Pursuits (Wattpad Reading List choice)

Chapter 11: A Day Out

That night, Hannah dreamt of her mother. It was not really anything meaningful. In her dream, they were in the kitchen, arguing about what to make for dinner. As they often used to do. That it was so mundane and everyday made it easy for Hannah to believe. Until she jerked awake in the middle of it, staring into the dark. She must have realized in her head how stupid it was, dream or not.

She blinked now over her bed, making out the dark planes of the church room. Walls and corners and blobs of furniture. She wished she could light another candle to help her sleep, but she didn't want to reach out from the safety of her blanket cocoon. