Part 4
Katy woke to find herself leaning against the cold, hard stone of a crumbling building. The temperature had dropped during the night and she was shivering violently, her teeth chattered and she could barely move. She pulled the thin rag around her shoulders, hoping she could trap whatever body heat she might have left. The sky was dark, not black, with no lights to pollute the air the sky was filled with stars, more than she had ever seen before. Katy closed her eyes and hummed to herself, placing her head softly back against the wall. This is as good a night to die as any.
Again, she woke up, still freezing cold, but her body had stopped shaking. She could barely open her eyes, her eyelids fluttered as she tried to focus on the moving form that seemed to be hovering above her. People were talking, but the voices were muffled, as if they were on the other side of a wall. A woman was crying. Katy didn't care, she couldn't feel anything. Why am I not dead? Her head lolled as someone pulled her into a sitting position, a strong grip on both her wrists. She knew she should be fighting back, strange people were manhandling her in a faraway place, but there was no strength left in her body. Suddenly, she was being lifted. Carefully, delicately.
"..such a pale complexion.." Bathed in warmth, tendrils of steam rose around her, the smell of lye drifted in the air, Katy awoke once more. "..a bit thin.." There was something rubbing the palm of her injured hand and what felt like a comb being pulled through her hair. "..breathing is stronger." Voices surrounded her, gentle and quiet, not quite whispers.
Katy groaned softly and opened her eyes, looking around she could see two women peering at her. "Such beautiful eyes." One of them cooed. The other smiled in agreement and returned to cleaning the cut on her hand. Katy sat up abruptly and her hand out of the younger woman's grip, splashing the strange women with water. Why am I naked? Why are these people bathing me? The elder woman tutted and pushed at Katy's shoulder, encouraging her to sit back in the tub. Not happening. Instead, Katy curled up and tried to cover as much of her naked body as possible.
"We need to finish bathing you, girl." The elder woman insisted, but Katy shock her head, refusing to lie back. The younger reached out and touched her shoulder. "Please, miss, before our master returns, or we shall get in tro-"
"No!" Katy yelled out, cringing away from the woman's hand. "No, don't touch me, get away from me!" More water splashed over the women and onto the ground as she scrambled out of the tub. She was scared, so scared, and her instinct was to run and get as far away from the current situation as possible. The furthest she could get was a wall not even 6 feet away from the women. "I just want to go home." Katy whimpered and leaned against the wall, her head tilted into it, knees pulled up to her chest and kept there by the tight circle of her arms, hands grasping at the wet skin of her forearms.
The women simply watched her, not really sure how to handle her outburst, they let her cry for a while, then the older one approached Katy on silent feet. She crouched down in front of the shaking girl. She said a few soft words, trying to calm her, before gently placing a blanket around Katy's shoulders. "Nu'm," she called to the other woman, "I think she should sleep now." The young woman made a noise in agreement, "I shall tell Talal where to find you." then left the room. The older lady addressed Katy then, "Please let me help you up."
Disorientated by everything, all Katy could do was nod. "My name is Jaida." The woman said quietly as she pulled Katy to her feet, supporting most of her weight, she dried her with the blanket then dressed her in a loose fitting robe. "I know you must be very confused." The girl nodded, Jaida guided her to the door and out into a dark, narrow hallway. "You were found by our master, nearly dead," the woman explained, "Though no obvious reason why, only cuts on your feet and hand," Jaida looked down at the girl and frowned slightly, "perhaps malnourished, you are overly slender, child." They stopped in front of a dark wooden door, pausing while Jaida pushed it open.
This room was smaller than the room with the bath, there was a strange smell in the air, it was lit only by a small oil lamp. There was a narrow cot pushed up against one of the walls and not much else, not that there was room for any other furniture. Jaida laid Katy down on the cot and sat cross legged in the small space on the floor between Katy and the other wall. Katy looked up at the woman, all she could see was shadow, a darker patch of air. "Why am I here?" She asked, voice hoarse and dry.
Jaida looked once more at Katy and let out a soft, sympathetic hum. "As I said, my master, Talal, found you near to death during the night. He brought you back here because he is a kind and generous man, he takes in and protects those who can not do so for themselves." Talal. Katy thought, I know that name. Though she couldn't put a face to it. "You have been cleaned," Jaida continued, "And your injuries have been tended, so infection should not set in." Why is she being so nice to me? "Where am I?" The older woman looked a bit confused by the question and answered slowly, "You are in the safe keeping of Tal-"
"No," Katy interrupted her, "Like, what's the name of the city I'm in?" Jaida looked even more perplexed, a little worried by her lack of personal awareness. "You do not remember?" The inquiry was quiet. Katy shook her head slightly, wishing she hadn't as a wave of nausea hit her. "You are in the city of Jerusalem, child." The girls eyes widened. Jerusalem. Jaida made a clucking noise at the back of her throat and stood. "You should rest, I must go to my master now."
The door closed behind the woman with a soft thud leaving Katy alone again, which she was grateful for. In the dim light cast by the oil lamp flickered, shadows danced on the walls and ceiling, Katy watched them with unseeing eyes and let her thoughts dance along with them. Her head was spinning, she felt dizzy, sick. Nothing about this makes sense, this is impossible, crazy.
A/N: Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to have a read my story, if you like it, let me know. Review! If you don't like it and have some constructive criticism, let me know. Review! If you just want to say hi, say hi. Review! I'd love to hear from you guys! :) x