Whoa oh-stress hours. Not been feeling well recently. I'm excited for school but I've been feeling so off lately. One constant in my life for awhile has been this story. I know I can always come back to it. That's one of the reasons it's so close to my heart, because it helps me feel connected and oddly down to earth. One thing I can ramble about for hours is WRITING which I can't even really do with a lot of my other passions like music. Enough of that though-
Enjoy
We headed for the East Gate, Link all the while asking if I was okay, if I needed anything, if I was hungry. No matter how many times I said I was fine, he would ask if I was sure.
The sun felt as if it hung particularly close that day, beating on the backs of anyone caught in its rays. Children with reddened faces tripped while playing tag as their mothers ushered them in for lunch while townsfolk walked around with beads of sweat on their foreheads.
There was a breeze in Hyrule Field that I could feel cool my skin and tumble through my shirt. At the same time, the black parts of my outfit cooked me like an oven. Link didn't complain and if he was bothered, posed no expression to show it.
Lake Hylia reflected the sun off of its waves, every so often blotting out the few people at its shore. Two small boats drifted across, quiet little vessels floating along. The sight shocked me somewhat, a complete reverse from the abandoned pond it was before. On top of that, there weren't any monsters around.
My legs were beginning to throb by the time we reached the stables. The man at the front caught Link in his eye with a grumpy sneer and as we came close to him, he snatched at his arm. "Your horse is rowdier than the boars, you know that right?"
Link shook the man off and admitted, "Yeah, but I thought a stable would be able to care for her if anyone. Never worked with horses before?"
"I've been working with horses all my life and I've never seen anything like her," the man scoffed. "I hear that's how they breed 'em out in Ordon."
Link laughed and crossed his arms. "You're not wrong. I grew up on the ranches down there."
"Oh, you know a lot about horses?"
"Horses and goats...a lot of things."
I mean she seems pretty calm now.
My vision flicked over to the row of horses. In the middle stood Epona, her white mane distinct amongst the rest. I listened to Link and the man exchange comments about caring for horses briefly before I gave up and walked over to her.
The unpleasant smell alarmed my nostrils as I got closer to the horses. When I reached Epona, her ears perked up and she lowered her head towards me. Gingerly, I lifted my hand and patted the white diamond on her nose.
I've seen a lot of horses in my time and she sure is a beauty.
"Just like in the game." I found a certain solace in those words, a comfort. Within this huge world, there were still things I recognized, things that were the same.
Epona snorted and I brought my hand away. I looked around, picking out small interesting details in the stables, reading the neutral faces of the stablehands. On the right, standing in front of the boars was a man. He looked older, grey beard and thinning hair. In his hands he held a journal, jotting notes down in it. I felt a knot form in my stomach at the thought of approaching him myself, but Link was still talking to the stable man. Undoubtedly, though, it was Auru.
You're giving him eyes, who is it?
"Ew, don't say it like that. It's just Auru. I think."
So go introduce yourself. Take the initiative.
"I'll just wait." I sunk into the post behind me, but Auru had suddenly closed his book and started calling at me.
"Hey, did you say something?" He squinted then shoved the book away, walking towards me. "Wait, Telma said something about you. Maizy, right?"
I pushed back up, straightening as I replied, "Uh, yeah. Link and I came here to find you actually. We're looking to go to the prison as well."
See? Not that hard.
Auru smiled. "Ah, perfect. I was hoping Link would get the message soon. I don't have much except bags, we can get going as soon as you're all ready." I looked back at Link who was still lost in discussion, a fist under his chin. Auru followed my gaze and let out a small chuckle. "Or maybe when he's ready."
Link eventually ended his conversation after catching a glimpse of us in his peripheral. In the meantime, Auru decided to fill me in a bit about the rumors: the ghosts, the sand storms, intriguing occasions in the desert. By the time Link came over, I felt a bit put off about going in, but nonetheless, we bought two boars and rode them to the edge of the desert.
Auru pointed off into the distance, explaining, "There's an outpost about an hour away where we'll stop and get supplies. If we make good pace, we'll get to the next outpost at about sundown. Then we'll set off for the prison at dawn."
I bit down the agitation in my head and nodded to him, tightening my grip around Link's torso. Auru flicked his reigns and we started into the seemingly endless desert. The sun overhead bid us a hellish welcome as its heat enveloped us.
