Prisoner

The New Day

Chapter 5

I gasped, snapping my eyes open as if someone had held me underwater for a second too long. I scrambled into a sitting position, glad to feel my legs and other useful limbs. I was panting.

I slid off the bed, walking slowly to the grimy window in my room, blinking in the intense light that was cutting through the blinds. I lifted a shade, peeking outside into my new world. Mostly, all I could see was a brick wall, with some graffiti that portrayed some not-so-desirable things, but freedom was freedom and I was just glad to be a part of this new adventure.

I could feel Silas, a comfort, as if he were just behind me with a warm hand on my shoulder.

Sometimes, I would get a feeling so intense, so incredibly real, that I would turn, expecting to see Silas. I would know it was him, probably by his eyes. He would have the warmest eyes anyone had ever seen, ones that could thaw you right out on a cold winters day and make you feel all warm and fuzzy. But every time, there was just empty space. Some days, I wanted it desperately to be filled. Just to have some real, solid proof that I wasn't just a nutcase.

Sometimes, though, all you have is faith. And as someone who's been through rough times, I've learned to take what I can get.

Do we have anything special for today? Silas asked. He sounded so boyish, so alive. How could he not be real? He was so human.

"I think we should find that boy." I said firmly, moving away from the window to go to the bathroom. I splashed some water on my face, letting the chill wake me up.

Boy? Silas parroted. I could feel his head tilt in confusion. I looked at myself in the mirror, an eyebrow raised.

"Didn't you see him? The dream. Last night." I reminded him, padding down my damp face with a towel.

I know of no such thing, he said. I paused in confusion. Silas saw everything I did; that even meant dreams. The fact that he couldn't see my dream was a big deal, and a big surprise.

"Weird..." I mumbled to myself. This was really odd, but it did confirm that this was no ordinary dream. It made finding the boy an even bigger priority. I thought back to what I had seen, and listed off the five senses, something I had learned to do before being shipped off to prison.

Taste? No, not really. I didn't eat or drink any substances. Smell? Cinnamon. Coffee beans. Look? Hazy, warm colours. Busy. It was night. Feeling? Warm. Touch? I wasn't able to touch anything. I remembered seeing part of a sign; RKED. I needed to remember those letters; maybe I could match them to a store front.

I swallowed. If I happened to come across it, that was. What if this place wasn't even in the country? What if it was just an impossible mission? Nevertheless, it gave me a purpose, something to do, something to work for. A goal. I didn't think I'd really had one of those before. It felt righteous.

I opened the door, grabbing my backpack on the way out. I remembered to lock the door. It felt odd, being the locker instead of the lockee. I put my key in my pocket, and walked quickly out of the motel. I needed to use my time wisely if I wanted to get any clues on how to find The Boy.

As I hit the sidewalk, my stomach growled. I put a hand to it, as if to calm an angry animal. Eating would have to wait; I had little money to spare. I could feel Silas' concern. He didn't need food, of course, but he understood a humans need for it.

I craned my neck, looking around. I would head for the busiest part of the city, the area with the most people. Maybe then, I could ask around, see if my clues made any sense to anyone. It wasn't much, but it was all I had. At least I was doing something.

With purpose, I headed back in the direction from which I had been dropped off. That had seemed fairly busy.

The morning was still early, and much of the city was still asleep, not yet awoken with the rising sun. Few cars drove by, tired workers getting ready for their commute to work, or perhaps just getting back from it. I only passed a couple people walking about on the sidewalk, one with a dog. It was peaceful. Relaxing, even. A transformation from what I had seen, a new aspect of life. A slumbering city.

As I walked on, however, life got busier. Cars sped by, business men jostled past on the sidewalk. Joggers out for a morning run sped by, listening to gadgets attached to their arms or waists. I watched, curious. It seemed I discovered something new at every turn. I felt like an explorer. And in a way, I was.

As I came to the centre of the city after about a half hours walk, I gathered myself. Should I just walk up to someone and ask if they knew a coffee place with the letters RKED? Or should I just look around more? In the end, I decided to ask someone.

"Hello!" I said, as polite was I could. I had stopped a man with dark sunglasses and a crisp grey suit. He loomed over me.

"What?" He asked, clearly annoyed.

"I'm looking for a coffee place? I know it has the letters RKED?" I tried. He shook his head, mumbled something about not having time, and went on his way. As he did, I felt the chilling sensation of someone's eyes on my back. These weren't Silas'. They weren't warm.

They were cold, and they made shivers jump and down my spine in fear.