The Next Life

Chapter 5 - The Change

For whatever reason, we walked down to the docks, where a boat sat, swaying on the water. At the entrance, stood a tall sign, saying that it would set sail for the next port in about 45 minutes. So we walked forward, no communication whatsoever between Nathan and I, we just did what felt natural. 

On the actual ship, the clerk asked us for our tickets, I told him that our mom has them and that she's on the boat, he didn't believe s at first but then we told him that she sent us out to get ourselves some candy bars, which was evident as Nathan and I both had one each in our hand. We spun our yarn a little longer until the angsty clerk working a menial job let us through, even then with un-subtle doubt.

To blend in, we walked down farther away from the desk and sat down beside a rather uppity lady who sat quite courtly and seemed so absorbed in her book that she left her high-end bag unattended. Nathan dove into his treat, while I conspired my next plan, a way to skillfully pull out the $10 note which was spilling out of an already full and open wallet. Almost as if it was calling to be taken. Once the only other person in the area left for a brief moment I 'sneezed' and tugged it out, before slickly tucking into my pocket.

I grabbed Nathan's hand, hoping he didn't notice my sticky fingers, but I told myself over and over that I did what I had to do and that it most probably was in the situation of life and death. Nevertheless, I took his hand and softly spoke to Nathan, meeting his star-spangled gaze, explaining to him what we were going to do next and how he should abstain from speaking unless he absolutely needed to.

We took a trip down to the end of the 'Bay Maiden', where a quaint office type room, with glass panelling for walls and a door, sat, with cheaply printed vinyl lettering reading, 'Lost & Found Property'.  In we went, to face yet another fed up millennial who immediately popped the question, "Whadya want?". I told her how I "left my purse in the seating area," the night before, whilst I was out at dinner with my family. She said that we could take a look to see if we could find it amongst the abundance of items scattered on the table and in boxes and bins under the rattly fold up tables, though she lacked any enthusiasm, she let us have a look around whilst she returned to what seemed like a fight with her phones keyboaurd in an attempt to digitally converse with someone. 

Amongst the mess of items, I found an obvious knockoff Gucci bag, with the striped ribbon and the obnoxious bee and all, perfectly identical to the one Kenedy carried around on her arm, almost flaunting its counterfeit-ness. I peered inside, to find some pads, a tampon and a wad of single dollar bills, a few fivers and a flavoured condom. I had my thoughts of the profession of whoever was once the 'proud' owner of this fine article. I picked it up and continued to sift through the clothing to find something for me to change into, something to keep me warmer than the t-shirt, cardigan and blood spotted Capri jeans I was already wearing. I had only come to notice the blood when I looked down to examine myself, it must have been Dad's. A wash of fear swept over me, but I persisted and found myself love fleece lined leggings, and a baggy hoodie. I rolled them up and quickly shoved them into my new bag and the hoodie and a t-shirt into Nathan's bag. I gestured to him and he made his way to the door, I thanked the attendant and told her I found it, without looking up, she forced out the words, "Good for you," with such little care, and so much sarcasm. I kept my anger inside of me and we headed out. Nathan, as soon as the door closed, asked me if what I had done was stealing, I said, "kinda, but you don't have to worry about it.."

He also said that he had to 'go toilet' in a very 'last-minute' tone. I said that that was great, which was proceeded with a very cute and confused look on Nathan's face. We found the nearest women's bathroom and he ran into it and locked himself into one of the stalls. I looked to see if there was anyone in the other stalls, before locking the door. After Nathan came out of the toilet, looking relieved, I sat him up on the counter where I dried it for him. I used some water to wet his hair before massaging on the boxed dye I prepped in the plastic bottle that came with it. Once his hair was 'fully saturated', I told him to go sit down and waitr for the colour to develop. I started on my own hair then, I began cutting my 'ok' length hair to a long-bob, it was finally a length where I could start doing something with it, sometimes I would braid it, to give it waves, or wear it in braids, or in a ponytail, but usually in my normal 'down' and 'basic' way. I put all of my might into maintaining a straight line all along and actually making it look good. I watched the strands of hair fall to the ground, some in clumps falling quickly, but swiftly, some in pairs, or small groups. Occasionally there would be one single strand of hair swiftly falling, as it was watching the world fly by, I felt like that one single strand, falling on my own, in a slow-motion car crash, to a slow-motion death. Isn't that what everybody wants, everyone wants to know what it feels like to die, to finally kick the bucket, to know if you really see the infamous 'light', or if there is an afterlife, or heaven, or hell, or a nirvana. 

But unlike that single lock, won't know the truth for a while, hopefully. 

Or maybe I'll just constantly live life in a slow freefall, watching time fly around me, watching every good thing around me be snatched from me, losing everyone, I have ever, loved.