Half Souls (Day 1-2)

3 October, 2011

A bottle rolled and silently hit her thigh. She was out of energy to groan so she let a tear fall instead. She was unaware of how she had become so fatigued, and her memory was twisted. She was sitting in the hallway of Blueberry Hill and the lights were out. Her dreams before she woke were vividly painted with scenes of a dusty green room and a black leather chair. She knew she'd been there, but nor when or how. It was a place of great comfort and remembrance to her, but her understanding was still foggy. She stood up then, regaining her balance. Something was missing from her, she felt sick and tired and hungry too. Walking forward, she realized no one was there except her. Coming out of the hallway she headed for the window. Pressing it gently at first, she realized after pounding it she could not bring it to break no matter how hard she pounded. Stepping away discouraged, she managed to find her way to the kitchen. Finding various varieties and amounts of food, she tried to pull a small meal together. Still feeling sick, she thought she would try something light such as toast and a egg perhaps. To her surprise upon grabbing the bread, it was stale. Remembering the egg, she went to the refrigerator instead. She pulled one out of its carton and attempted to crack it over a ceramic bowl she discovered under the metal table. After cracking it open in the bowl, she realized that is was spoiled and green just as the bread had been stale. She needed something to eat very badly, or she would soon collapse again. As a last resort, she looked into the pantry with an old wooden door. Thankfully she found a sealed plastic bag of dried beans and a container of mixed nuts not far away. Needing something to drink as well, she searched and found a small glass able to hold water. Slowly walking to the sink not sure of what she would find, she turned the tap on. It immediately spewed jet black water from it, but she let it cycle and decided she could settle for light beige tinted water. Leaving the kitchen after that, she sat in a half booth near the bar. She ate for eight minutes slowly, then decided she was well nourished enough to get up and move to lie down in a more cushioned area. When her head hit the seat of a upholstered booth, she feel into another deep sleep.

3 October, 1861

The ground shook and bombs sounded in the background. As dust floated down from the ceiling, she moved closer against the wall. Looking at her surroundings quickly, she tried to stand firm and taller. The fact had just dawned on her, she was in the east bomb shelter underground in its basement. Seeing her fellow soldiers, she encouraged them; "Fight on though ye weary! Hold on for the victor is drawing near". After reciting her word, she sumterred over to a small, high and tinted window to see if she could see the action. Not seeing anything but clouded smoke, she then retreated from the window. With a deep fear in her heart, she did not want to leave for it was raining outside and thundering quite badly. Yet, seeing no other option nor reason she should be sheltered below the ruble, she aimed her step toward the concrete stairs. Before upon reaching the stairs, she noticed a quarter size hole in the rickety wood flooring. Crouching low, see peered into its dull yellow hue it was producing. She could not see anything, she only heard what she thought was the distant rolling of thunder coming from the hole. She was convinced it was just a leak in this lower compartment of the shelter. Listening for just another second, she pulled up and away from the floor. Realizing she had spent too long gazing into the hole, she quickened her step and walked up the stairs. When she met the heavy metal slotted door with her hand, she was surprised to see she could not open it. Pulling harder then the first time, she attempted to coax it open. But it did not open. And when coming to ponder again why it wouldn't, a ear-splitting bang sent her head first into the door and down the stairs. The attack was so mighty, it had launched her into the soft leathered chair and rocked her not the least bit silently to sleep.

4 October, 2011

It was now the early morning of the next day. She could hear a church bell ringing in the distance. She also realized a building that was not there before; the building was about two down and made of brick. Again, confused on her location and what had been drawn over her, she slowly lurked toward the window. Observing the building she had vague fantasies of what it looked like inside. Green, dusty.. oddly familiar. This time, knowing she could not pass through the window, she busied herself towards the hole in the floor she had seen earlier. Again peering through, she saw light. Yet here now, light blue light was penetrating her eyes, it even seemed to float up toward her in small wisps. Catching one with her hand, she held it there. On its own, it seemed to move up around her neck, under her chin, and then into her nostrils. The wisp had no smell, nor would she have realized its arrival in her nose if she was not paying close attention. In close time after, one more blue wisp made its way up her neck and into her nose. The wisps did not affect her, in fact they made her feel slightly more whole even. When finding the light had in the slowest way possible faded away, she left the hole. Feeling compelled to visit the hallway, that's where she went. Walking along the space she thought it was she woke up a day earlier, she carefully walked by each encased glass display window. They were filled with novelties of old movies and shows, some even seemed to have autographed copies of famous artists too. In each picture, there was the same man. She guessed this was the owner of the restaurant although she was not sure. Being tired with the first case, she moved along to the second. Upon being tired with the second, she moved to the third window. This one was different, it was not boring. It had pictures and toys from an old movie she remembered watching. The names did not come to her, but she remembered everything about the movie. The case was so intriguing her, she stood there for the longest time. She turned to move to the next one noticing she had spent too much time gawking at this one. Before she reached her second step, she felt a cold hand on her neck...

