Silent Fog

Chapter 1 - The Fog

Deep in a dense fog... It seemed to embrace her and she struggled to set free from its tentacles. How long? She didn't know, but it was too long... Eventually, she got rid and, bit by bit, the dense fog stayed behind. Her vision was still a little blurry but she could hear. First, the sound of people talking or arguing; at a distance, a fight, perhaps. Then, the smell of smoke. Could it be a straw cigarette? Smoke, drink and crammed people. Through the blurred vision and a terrible headache, she could see herself sitting at an isolated table in the corner of the bar. The place was declining, lit with torches hanging from the walls where the bricks were visible in several spots. The plaster that once hidden them had fallen a long time ago. The ceiling was not in a better condition, with stains of damp and mold on the corners, and in another distant side, the ceiling simply had fell down, letting the moonlight enter from a cloudless black sky. On the ground below, there were water puddles of rain that had fallen earlier and which gently stirred with the breeze.

Men and women huddled around improvised tables and benches, drinking, talking, or even arguing under the light of candles that disputed space on the tables with mugs, glasses, and cans. Everyone had a scruffy and dirty look: most of the men wore beards, mustaches, and badly cut hair, while women had filthy hair and smile with yellow or missing teeth in many cases. Everyone had dirty, worn out and torn clothes, some of them had tattoos and piercings.

In the half-light, after blowing out a candle that was on the table, she just watched. On the other side, a group played some game started a fight. That should be usual once the other goers did not seem to notice the people punching each other, kicking or fighting with knives. She tightened her arms around herself, trying to keep warm when a bowl of steaming liquid showed at her table, left by the employee's place. She eagerly threw herself on the bowl and took the first sip. The liquid was thin and tasted horrible, but the sensation of warming her guts was all she needed. When she finally finished it, she set the bowl back to the table with the unsettling feeling that someone was watching her. Someone in black clothes, in the middle of a table in the center of the room, almost unnoticed by couples making out. His thick coat was somewhat unusual for a place so crowded that it even looked like hell. Was he sick like her? She could not see his features, hidden the shadow cast by the hood, but somehow she could feel the weight of his gaze straight to her. That disturbing feeling from the previous day took hold of her again, and due to the fever or just for precaution, she decided to leave the bar.

She sat up in the bed with a startle. The same time, a terrible pain in her head tossed her back, making her lie down heavily even against her will. She noticed a small knob when she touched the base of her head. When would this have happened? By the way, what had happened? Nothing .... just forgetfulness, silent and empty in her mind as an answer... She tried so hard but the white fog was still there. Where was she and how had she gotten there? Nothing but that white fog... She shut her eyes in frustration.

When she opened them again, she looked around. It was a small room with faded and dampness walls. A window, with a missing glass and a piece of wood in its place, let in a faint yellow light through the glass that had been left, but it was so dirty that she could not see outside. Beside the bed, a can turned upside down served as a bedside table. A mug without the handle was there, along a bowl with a brownish liquid inside. On the opposite wall, also, an empty tin of paint had become a brazier that warmed the room. There was no other furniture than these.

Footsteps outside and whispers - a man and a woman - came from the outside but she could not understand what they were talking about. In a reflex reaction and with no reason, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She heard the door open and heavy footsteps came to her bed.

"You are so stubborn! I told you I came here half an hour ago and she was sleeping!" the woman sounded a little annoyed.

Warm, coming from a large hot hand on her forehead, gave her the chills but she put herself together to not open her eyes and see the hands owner.