Cursed

Cloud of Unknowing

When I wake I'm sprawled on my bed still in my clothes but my shoes are gone and so is my bag.

heavily I sit up and immediately regret it as everything begins to spin. after a minute, I'm able to stand and begin to take in my surroundings, I'm back in the cave though I don't remember coming back last night my shoes and bag are at the end of my bed and someone's braided my hair back, I don't remember that either.

I'm still trying to figure out what's happened when I notice Eir entering through the mouth of the cave carrying one of our water purifying flasks. when she sees me awake her eyebrows furrow and she begins to wring her hands nervously. then as if regain her sense her face becomes hard and she walks over to me wrapping me in a hug.

"don't you dare do that again."

"what are you talking about" I ask into her chest smelling strongly of woodfire and coffee.

"staying out at night" she says holding me at arm's length as if checking me over "I had to go find you, you were cold as ice."

"But-" but you left me out there I think

"I'm sorry"

for a moment Eir's face seems to soften and she suddenly looks much, much younger and far more afraid. then, she turns, suddenly back to the fire.

Eir is crouched over the flames with her back to me but I can tell she's working on something. I cross to the other side of the fire from where I can see more clearly. in one hand Eir holds a vile of clear liquid into which she is carefully dropping water purifier letting it turn blue and swirl around the vile.

"what are you doing?" I ask casually

Eir merely glances at me before launching into speech, "I'm testing the purity of the water from the stream we saw yesterday."

"and" I prompt her.

"it's perfectly clear." she frowns looking at me "how is it perfectly clear?!"

I shrug poking the fire with a stick and Eir continues with her experiments.

"I'm going out" I say finally, Eir nods without looking up and so I grab my Walkman and boots and head outside.

when I reach the stream, I bend down running my fingers through the water, even though the sun is shining and it's at least 30 degrees the water is freezing cold and I pull my hand away in shock.

Maybe the waters flowing from an underground spring, that's why it hasn't heated up in the sun yet.

Pulling my headphones over my ears I cross the stream heading towards the path I've worn through the heath and laying down in my regular spot and letting the music wash over me, sending me to near sleep, my eyes lolling closed.

"Nova!" my eyes spring open, that was Eir's voice, siting up I scan my surroundings. "Eir?" nothing, I get to my feet and stuff my headphones back in my bag, "Eir", she probably just wants me to come with her into town I think to myself, but I still can't shake the feeling that somethings wrong, "Eir!" I shout again this time getting a reply "Nova" I look up and see her silhouetted against the sky, atop the hill, she doesn't seem to be coming towards me so I jog to the foot of the hill "yeah?" I all up to her, but she doesn't reply only scans the horizon looking fearful.

A/N so I'm going to have to write more before I can post again because ei only have another two paragraphs written.....oops.