The desert did not go easy during that hour. We had very little supplies to carry us there and our clothes weren't fit for the journey. Why the outpost was so far in, Auru couldn't tell us, but he did know about other things. Specifically the Gerudo which I found most surprising.
"The war wasn't kind to them," Auru explained, "But there's still some Gerudo folk in the desert settlement. They've been bouncing back it seems, but mostly with the help of the Hylians there. Without the trade, they'd be nothing."
"Why's it so far out?" I wondered.
"It's built on the old city not too far from the oasis. Anywhere else is pretty much uninhabitable," Auru replied.
I looked out into the dunes. There was nothing in this desert but harsh sands and flag posts that marked the trail. A lot of them were cut in half or fallen over on the path. Auru tried to entertain us, but for the most part it was just him and Link going back and forth. I had to listen to Vox ramble about the weather back at home and his brother, which he specified was his twin.
People saw him as the talented one. I couldn't blame them, I didn't really care for all the magic stuff. Most of my life I was just carefree and he tried to get me out of trouble. They told me I would've been more useful if I was a girl.
We rode up to a small outpost whose walls stretched up on the horizon. Inside were several vendors selling food, clothes, and weapons. Among the pale faced Hylians, darker toned women with vibrant red hair stood out as they walked around and tended their stands. Many spoke with acute accents as if they were getting acquainted to the language.
Auru paid a stall a few rupees to watch the boars till we came back and headed through to the vendors. The three of us started to separate somewhat, drawn to different supplies or strange souvenirs. I watched Link examine a scimitar closely, then put it back on the rack and carry on. A stand of clothes caught my eye and I went over to search through the stacks of fabric.
"Sav'aaq."
I looked up to see a young man, eyes a bright amber and hair almost scarlet. My face paled when I saw him, a male Gerudo. Questions surged through my head one after the other: Was this it? The only one born in a hundred years? What was he doing out here of all places?
"You look like you see a ghost?" he wondered in a thick accent, glancing around. "That seems to happen a lot."
"I'm sorry, I just thought I'd see someone else." I shook my head, flustered.
The young man chuckled somewhat. "Ah, you thought I am vai? You silly Hylians lump us together and think voe not exist."
I narrowed my eyes. "Vai?"
He brought a fist to his lips then gestured at me. "Ah, you call vai, girl? Sorry, my Hylian bad. I come from a small village."
I waved my hand, assuring him, "No, no, I can understand. I just...I'm surprised." My cheeks felt unbelievably hot.
"Enough of surprised, have a look at some clothes." He swept a hand over his stock and smiled.
"Maizy, you find anything?" Link came up from behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I stepped away at the sudden advance, startled.
"N-not really."
Link's eyes drifted off to another stand and he let go of my waist to leave for it. I gawked after him, feeling the spot where he held me sizzle like his touch was fire. The young man asked if I would buy anything and I politely specified that I didn't have the money. He said some Gerudo phrase I didn't understand and after learning it meant, "good bye," I left to find Link.
What's got him all touchy, eh?
"That's what I'm wondering," I mumbled.
Maybe he was worried cause you looked like you were about to melt from embarrassment.
"I wasn't embarrassed! Just...ah." I rubbed my cheek and sighed.
You're lucky the guy was nice.
I happened upon Auru instead who asked me to help him carry some food he bought to the boars. On the way, I saw Link walking down along the stands. He seemed spaced out, not regarding anyone and not interacting with anything. My arm was cramping by the time I got the food to the front of the outpost. Auru told me to go find Link before we'd look for clothes together. I agreed and went out to where I saw him last.
He sat leaned against a wall next to a stand. As I approached, the girl behind the counter appeared to catch his attention. My heart beat oddly and before either of them could see me, I ducked into an alley closeby to listen.
"What brings a young voe like you all the way out here?" Her English was a lot better than the young man's, but she spoke with an accent on certain sounds. If I had to point my finger at something it sounded middle eastern.
"Ghosts apparently," Link answered.
The girl laughed. "You one of the unlucky fellows? Think you can reach the Arbiter's Grounds and fix all of our problems? Not every voe is meant to become a hero."
"You're rather pessimistic aren't you?"
"Yes, but it has kept me from falling for pretty adventurers like you."
"You accidentally fall for some of them before then?"
