Into the Light (A Splatoon Story)

A Blue Dress

I wake to the sound of fabric rustling. My eyes flutter open, and I take in my surroundings. Why have I always woken in a different place?

There's a big window to my right, taking up the entire wall. The other walls are painted a light pink, making the room seem much brighter than it really is. After the dreary underground, it's mesmerizing. I'm lying in a soft bed with a green-and-pink blanket over me. I quickly check for things in my arms and am relieved to see none. Where am I now? Is this still the 'hospital'?

"Hi," a familiar voice says. I recognize the cheerful tone.

I look up and see Callie, leaning over me.

"How are you feeling?" She asks cheerfully.

I open my mouth to reply, but no sound comes out. It's as if my voice has been stolen away.

Callie leaps up. "Hang on, I'll go get you some broth!"

What's broth? I wonder. I wait, hoping desperately 'broth' wasn't something painful. A minute later, Callie bustles back in, holding a bowl in her hands.

"Here you go!" She says happily, offering it to me. "Be careful, it's a little hot."

I stare at the bowl, then back at Callie. What does she want me to do?

"It's for you," she says. "Go on! Drink it!"

I take it, assuming that's what she wants. She grabs a bowl of her own and sips from it, then looks at me.

"Your turn!"

She wants me to imitate her. I do, tipping the bowl carefully. A hot liquid splashes into my mouth. I almost choke, startled, but manage to swallow it. I feel a tingly warmth traveling through my body. What is this?

"You like it?" Callie asks, then giggles. "Your face is priceless!"

I don't know what that means, but I blush nonetheless. To hide it a little, I sip again. The 'broth' is warm and comforting. So is the look Callie's giving me. So, 'broth' refers to...food?

Callie's studying me closely. "Haven't you ever had broth before?"

I shake my head, looking down. The only food I've eaten is what the kids and I could scavenge: crusts of bread, mostly. I've never encountered something like broth, especially from a bowl like this.

The door opens, and Marie walks in. She's holding a large bag. When she sees me, her eyes light up.

"Hey, you're awake!" She says, sounding relieved.

Callie's bouncing on the edge of the bed, making me jolt up and down. She notices and quickly stops. "Sorry!"

"I got you some new clothes," Marie goes on. "They're totally fresh, if I do say so myself."

What does 'fresh' mean? I think. And what does she mean, new clothes?

As if she heard my question, Marie starts pulling things from the bag. All sorts of clothes, in bright colors and soft fabrics. She lets me look at them, asking which I like best.

How am I supposed to choose from all this? I stare at all the clothes spread across the blanket. Slowly, I reach out and stroke a blue dress, feeling how soft it is. There are little swirly patterns of white on the edges, and short sleeves...I didn't even know clothes could be this nice.

"That one?" Marie asks, and I nod. "Good, then let's get you dressed."

I have no idea what she means, so I let them do what they will. They strip off my old clothes, then Callie herds me into the bathroom. I stand obediently as she scrubs me with warm water. It doesn't hurt, like I thought it would. It actually feels nice, in a way. Perhaps the difference is that this water isn't cold and salty like the kind underground, that burns your skin at the touch.

Marie brings in a towel, and they help me dry off. By this point, my legs were feeling a little shaky. Whatever the car had done to me hadn't worn off yet; I still felt very weak.

"Oh, let's hurry, Marie!" Callie cries, seeing how tired I am.

They help me into the dress, which is every bit as soft as I had imagined. Callie sees my stunned expression and giggles.

"You look so cute!" She gushes as they carry me back to the bed.

I want to ask what 'cute' means, but I don't have my pad of paper. I fall asleep instead, feeling their arms around me.

I'm safe...