. I let out a sigh of relief and open my eyes. on one side of the bed stands a girl with the goblet in her hand. i would have thanked her if not for the fact that i was focused entirely on her clothes.

the top covers only her breasts and the sleeves are thin and cross over her collarbone and around her neck before somehow draping gracefully around her shoulders. it is loose and shows markings on her stomach and right bicep. the bottom has a bathing suit shape but it keeps moving down from her to flow around her legs while leaving much room to move. fabric is twisted around her hands and wrists to make a sort of glove. her shoes are flat and are tied to her feet be twisting pieces of leather, crisscrossing all the way up her legs. more tattoos are all over her body while her hair is pinned back into a soft hair tiara. a swirl comes out of both eyes and dots line the area underneath of her eyebrows. 

my eyes rise to her face. she is smiling softly, dark auburn hair frames her face which is kind and focused. i wouldn't call her pretty per-se more like striking or determined. she meets my eyes and her smile fades until only the corners of her mouth are curled up. "welcome" she says softly "i apologize for the dangerous entrance. i am Aspasia Welcome to my home. Welcome to Greek island. you have come and you will stay". She finishes quickly and then with a swish turns on her heel and walks to the door. before going out she looks back at my startled face and says, "be brave seer, be brave"