"A few…"
They fell away from conversation, but when I was about to leave my hiding spot, the girl spoke up again. "What about you? A handsome voe like you has to have hoards of maidens at his toes at all times, yeah? Or is it not like they tell me in Hyrule?"
"I'm not from Hyrule," Link said sternly.
"Ah, but that doesn't answer my question, does it? They say when a voe avoids your question he has an answer in mind he would rather not say."
Link scoffed, "What else do they tell you?"
"That the spirit of the oasis watches over beings whose hearts are full of love and that maybe you should not reject what is in there."
"Wise words from a fruit vendor."
"So you have someone in mind?"
"I don't know yet."
"So you think of someone?"
"Fine-yes, I do! Happy?"
My chest twisted.
The girl hummed, contented. Their voices subsided and I saw Link pass by the alley. I hesitated to move after him.
Looks like lover boy's catching feelings for someone.
"Mm…" I went to step out of the alley, but suddenly Midna jumped up in my face with a smirk.
"Eavesdropping now, are we?"
I tried to grab her, but she flew back and avoided my grasp. "Get back down, someone's gonna see you!"
"And someone could've seen you. They didn't, though, did they?" Midna giggled and went on, "All I wanted to do was tell Vox not to say anything and to let you figure it out yourself."
I looked around then back towards her, questioning, "Figure what out?"
She merely winked her one eye and fell back into my shadow. I resisted the urge to ask Vox what she meant, figuring he wouldn't give me a clear answer, and stepped out into the small street. Link was a ways down, heading to the front of the outpost. Not wanting him to reach there before I had to explain to Auru why I couldn't find him, I nearly sprinted.
"Link!"
He cast his gaze back and smiled. There was something different in the way he looked at me, but as I came up next to him, I couldn't seem to piece it together. I tried to string some form of a sentence while drowning under his eyes. What came out managed to make less sense then the words I rehearsed on the way over. "I, you-was looking for some. I was looking for you. There you are."
Link clearly tried to suppress a laugh. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," I joked. "Auru said we should go look for some clothes with him."
"Is he at the front?"
"Yeah."
"Alright."
We walked along the stands, glancing at vendors who tried to grab our attention and smelling the fumes of random incense and tantalizing cooking. I looked back at Link briefly who made eye contact, then averted it to someone going by in the opposite direction. His conversation with the girl fluttered through my thoughts and I wondered who he had in mind that was so hard to get out. The moment I tried to think of answers, my stomach tied into a knot and I thought it better just to forget it for now.
Auru came up to us and started rattling off the types of clothes we needed while eyeing different stalls and inspecting their goods. We ended up at the young man again who immediately perked up.
"You back! These are your friends?"
My cheeks felt hot and I nodded. "Yeah, we're looking for clothes.
"Obviously," he replied. "Look at you. You look like you came from mountains."
Link looked uncomfortable at his tunic while Auru laughed heartily and sifted through what he had to sell. After rejecting several garments, we found everything for me, but the other two weren't satisfied and pressed on to different stalls. They picked what they needed and we left to change in some tents.
I came back out in my clothes, trying to adjust the white sleeveless shirt in a way that didn't make it look so baggy, although I knew it was too big. The moss green pants were also loose, but it seemed more the style as they still tapered to hug my calf.
Link elbowed the tent flap open and edged out, his eyes stuck on the bandages he methodically wrapped down his forearm. He wore a short brown hood over a plain blue tank. His sandy brown pants fit snugly into his usual pair of boots. I stared at the birthmark on the back of his left hand before he covered it up.
As he started the right arm, he looked at me then raised an eyebrow. "That's kind of...big," he muttered.
I untucked the front and gestured angrily down at the fabric that reached the top of my thighs. "Yeah, what am I supposed to do with all of this?!"
"Here," he stopped wrapping and reached out for the shirt, "you just need to tie a knot and it'll fit fine." Link stepped closer than seemed necessary and pulled the hem tight around my waist. As he knotted it, I anxiously held my breath, waiting for him to finish. His hand brushed my skin as he pulled it taut and stepped back.
I tried not to look up towards him right away, calming my heart. It was just Link, at least that's what I told myself. Tucking the knot up underneath my shirt, I lifted my head to see him, but his eyes were shadowed below his hood. My stomach felt suddenly queasy as I searched for something to say. When nothing came, I reached for his hood and slid it back off his head.
