The Painting

#24 Three - Tri

Warmth radiated on my cheek as my eyes opened to meet the dizzyingly bright light that shone through the window. I reached up to run my hands through my hair as I turned away and refocused. An inescapable groan left my lips. Every muscle in my body ached as if they'd stretched twice their size before being shoved back beneath my skin.

I swear even my pinky toe was stiff.

Clenching my teeth I forced myself to extend my arms in front of me before gingerly rotating my shoulders backwards. I continued my conscious movements through my entire body ending with a complete forward fold that triggered a light spasm in my scrunched lower back.

I was still on the train in a velvety cushion that appeared much more plush than it actually was. The pair of seats across from me were vacant. I twisted my neck uncomfortably to look behind me, no sign of the girl who had hauled me onto the train the night before.

Where was she?

My heart jumped into my throat recalling what she said the night before.

Did she double cross me?

I rose quicker than I meant to bumping my head into the overhead compartment. A string of expletives left my mouth but I continued, venturing into the open aisle. I was completely alone in the car.

What had I done? I told her where I kept Mo Soileireacht, I hadn't given her the unit number but she could figure that out easily enough. The storage facility wasn't exactly Fort Knox and she was a thief after all.

A thief.

I'd made a deal with a thief. One who'd been in dangerous situations who knew how many times. I was useless, dead weight that would just slow her down. It'd be idiotic not to leave me, hell I was even considering leaving her.

There was no way I could question Monroe with Lyle around. She wanted the money, she didn't know what else was at stake for me in this absurd plan.

My sore legs hobbled to the end of the car. I would ask Betsy and Ingrid to use their phone again. Maybe I could call the facility and warn them not to let anyone into Unit #16 without my identification. But I didn't have my identification either. My mind raced faster than the scenery speeding past along the train tracks, I could call Grace and have her overnight it to me, there had to be a post office-

Suddenly the sliding door before me opened and Lyle appeared. She nearly ran into me and I managed to step back. The rush of air that came from the cracks in the makeshift walls blew strands of her hair forward and tickled my cheek before she neatly tucked them behind her ears.

I stuttered in response to her entrance. In her hands she held a few more bottles of water and two bowls of wrapped fruit. The green of her irises were sharper than the night before as she watched me. I froze instantly feeling guilt for my doubt. She hadn't left me, she'd been out getting breakfast.

Giving me a quick once over she nodded. "Good to see you're finally up." She acknowledged casually before returning to our seats. If she noticed my agitated state she wasn't letting on.

Dumbly I followed her, lowering myself gently onto the material. Lyle was untangling the overabundant plastic wrap from her fruit bowl. Loose waves that'd escaped their place behind her ear fell in front of her face shielding it from me.

"You were out for a while, I didn't know if you wanted me to wake you or-" Lyle mused running her hands through her hair before stopping awkwardly. There was an element of humor in her voice and I realized she too understood the odd juxtaposition we were in.