Chapter One

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MaddieSong: Sleep On The Floor by Lumineers Kalliopi and I landed in London on a Tuesday night

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Maddie
Song: Sleep On The Floor by Lumineers
Kalliopi and I landed in London on a Tuesday night. We've been on our way here since six am this morning, figure in the six hour time difference and we are so done with this day. How in the world is my body so tired from sitting for 13 hours in a plane I'll never know, but all I can think about is getting to our airbnb and sleeping. Thankfully though, I planned. We called ahead and made sure we had a taxi waiting for us outside the London airport. The code for the key lockbox for our airbnb is on Kalliopi's phone and ready. We are here. In London. Finally. If we weren't so tired we'd be freaking out. But we are exhausted to the point of feeling slightly ill. After about what seems like an additional four hours of travel. (I actually think it was like thirty minute drive) We finally pull up in front of our temporary home for the next few days. I can't wait to get inside...and pass out.

"Um, miss... " the cabbie calls.

I turn and realize we still need to get our bags out of the back.

"Yes, sorry. Thank you."

Kalliopi and I lug our suitcases up the stairs and we stand in front of our door that will lead us to beds and glorious sleep. She enters the code and the lockbox releases two shiny keys to get inside the apartment. To our surprise, it seems smaller than the pictures led on. But it's beautiful nonetheless.

It opens up to a living room and a kitchen with, white walls and pine wood floors. Huge floor to ceiling windows and many other amenities I'm sure we will explore later, but for now sleep. Kalliopi walks down the hallway and picks a room. I hear a thud as she drops her luggage. Not even caring that she still had her shoes on, she plops on the bed and passes out. I take the other room across the way. After getting out my Ziplock bag of toiletries, I put my suitcase in the closet. My room has a half bath in it, and, after using the bathroom, I stand there, looking at this bowl full of pee. I couldn't make it go away. We had picked a newer apartment building to Airbnb for the luxuries, but now, in this moment, I'm regretting it. It took me way longer than it should to flush the toilet. Where the hell is the lever? As I'm about to give up and wait until I've actually slept, I noticed a button on the wall towards the lower end. I pushed it, the pee goes away. Now, I can sleep without that on my conscience. I wash my hands and then my face, brush my teeth, and with the hand towel hanging next to me, wipe the toothpaste dribble from my neck while slowly making my way to the gorgeous made up bed just for me. There really is something magical about climbing into a freshly made bed. I scooch under the covers and stack the pillows on top of each other for the perfect amount of neck support and drift off to sleep.

****

*Assortment of banging, screaming and laughter*

I'm unsure about the situation or how long I've been asleep but I sit straight up in bed, panicked a bit because I hear the loudest noises coming from the wall next to me. Like screaming. Very confused and disoriented I stumble to Kalliopi's room to make sure she's okay. She's sitting up looking at me like I was making all the noise. "What was that?" Another yell then some very loud laughter. "Dear god make it stop." Kalliopi reaches for her pillow and covers her ears. Thankfully I never travel without ear plugs. I'm such a light sleeper. Handing a pair to my poor friend and popping the others in my ears, we attempt sleep again. I can still hear the noise through the plugs but not as bad. I wish I had brought my sound machine to help drown out this noise.

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