We remained silent, staring at each other as if we were more than two people dressed up in shoddy clothes. His gaze was odd, like he'd realized something but couldn't say what.
Link fumbled for words. "Maizy-"
"Maizy I forgot to give you your hood." Auru stepped over to us, holding out the same hood Link wore. Link crossed his arms and sighed as I took the cloak and fastened it around my shoulders. "That should be it. Let's head out, we're not getting any closer standing here." He finished, but as he glanced Link, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong?"
His face went neutral and he waved it off. "Nothing, I was just thinking about something."
Auru gave a nod and headed away. I hesitated to move as Link had yet to trail behind him, but without any indication, he left. Oddly enough, I didn't feel compelled to move. Vox tried to usher me on but my thoughts swirled around Link. There was something about him I couldn't get out of my head. All of a sudden I felt nervous around him again, but it wasn't like those first days.
They're gonna stop for you if you don't get going.
As I shook out the resistance to move and started walking, I continued to think on it. I knew him, and there was something in myself I wanted him to see. Something I wanted him to understand. What confused me the most was the spike that arose in my chest thinking about who he had in mind during that conversation. My brain told me it was probably Ilia, I couldn't imagine she wouldn't be on his thoughts from time to time each day.
But my heart tried to tell me otherwise. I swallowed it down and walked a little faster.
We got to the boars and Auru went over several things, checking that we had everything before mounting. As we left the outpost behind us, its quaint skyline was slowly swallowed by the desert sands. The dunes were like the rolling fields of Hyrule, but their serenity had a bite, a snake fast asleep.
Link and Auru talked most of the time while I reserved myself to listening to Vox ramble about nothing. When one of them tried to get my attention I would stir and give it for a few moments before drifting back into daydreams. My home caught up to me much of the time, filling my head with images of all types of luxury I hadn't seen in...awhile. I wasn't sure how many days it'd been anymore, they'd started to blend together.
Neither of the guys were talking so I poked Link on the shoulder and asked quietly, "What's the date?"
Link squinted, his lips slowly twisting. Dropping the reigns, he reached into his pouch and pulled out his journal, flicking to a page filled with tally marks. As he counted them up he turned his head, answering bluntly, "The fifth."
I blinked. "Oh."
"Oh?" he repeated.
"My birthday's in five days."
He picked the reigns back up and gave them a small flick. "I thought you said your birthday was in a month."
"I did?"
"Yeah."
"Oops."
Yeah, oops.
I laughed through my nose and went back to zoning out. After awhile Auru spoke up again articulating that he should probably explain what he'd found out. For once, I listened in.
"The Arbiter's Grounds were used as a prison during the war, but the Hylians chose especially to use it for Gerudo. Along with the worst criminals known to man, there were innocent people in chains. Those sentenced to death were said to be banished from this world using a mirror. Over time, an evil took over the prison and the Hylians abandoned it, leaving all of the prisoners to die. The grounds have been haunted for awhile, but not to this extent."
"So you think there's something in the prison that's amplifying this evil?" Link asked.
Auru nodded. "Mm. Most people think the ghosts have just been gathering strength. That doesn't explain why more monsters have set up camp outside. Something's in there. People haven't been able to get to the desert settlement because of the ghosts and bulblins at night. The distance between the next outpost and the settlement is too far and can't be crossed before dark."
"Are you sure you even want to go? It sounds too dangerous," Link insisted.
Auru shrugged, eyes stuck on the next flag post. "I thought if no one was going to get down to it, I would. If you two are planning on going in, well, the more the merrier."
I frowned, laying a hand on Link's shoulder so I could lean more into view. "I don't think you understand."
"What?" Auru questioned.
Link clarified, "Maizy and I have seen stuff like this before. There's probably way more in there than anyone's let on. I don't mean any disrespect, but I think it's too dangerous for you."
Auru paused for a moment, scratching his chin. He reluctantly agreed with a scowl. "Perhaps...I'll think about it."
Most of the subjects they continued on with were more lighthearted. I charged my Leiyn while we went along, trying to ignore the heat. We made our first stop for a rest, passing around food and water in a bit of shade we found behind a cliff. As we sat down, Link kept looking in my direction without saying anything. I picked at my food, holding everyone else up as I slowly finished.
