Freezing cobblestones slicing into bare feet… That loss of balance when you can't feel your toes.
A mild inconvenience.
The sound your stomach makes when you haven't eaten in 4 days with that sickly sweet taste in your mouth that makes you gag, watching your body shrivel and your strength wane.
Worrisome, but I can go on a couple days.
Feeling your mind slip and slog through thoughts and ideas that once came so readily to your side, like an always waiting butler…
There, that's what's wrong. Has it been 4 days? Or 6? I definitely remember the old bread I swiped out of the dock whores’ lunch. Five days then, the Whirling Tide (dumb name for a ship) was set to dock for five days and then head south according the the ship rats,it’s amazing the things boys will tell you for nothing but a wink and a peck on the cheek. That along with my “shy” demeanor I probably could have got the key to the captain's quarters off them but, they’d haul them all on the keel for that, and I've seen enough dead kids in my life.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Memories unbidden come to the forefront of my mind, fires and screams, wails of mothers holding lifeless forms “Stopstop no enoughstop” I rasp through gritted teeth. Cruel men with cruel smiles circling like ravenous wolves “Nononostop” a mad dash through the woods alone “ImsorryImsorryImsorry” the jump to my dea..”ENOUGH!” I growled aloud. I forcefully push those thoughts down back where they belong. Having to reel back in my straying mind is getting harder and harder; it just wants to float from one bad memory to the next. (Focus Sasa! You need food, something that will keep you going for a few days. I need to focus on finding food! Meat preferably, some tubers as well. Meat.) My mind is sluggish, I have to reinforce ideas two or three times just to get them to stay in my head.
After what feels like hours getting my bearings I finally open my eyes to take stock of where I am. “Huh?” a question little more than a breath escapes my mouth. Soft light shines through an open window. (I’m not where I’m supposed to be)… The ceiling is painted in swirls of ruby and gold. (This is NOT where I went to sleep!) The soft silken sheets beneath my body, wait, why am I naked…
“Ah Fuck”
(I’ve been caught)
“A Lady shouldn’t swear”
(Oh…Oh no)… I wasn’t just caught…
(I'm in deep shit)