
Three Suns After the Fall
She awoke trying to scream, her eyes wide with panic, and yet only a harsh gasp and a heavy painful cough came, wracking her body as she tried to sit up. As she collapsed back and wheezed, her senses began to focus. She was clearly in a bed, that much she was sure of. She had been sweating, and the sheen of it was clear as her chest heaved, each breath painful and taxing. As she scanned the room with minimal movement, she caught sight of an elderly woman sitting across what appeared to be a small hut. She was in a set of gray robes and her hood was lowered, showing her white hair, and she rocked in a small wooden chair, knitting something indiscernible. She smiled softly and didn't look up as she continued knitting, rocking the chair as though this were a normal occurrence.
"Relax...you're still recovering, dear. Likely to hurt y'self sitting up like that." Her voice was kind but weathered.
She breathed deeply as she lay there, red hair spilled out beneath her head. Her voice finally came but was a husky whisper. "Wh-what happened to me?" She gulped painfully. The elderly woman stood and moved beside her, grabbing a small glass of water and nodding. "Try to drink this...slowly, dear, slowly." She took the glass and it felt like every part of her hurt, and she gingerly moved to a slight sitting position. The water was cool and burned her dry throat but was welcome as she breathed deeply, coming more and more into focus.
"Found you three suns ago. Unconscious. In bad shape." The old woman spoke plainly. She sipped more water and tried to recall what had happened. Her expression turned tense when she suddenly realized, and with a panicked look to the elderly woman, asked, "Wait....do you....do you know who I am? I don't...don't know..." She began to tremble and look even more panicked before the elderly woman gently patted the woman's hand.
"Calm yourself dear....you're name...I saw it on a business card I found on you...is Melodia." She gave the younger woman a sad smile. "And you have asked me those same questions for three days now."
She awoke trying to scream, her eyes wide with panic, and yet only a harsh gasp and a heavy painful cough came, wracking her body as she tried to sit up. As she collapsed back and wheezed, her senses began to focus. She was clearly in a bed, that much she was sure of. She had been sweating, and the sheen of it was clear as her chest heaved, each breath painful and taxing. As she scanned the room with minimal movement, she caught sight of an elderly woman sitting across what appeared to be a small hut. She was in a set of gray robes and her hood was lowered, showing her white hair, and she rocked in a small wooden chair, knitting something indiscernible. She smiled softly and didn't look up as she continued knitting, rocking the chair as though this were a normal occurrence.
"Relax...you're still recovering, dear. Likely to hurt y'self sitting up like that." Her voice was kind but weathered.
She breathed deeply as she lay there, red hair spilled out beneath her head. Her voice finally came but was a husky whisper. "Wh-what happened to me?" She gulped painfully. The elderly woman stood and moved beside her, grabbing a small glass of water and nodding. "Try to drink this...slowly, dear, slowly." She took the glass and it felt like every part of her hurt, and she gingerly moved to a slight sitting position. The water was cool and burned her dry throat but was welcome as she breathed deeply, coming more and more into focus.
"Found you three suns ago. Unconscious. In bad shape." The old woman spoke plainly. She sipped more water and tried to recall what had happened. Her expression turned tense when she suddenly realized, and with a panicked look to the elderly woman, asked, "Wait....do you....do you know who I am? I don't...don't know..." She began to tremble and look even more panicked before the elderly woman gently patted the woman's hand.
"Calm yourself dear....you're name...I saw it on a business card I found on you...is Melodia." She gave the younger woman a sad smile. "And you have asked me those same questions for three days now."