The days in bed are quiet and warm. Alone, in the darkness. The faint electric buzz from something and the rasping of my own breath both failing to fill the thick air around me.
Even if I'm conscious [[I don't move a muscle->Lie still]] until they come to wake me.
Footsteps come closer. Curtains pulled and a window opened. Letting in a draft of cool night air. And the electric light from the street.
[[The nights awake are cold and sore.->Complain]]
<script>window.bgaudio.play();</script>
I sigh loudly. I don't mean to. And I don't mean it to be such a coarse, coughing rattle either. I hear $her stop, returning the sigh impatiently over by the window.
"It's nine o'clock." $she hesitates "Too early?"
I open my eyes, $she's new, dressed in white, but flooded in pink from the nervously flickering [[neon light]] from the building across the street. I recognize the metal case in $herr hand.
- [["No, no. It's... fine."->Sit Up]]
- [["You're asking me?" ->Sit Up]]
"The pain returns as soon as it's awake. Remember to set the clocks before you go in."
"Ma'am?"
"Just set them to 9-10'ish... PM."
"Why?"
"Look, it's always evening. And dodge any talk about the date. Or year."
(align:"=><=")[
[[<--->Start]]]{
(print: "<script>$('tw-story').removeClass(\)</script>")
(if: (passage:)'s tags's length > 0)[
(print: "<script>$('tw-story').addClass('" + (passage:)'s tags.join(' ') + "'\)</script>")
]
(print: "<script>$('tw-link').removeClass(\)</script>")
(if: (passage:)'s tags's length > 0)[
(print: "<script>$('tw-link').addClass('" + (passage:)'s tags.join(' ') + "'\)</script>")
]
}{(set: $nextwrap to "")
(set: $wrap1Done to false)
(set: $wrap2Done to false)}
$She sits on the chair next to the bed, a familiar sharp snap of metal as the case of bandages and meds is opened on the table.
I sit up further, starting to tug my blanket away until $she impatiently lifts and folds it down. I wince a little as I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror across the room. Nothing but sagging, grey skin hanging on sharp, crystalline bones.
[[It takes a moment before I recognize the face looking back at me.->Sit up 2]]{[(set: $cardReturn to "[[<--->Arms1]]")]
(if: $nextwrap is "")[(set: $nextwrap to "[[chest then->Chest1]]")]
(set: $wrap1Done to true)}
The first layer of bandage is wrapped slowly along my arm. Winding its way down from my shoulder. The soft fabric is wound tight at my elbow, continuing down the impossibly long limb, towards my hand reaching well past my knee. When the second layer is done I feel my strength returning, lifting my arms as $she finishes the work.
$She glances discreetly into the lid of the case, I can't see it, but I know the little [[handwritten card|written card]] $she's looking at.
{(if: $wrap2Done is true)[[[The light flickers in the mirror and I look up.->mirror]]]
(else:)[The silence is too awkward to bear. I fidget with the bandage. [["So..."->Comment]]]}{
[(set: $cardReturn to "[[<--->Chest1]]")]
(if: $nextwrap is "")[(set: $nextwrap to "[[arms then->Arms1]]")]
(set: $wrap2Done to true)
}
My chest is recognizable as such only by being the jumble of bones under my neck. The thing connecting my shoulders. Like a clenched fist wrapped in a grey sheet. $She tugs the wide bandage under and around me, more a corset than anything else.
With a knee against my side $she tightens it with a dull crunch. I stop wheezing, take a few deep breaths and begin to feel dizzy.
{(if: $wrap1Done is true)[[[The light flickers in the mirror and I look up.->mirror]]]
(else:)[The silence following is awkward. [["So..."->Comment]]]}
"Shouldn't we turn that thing off? I mean there's no one out there anymore to s..."
"It's fine. Leave it."
"I'd go crazy with that light. And reflecting in the mirror like that..."
(align:"=><=")[
[[<--|Complain]]]
//"Put in some cards with pointers. Just the procedural basics so they have something to hang on to in there."//
//"Seriously? It's not that complicated."//
//"Trust me. It helps to have something black and white to keep your eyes on."//
(align:"=><=")[
$cardReturn]
Something heavy and metallic scrapes across concrete in the distance. The sound echoing between the buildings outside, underscoring how quiet everything is.
We both pause for a second. I clear my throat, nodding at the sound from the window, "Heavy traffic tonight?"
"What do you m..." $she stops $herself. "Yeah. I wouldn't know." Finishing $herr task silently.
"Alright," $she says finally "$nextwrap?"
I glance at my reflection, looking over the tightly wound handiwork. $She takes out the last bandage from the case, a hood of the same fabric as the rest, and places it on the table.
We make eye-contact for the first time in the smudged glass. A queasy deja-vu as I recognize a stranger's face in the mirror for the second time. I cannot read $herr expression, unsure if $she sees me looking at $her.
- [[So I smile at $herr reflection politely.|smile]]
- [[So I turn my head.|turn]]{
(set: $g to (random:0,1))
(if: $g is 0)[
[(set: $her to "her")]
[(set: $Her to "Her")]
[(set: $herr to "her")]
[(set: $hers to "hers")]
[(set: $Hers to "Hers")]
[(set: $she to "she")]
[(set: $She to "She")]
[(set: $herself to "herself")]
]
(else:)[
[(set: $her to "him")]
[(set: $Her to "Him")]
[(set: $herr to "his")]
[(set: $hers to "his")]
[(set: $Hers to "His")]
[(set: $she to "he")]
[(set: $She to "He")]
[(set: $herself to "himself")]
]
}
(align:"=><=")[
(css: "font-size: 70px")[Skin, Skin.]
(css: "font-size: 70px")[Bones, Bones.]
[[Start->Start]]
]
<script>window.bgaudio.pause();window.bgaudio.currentTime = 0;
</script>
I manage to pull the rubbery hole in my head into a toothless smile. I strain to hold it for a while before I realize my attendant does not react.
$She turns $herr head, casually looking straight at me instead. I freeze. My eyes fixed on $herr reflection as $she pulls the soft fabric over my still smiling head.
(align:"=><=")[[[...|end]]]
My head wobbles a bit as I turn towards $her. But $she stares straight ahead, only looking from afar at my reflection in the greasy, pink glass. $She kneads and pulls at the hood in $herr hands. Softening the fabric.
"I think we're almost done now."
(align:"=><=")[[[...|end]]]
(align:"=><=")[
(css: "font-size: 55px")[The end.]]
(align:"=><=")[
[[<---->Title]]]
$She pauses at the sight too, a grimace of disbelief on $herr face before nodding with determination.
And an octave added to $herr voice "Arms first?"
- [["Go ahead."->Arms1]]
- "No", I cough, [["chest first."->Chest1]]