4 October, 1861

Waking up in a daze in what she guessed was a hospital cot, she knew a day had passed. "Pardon, would you mind telling me what day it is?" she said to the nurse.

"4 October, 1861. I do suggest you do not strain yourself and lie back down. You took quite a blow yesterday after the bomb hit our shelter." the nurse replied

"Right, well I really need to get up if that's all right."

"I'd rather you not, yet I will permit a soldier such as you to do so. Where are you off to?"

"I thought I'd take a look around the ruble then head back towards the forest and our tents."

As she headed off, towards the ruble, she was astonished. The shelter had taken quite a blow seeing as it was a shelter and named to be virtually untouchable. Remembering the hole, she hurried towards the spot of where she remembered the stairs should be. The stairs were in ruins as well as the floor, yet the hole was still there. This time, there was no light. Expecting to see something she waited there. Nothing happened still and she decided to head towards the nearby tents. These were by the nearby forest. It was not forbidden, but it was clearly obvious you shouldn't be there. Walking briskly but quietly, she made in her way towards the forest. As far as she could tell, no one seemed to be outside their tent. They were all recovering in the hospital area or simply inside their tent. Remembering that, she took a step with more confidence. When reaching the barrier between the camp and forest, she stepped in eagerly. She actually wasn't quite sure why she was heading here, she just felt the need to. Perhaps fresh air? When she was out of sight, she was amazed by all the beautiful nature. She stopped and gazed at different bunches of flowers and clovers and marveled at the high trees. A certain group of uprooted tree parts grabbed her attention. There were about three or four fallen trees with neat patches of clovers surrounding them. Looking at the first and second being amused by their thickness, she walked to the third one. This one was different. It had moss on it and reminded her of her old house with the way the moss and vines grew on it. Finding a fairly open space of the roots, she reached to feel it with her hand. Expecting to see just plain mud, it was peculiar her hand came back to her with blue filmy air around it. She was not sure of its origin nor what it was. Looking closely she followed it to her head where it sat for a minute before going over her forehead and somehow smoothly into her mouth. After the first had finished she realized a smaller one follow the same pattern and into her mouth again. Finding it odd but refreshing, she moved along. She thought she'd better head towards the camp or she'd be suspected. Before turning, the breath was drawn out of her with a halt as a warm tender hand touched her back.

4 October, 2011

Although paralyzed with shock, she slowly turned around. To her scared and bemused wonder, she found the ghostly human figure attached to the hand. Before she could scream, the hand moved tenderly up her chin and across her lips, lingering there.

"Hello there, love."

"Hel-" she could not finish for the figure spoke again and moved around her.

"You're charming" he said "I can't wait"

This time, muttering the courage, she said "Thank you?", quietly.

A devilish smirk grew across the ghostly boy's face. She was lost completely, love drugged and did not know why. The boy knew she was just like her, a lot more than he suspected actually. When he realized that, he surrendered a bit and wanted to see if she would feed back. He was a love feeder after all. He was right and watched as her hands fell around his own neck and tugged his hair. Confident, he pushed her with strength to the floor. As she fell, he gained more of her. Slowly, he moved down to her neck, then chest. She laughed quietly and put her hand over him. He held her there for a minute then pulled away and stood back. She was tilted upright now and was smiling the tiniest bit. She looked up and then was confused.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded

"Your lover" he said softly

"Why di-"

"Your're just like her."

"I don't understand, you'd bett-"

"Love never dies." he replied.

A spark grew in his eyes. He disappeared then and was swept back into the wall like dust. More alert now, she scrambled to the spot on the wall he had disappeared and smacked her hand against it. Nothing. Again, she hit it confused. And still as ever, nothing. As she looked around the barren hallway, she almost convinced herself that it did not happen, she imagined it she guessed. But as she put her hand over her chest and her finger on her lips, she knew the racing in her chest and the tingling on her lips didn't lie.