We stopped again a few times, but Auru insisted we don't take anymore rests once sundown began. My legs ached, my stomach started growling again, and I was ready to pass out on Link's shoulder. Although I don't think he would've minded, I tried to keep myself awake by playing around with my magic when Auru wasn't looking.
Lightning wasn't the easiest to shape, but with some direction from Vox, I started making more distinct lines. I traced hearts in the air, quietly hoping Link would see them. If he did, he didn't say, but I kept doing them until Vox told me to try something else.
As nightfall became almost tangible on the air, the outpost poked up from the sand, low and almost indiscernible. Upon closer inspection, it was built more like an underground fortress with a raised portion one story above ground. Inside the main doorway were two Gerudo women, large spears at the ready in their hands. When we came up in front of them, one asked simply.
"What is your business here?"
Auru replied quickly, "We're here to rest the night then head for the Arbiter's Grounds."
The first one laughed, "Just like that guy a few days go."
Her friend rolled her eyes and ushered us in. "Get off the boars, we'll take them for you."
We hopped off and grabbed some of our things off their saddles. A Hylian man came and took their reigns from us as we walked in. Our boars disappeared into a chamber on the side while we gazed into the large room. A small collection of tables and chairs cluttered the far area behind an opening in the floor where the staircase down was. Very few people walked about.
A woman asked Auru how many rooms we wanted and after consulting Link briefly, he answered two. She made two marks on a paper and instructed us where to go. The walk to them wasn't very long and as Auru waved us goodnight, he disappeared into his room, leaving Link and I alone.
Link went to our room and parted the curtain open over the door. Inside were two beds on each side. The "beds" weren't the traditional kind, more just thin mattresses on the floor. On the bright side, the sheets were soft and clean.
After I walked in and Link dropped the curtain, Midna flew out and sighed in relief. "Free, finally. You guys take so long!"
"Not our fault," Link corrected.
Auru gives me mixed feelings, I'm not sure I like him.
"Vox, I don't care what you think about him."
Midna perked up. "Who?"
"No one."
She sulked and sagged against the wall.
Link kicked off his boots and unraveled the bandages over his arms. As he finished, he peeled off his hood, sword, and belt before collapsing onto his bed. Seeing the Master Sword lying on the floor felt jarring, but I just looked away and sat on the other bed.
"You've been anxious since the fortune teller, are you okay?"
I gazed up at Link who stared at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact. Although the vision wasn't a pleasant experience, I knew for a fact that wasn't what was making me uneasy. If I'd been able to admit anything to myself in that moment, I would've known it was him, but instead I just shrugged. "I'm fine."
He lifted his head for a moment, then flopped back down. "Well, if you want to talk I'm all ears."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
I let Creota out to run around which she seemed quite content with. Especially when she planted herself on Link's stomach and started kneading his shirt. He sat up and let her sit in his lap as he reached over to his pouch and pulled out the journal again and a pencil. Creota purred loudly like a little motor while he put lines to paper. Curious, I got up and sat down next to him.
"Whose portrait are we doing today?" Midna glided over his shoulder and peered down at the page. There were only a few ambiguous shapes but the more he put on the more distinctly it appeared to be a small cat.
I leaned my head into the crook of his neck as he continued adding details. Eventually, Midna yawned and went to lie down on my mattress. Creota had nearly been fully formed under his pencil and in the quiet moments I felt tired as well. He added a few finishing touches and put the pencil back in the pouch, leaning back into the wall while holding out the drawing for the both of us to admire.
It was simple and cute. I gave Creota several pets before leaning back into the wall with Link. He lowered the journal and peered over at Midna who was passed out under all the sheets. "We should probably wake her up."
I shook my head. "No, it's fine. Show me more of your drawings."
"You already looked through them, didn't you?"
"Show me your favorites."
I hugged his side, longing to be closer to him as if just being next to him wasn't close enough. It felt like there were words in my chest I wanted to say, but I didn't know what they were.
He went through several drawings and some small paintings that he said he enjoyed making. Some of them were sloppy but he would justify it by saying it brought him out of a bad day or he had to fit it in before work. I was surprised to see quite a few depictions of cats to which he admitted that he was a cat person.
"Dogs are scary."
I chuckled. "You must've been horrified when you turned into a big bad wolf."
"Don't pretend like you wouldn't be scared if you woke up and had paws one morning."
Link turned the page to my face and I went silent. Last time I saw it, I'd rejected it, thinking I could never look so bloodthirsty or so angry. As he sighed and went to pass the second one of me, I reached and poked my finger into the page.
"Maizy, I'm sorry. I know you didn't like them."
"No," I opened to the page of my smile, "I love them. Back then I was scared of what I'd become. But now I'm okay with it I think."
"You've changed a lot since then."
"I don't think I've changed at all, I've just gotten used to things."
"Well it feels like something's changed. I don't think I've seen you in the same way for awhile now," he mused. "You've...been on my mind a lot lately."
It clicked.
A million nerve endings fired off and a wash of panic crashed through my face and hung in my throat. The blood in my face completely drained as I grasped at his words with a grip tighter than death. It was me, I was the one he had in mind. I was the one he caught feelings for.
"Are you okay? You look pale."
"I'm gonna throw up."
"What?"
"I gotta go-"
"Where are you-"
"Be right back!"
I tore away from him and through the curtains then down the halls. None of the distance in the world could get me far enough away from him. I settled for an empty room that was in the midst of several others whose curtains were wide open. Throwing myself into the corner, I stared at the wall and felt my thoughts crash into each other like atoms in a container.
What had I been thinking? Let him like me as if I belonged here, as if I wasn't an intruder. No matter how much I tried to conserve the story, here I was, tearing it to shreds.
What's wrong?
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
You figured it out, didn't you? I don't see the problem.
"You don't see the problem?! I'm not from Hyrule, Vox! Do you think the writers were sitting around their meeting table discussing how they were gonna implement me into the story? This wasn't supposed to happen, I wasn't supposed to happen!"
Do you not like him? I thought it was obvious that you did. I'm sorry, Midna seemed pretty convinced too.
I struggled to respond because I didn't know how to justify liking him but not wanting him to like me. I didn't know how to justify nonsense.
"Maizy, what's wrong?"
My hair stood on end as I looked over to see Midna enter the small room. She was in her regular form, probably thanks to the crystal, and she seemed concerned.
"You didn't tell me either."
Midna narrowed her eyes, frowning. "Tell you what?"
"Link-ugh." I dropped my head into my hand.
"Ooooh," she hummed, "you figured it out?"
"Yeah I figured it out!"
"So what's the problem?"
"He can't like me!"
You've still yet to explain why.
I looked up at Midna who appeared very confused. She blinked. "What, is there supposed to be someone else that comes in later? Everyone loves a love triangle, you should just let it happen."
"No! There's no one later, but I'm not a part of this world, I shouldn't let him like me. I mean, how's that gonna affect the rest of the story? What if because of me there's no great great grand Link who defeats Ganon? I can't just sit here and play around like this is just as much my world as yours-"
"But it is."
I agree. You need to stop separating yourself from Hyrule. It's as much your world as it is the Vinderendetta's. The story will be different because we're in it. And that's okay.
"Look," Midna insisted, "I don't know the story. You do, and that means you have a leg up from us, but you've told me before that things aren't the same. This isn't the same same story. It's our story now, make of it. What. You. Will."
I bit my lip.
She continued, "Okay? So, do you even like him? Because all this fuss is making me rethink things, right Vox?"
Right.
I turned away and grumbled, "He says right."
"Exactly. You don't even have to tell me, it's none of my business. But if you do like him, you have my full permission, as a member of the original story, to let him like you back."
With that she disappeared into my shadow.
I sat there for a few minutes, contemplating everything they said. After a moment of mulling it over, I got up and headed back to my room. As I opened the curtain, Link sat up sharply, trying to read my face.
On instinct, I responded, "Are you okay?"
His expression recoiled as if my words gave him whiplash. "Am I okay? You're the one who ran out saying you were gonna puke."
I felt flustered. "Oh yeah...sorry I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah I just want to sleep. I'll be better by morning."
"Well...goodnight."
"Goodnight."
I crawled into bed, shutting my eyes before Link blew the flames out and cast everything into darkness. When I tried to peek at him, all I could see was a dim blob, lit up only by the miniscule amount of light from the hall.
Sleep didn't want to come and eventually between all the rolling over and pillow adjusting, I simply sat up.
You okay, kid?
"Tell me about your home again."
Alright, as long as you lay down.
I sunk back below the covers and listened to Vox ramble about food until I couldn't stay attentive anymore and let myself fall asleep.
