Julianna gazed back up at him. “Don’t worry about it,” she murmured, the hand on her back was a comforting rhythm. “It’s on the house.” She didn’t explain why she had chosen to look at the arm pro bono. It was possible that she didn’t need to. Charity did not seem unbecoming to Julianna. Her fingers were slowing down in their patterned ministrations, and she’d given up on trying to keep her eye open. Just before she completely succumbed to the the day’s fatigue, she grabbed Owen by the wrist of his natural arm. She rolled over, pulling him along with her, into a more comfortable spooning position. She tucked her body against his, and found that she nestled against him perfectly. The change left the artificial arm beneath her head; she didn’t seem to mind, and with a few minor adjustments, she settled and drifted into sleep.
A cacophony of revving engines woke Julianna in the morning. Just as the sun broke on the horizon, casting just enough light that the mountains that housed the city cast shadows over most of the square.
She’d been having the most perfect dream. Everything was green and alive. In it, she had been wearing something pretty that wasn’t covered in scratchy red dirt. Anita had been with her, playing happily in a sprawling yard of emerald grass. Someone dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders and pulled her against their just in a crushing hug.
But now she was awake. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at the same dirty walls, to a morning chorus of motorcycles. To the same red dirt and red skies, the same choking air.
Without her daughter.
The fear of what could have happened to the child gripped her again. She sat up quickly, pulling away from Owen and scooting towards the edge of the bed. “The scavenging party’s returned,” she explained, without checking to see if he was awake. How could he not be with all the noise. “I should see them. I’ll look at your arm after-” When she’d run her hands over her face to sweep back any loose hairs, she’d noticed that at some point her bandanna had fallen off.
“Can I have my bandana?” Her hands had curled into fists against the sparse sheets that covered the bed. She didn’t turn around. Though he had shared his arm with her, she was hesitant to return the favor when it came to her own losses.
|||
A cacophony of revving engines woke Julianna in the morning. Just as the sun broke on the horizon, casting just enough light that the mountains that housed the city cast shadows over most of the square.
She’d been having the most perfect dream. Everything was green and alive. In it, she had been wearing something pretty that wasn’t covered in scratchy red dirt. Anita had been with her, playing happily in a sprawling yard of emerald grass. Someone dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders and pulled her against their just in a crushing hug.
But now she was awake. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at the same dirty walls, to a morning chorus of motorcycles. To the same red dirt and red skies, the same choking air.
Without her daughter.
The fear of what could have happened to the child gripped her again. She sat up quickly, pulling away from Owen and scooting towards the edge of the bed. “The scavenging party’s returned,” she explained, without checking to see if he was awake. How could he not be with all the noise. “I should see them. I’ll look at your arm after-” When she’d run her hands over her face to sweep back any loose hairs, she’d noticed that at some point her bandanna had fallen off.
“Can I have my bandana?” Her hands had curled into fists against the sparse sheets that covered the bed. She didn’t turn around. Though he had shared his arm with her, she was hesitant to return the favor when it came to her own losses.
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.
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Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 05-12-2017, 03:13 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 05-13-2017, 01:13 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 05-13-2017, 01:59 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 05-13-2017, 08:56 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 05-15-2017, 02:24 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 05-16-2017, 01:20 AM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 05-18-2017, 08:42 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 05-22-2017, 08:32 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 05-24-2017, 08:17 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 05-30-2017, 11:40 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-04-2017, 01:02 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-05-2017, 02:45 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-11-2017, 12:14 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-17-2017, 10:55 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-21-2017, 10:06 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-22-2017, 03:05 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-22-2017, 07:31 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-23-2017, 12:45 AM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-23-2017, 01:39 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-23-2017, 07:26 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-23-2017, 08:23 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-25-2017, 02:56 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-27-2017, 09:14 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-28-2017, 09:48 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 06-30-2017, 09:20 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 07-12-2017, 06:12 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 07-14-2017, 07:00 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 07-25-2017, 11:10 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 08-08-2017, 06:04 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 08-10-2017, 08:09 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 08-10-2017, 08:35 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 08-14-2017, 11:54 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 10-09-2017, 07:22 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 10-30-2017, 03:50 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 11-06-2017, 05:06 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 11-16-2017, 11:16 AM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 01-05-2018, 06:11 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 01-07-2018, 03:09 AM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 05-30-2018, 02:34 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 06-11-2018, 07:38 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by saronym - 11-28-2018, 09:19 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 11-18-2018, 04:30 PM
RE: Burnt Umber [Closed] - by megs - 08-24-2019, 09:04 AM