084 Chapel Days · Scene 2
Chapel Days
Chapel Days · Scene 2 · Bed b
The Chapel ~ Interior ~ Bed and guest
quarters
Early Autumn ~ Morning, Clear and breezy
Early Autumn ~ Morning, Clear and breezy
I
|
f not for
her hips and fine bosom, both on full display due to only wearing her
chainmail, Chain due to her slender, long limbs and slight frame might have
been mistaken for an underdeveloped child. Again, if not for her chainmail
putting her figure on display, as well as the sheathed sword she held slung
over her right shoulder, she might have been mistaken for a tall friend of
Finch. She was taller than Finch though and thus not short, but she was most
definitely not tall either. The way she walked slumped over in dismay though
did nothing to represent her actually height and required her sword and
chainmail to visually separate her from being a child.
“I’m still so upset.”
“This one of us is as well. The softness and ease with which
sleep came… A mattress is terrifyingly powerful.”
“You two really need to get over the bed. It’s not like it’s
going anywhere.”
Having managed to finally get Chain and Drop out of bed,
Finch joined them as they walked the halls and stairwells of the pipe filled
interior of the Chapel. It was not necessarily the most successful of attempts
to relieve them of the stress afflicted them due to the bed though as there was
more than just being awake eating at them. Turning tearful eyes onto Finch, Chain
expressed that earnestly.
“But it just might! Didn’t you see how tattered those sheets
were⁈ I know nunneries don’t make a lot of
money, and since this one moves it must have even less than most. There’s no
way I’ll be allowed to sleep in a bed again after leaving it like that! This is
what I get for waking up the Beast!”
As she spoke, chain was assailed by her own memories
providing her image after image of the shredded sheets and even mattress. The
damage made it seem like the bed had fallen victim to a swarm of hungry moths,
yet Chain was obviously blaming herself and her actions.
Knowledge of the Beast was only afforded to Finch from
secondhand accounts so she could not say anything in particular to relieve the
upset Chain. From what she did know, the Beast being the name that Chain gave
to Foreigner infection that made her a Sa·B·er, there wasn’t likely anything
she could say. As it was, Finch was only a girl of ten springs, though perhaps
more mature than Chain in that moment, and said something regardless of whether
or not it was appropriate.
“Well you’re a Sa·B·er, so I guess you could look at it like
training to better control your infection. I’ve heard that Sa·B·ers can still
become monsters if they’re not careful, even after receiving Lady Cardinal’s
Light. Wha–⁈”
Chain’s eyes were completely watering over now, and Finch
nearly fell backwards as she backed away from Chain. Chain didn’t seem to
notice and simply kept pressing up into Finch’s face until the younger girl was
backed up against a wall. With nowhere to run, Finch had to deal with Chain’s
bawling.
“That’s just the thing, I can only keep the Beast from eating
me or anything else while I’m awake! Once I’m asleep, I can only keep it from
eating me!”
“Well… um… maybe if you ate bigger meals… It is a part of
you, right?”
“That still wouldn’t work! If I tried to eat for me and the Beast,
no one here would be able to eat and being able to sleep in a bed again wouldn’t
be the worst of my problems!”
“The Beast does have a horrible appetite that will make our
life difficult.”
As Chain burst into tears and incoherent bawling, Drop, who
swam in the air beside Chain, answered matter-of-factly. Despite her
directness, Drop could not hide her disappointment either. Desperate to get out
of the way of Chain’s tears and to stop regretting waking Chain and Drop, Finch
hinted at a solution to Chain’s dilemma.
“Well, if getting better at controlling your infection will
take too long, I might have another suggestion…”
“Really⁈ What⁈ What⁈”
Presenting Chain with a possibility to continue enjoying the
comforts of a bed was perhaps not the best idea. Finch felt like she was being
pressured even more as both Chain and Drop leaned into her personal space with
pleading eyes. She had stopped Chain’s bawling for an instant at least, though
she could only hope that her idea would give her back her personal space.
.
Copyright © 2019 Joshua D Tarwater
Comments
Post a Comment