Prying my heavy eyes open I slowly scanned the room as my vision began to clear. Still dazed I rolled over, unexpectedly falling to the floor. I laid there for a minute before relaxing my body with defeat.
"Forgot I was sitting." I murmured as I used the chair to push myself back up. I must've dropped my paintbrush as I slept looking at the light green hue dried on the hardwood floor.
I studied the painting I made before dozing off. I swear it looked better last night.
Picking up my paintbrush, the actual brush snapping from the floor as I pulled it apart, I placed it on the easel as I made my way downstairs.
Upon getting to the hallway the sweet aroma of breakfast smacked my face.
Walking into the kitchen Runi stood on a stool as she washed dishes. She turned to me as a frown quickly formed on her face. "Aww, I wanted to be the one to wake you up." She whimpered.
I let out a heartfelt smile. "Well Runi there's always next time." She shot me a quick pout as she continued scrubbing.
Plates of pancakes, bacon, and eggs sat on the kitchen table. Grabbing a piece of bacon I noticed Dahlia sitting on the end of the couch.
She seems to be reading a new book everytime I see her. Strolling up to her I leaned in so she could see me. "What are you reading this time?"
A faint smile grew on her face as she pat the cushion next to her. I sat down as she flipped back to the first page pointing at the cover.
"It's a book about how the human body works." Dahlia said trying her best to hold in a laugh.
"What's so funny?" I asked, a little confused by her sudden laughter. Dahlia then raised her finger to my eye scooping out the mucus that accumulated as I slept. "You still have sleep in your eyes."
Her face got so close to mine, sometimes I tend to forget how beautiful she is. I stood up and started to walk to the backdoor as I heard Dahlia's fading giggles.
Peeking out of the door, there Ms. Valeria was sleeping in her chair. She always seemed so at peace. I walked up to her—placing my hand on hers as she slept.
I've always been, and will always be so grateful to have someone like Ms. Valeria in my life.
She opened one eye and let out a cheeky smile. "I didn't know I still had my killer attractiveness even at my age."
I couldn't help but smile as I picked up a wooden stool from the backyard setting it next to chair.
Ms. Valeria closed her eyes again, "Don't you see I'm trying to nap!" She said in a goofy tone.
"I assume the others went out to do chores?" Ms. Valeria nodded her head in agreement as she rocked in her chair.
"I never thought about it really, but how did everyone end up here, did you pick them all up like me?"
Ms. Valeria stopped rocking in her chair and turned to me. Sticking her old hand out she flicked my forehead.
"Ouch!" I said, grabbing my head, even though it didn't hurt too bad.
Ms Valeria leaned a bit closer to me. "Why does it matter how everyone got here?"
She stood up and began to walk to the door. "What matters is that you're all here now, and will be in the future."
Before walking inside Ms. Valeria gave me that classic smile. The same smile that helped me overcome problems in the cabin so many times.
I decided to sit in Valeria's rocking chair. It was more comfortable than I thought and it smelt like her, it's even an indent it in from her sitting so much.
I couldn't help but hold in a giggle. If I ever met my real mom, I'd want her to be just like Ms. Valeria.
I sat for a while, almost dozing off before I heard a voice.
"You really gonna go back to sleep right after waking up?" It was Dahlia standing in front of me.
As she sat next to me I noticed she was holding a different book. "What happened to the human development book."
She smiled at me. "I already happened to be on the last couple of pages."
I sat up in old rocking chair. "Why do you read so much anyway?"
Dahlia looked to her feet. "I don't really know, but if I had to guess I'd say it's because of my mother."
"I remember being told a lot of stories when I was younger, I know it may sound weird but I sort of have a connection to books in a way. I'd like to make my vusk a book too, just like Ms. Valeria."
"I see, I'm sorry to hear that." I said leaning back into the rocking chair.
Dahlia's eyebrows raised as I could tell she just conjured up an idea. "How about you start this book with me?"
I sat sunken in the chair. "Ok, I have nothing else to do, why not."
Dahlia cracked a smiled as she read the title aloud and flipped to the first page. We took turns reading as time passed.
**
"Well then." Dahlia said, snapping the book closed. "We made good progress, same time tomorrow?"
I chuckled at her comment. "Sure."
As Dahlia and I walked back into the cabin I went towards the kitchen to grab a rice cake, taking it back into the living room with me.
As I ate Dahlia laughed and pointed out how I had crumbs on my face, leaning towards me to clean my mouth.
Attempting to step back I lost my footing and began to fall. I instinctively grabbed Dahlia's hand as I fell back but only managed to pull her down with me.
Just as we fell, it's like the world decided to play its best joke on us.
Cleo and Jackson opened the front door—Cleo dropping the firewood upon seeing us on the floor. The loud noise alerted Runi and Ms. Valeria as they came from their rooms.
Marcel and Luther soon walked in behind Cleo and Jackson as they also stared in confusion.
Everyone was speechless. Ms. Valeria broke the silence, she put her hands over her eyes. "You know we have rooms for that you two."
Dahlia and I both shot up from the ground. "All I did was trip." I said dragging my hands down my face.
Before anyone else could say a word Luther shoved through Marcel and Cleo making his way to me, he grabbed the collar of my shirt as he snarled at me with a stern tone. "What do you think you're doing?"
His grip was so tight, If I was a stranger he probably would've killed me by now.
I put my hands in the air with a surrendering motion. Before I could say anything Dahlia grabbed Luther's arm. He glanced at Dahlia, then back at me before pushed me to the ground.
Luther stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked past Ms. Valeria and Runi. "I'm going to sleep." he yelled out while entering the bedroom.
The room went quiet again, a knife could cut the tension.
Ms. Valeria let out her signature cackle that almost echoed throughout the cabin. "Alrighty everyone, back to what you were doing." She walked back to her room as Runi ran to help me up.
"Thanks." I said while getting back to my feet. Dahlia picked up her book, wiping off a few crumbs from the now crushed rice cake. "I'll go check on Luther."
Cleo laughed as he dumped the firewood in the fireplace. "Well that was weird, you still playing me in cards Jackson?"
Jackson grinned as he put his hand on Cleo's arm "I just don't understand why you like losing so much."
They left the living room, only leaving me and Runi. She stared at me as we stood in silence. I don't think I've ever been in a situation so awkward.
"So uh, you and Dahlia look cute together." Runi said, avoiding eye contact and playing with her hands.
"Come on Runi, like I said it was a-" Runi cut me off. "Do you think we would look good together?"
I was speechless after hearing those words, my heart might've even skipped a beat.
"Actually forget it, it's fine." She mumbled.
As Runi began to walk off I felt like I got possessed, the words came out before I could even process them.
"Yes, we would look great together."
I quickly covered my mouth. Without turning around Runi giggled and continued to walk to the bedroom.
My knees felt weak. What did I just do. My face was red and I couldn't get this stupid grin off my face.
I tried to take my mind off it as I cleaned up the broken rice cake but I couldn't.
I put the broom away and almost began to walk to the bedroom as my feet stopped themselves.
I really have to sleep in the same bedroom as Runi after what just happened. I looked towards the couch and sighed as I waddled over and laid down—pulling the neatly folded couch cover over my body.
Luckily reading with Dahlia wore me out enough for me to not think about it anymore. I closed my eyes as I quickly drifted off to sleep.
**
I didn't sleep long, maybe 2-3 hours before they came back, the same dream—the same nightmare over and over and over again.
"Not again." I grumbled as I pushed myself off the couch. Why do I have this same dream every other night? I grabbed a cover from the couch as I slowly creeped upstairs.
I stared at my paintbrush. It almost glowed in the pale moonlight.
After grabbing it I once again thought about Ms. Valeria's words. I held the paintbrush to my chest as I tried to put my creativity in. I tried multiple times but nothing happened.
"No way Ms. Valeria lied to us." I mumbled to myself, I didn't even want to think of that possibility. I tried a different approach.
I held the brush in my hand and stretched my arm out in front of me. I pictured the creativity actually flowing—moving throughout my whole body.
Clenching my eyes I waited for something to happen, but nothing did. I took a deep breath as I stood there, I had an idea, almost like a lightbulb flashed above my head. "Wet paint."
I can imagine my own creativity as wet paint, something way more real to me. Picturing the wet paint starting at my brain and flowing through my body I started to feel something.
The wet paint got to my fingertips, it felt as if I was actually empowered. As I tightly gripped the paintbrush I tried to force the wet paint from my fingertips into my brush.
I could feel my creativity leaving my body as
the paintbrush slowly began to feel like a part of me.
Creativity coursed through my body and brush—them being one and the same.
I had created my very own vusk. I watched in awe as my paintbrush had a ghostly white aura to it.
Before I could take it in my eyes started to become blurry, in an instant it felt like all my energy was drained from my body.
I started to walk towards my chair but I fell to one knee before I could make it. A deep pain flared up in chest as I grabbed at my shirt.
I tried to stand back up but I couldn't gather the strength. I crawled to the closest wall as I dragged myself into the hall.
My body became limp but I didn't lose consciousness. I tried my best to let go of the brush but my fingers wouldn't move, my own body wasn't listening to me.
I tried to inch my body ever so slightly but nothing worked. Am I gonna die here? Over a paintbrush? I used all the remaining strength I could muster to move my fingers just enough to ungrip the brush.
I heard it roll out of my hand as a wave of relief washed over me. I couldn't move anymore, I couldn't say anything, and my eyelids grew too heavy to hold up. I passed out in the middle of the hallway floor.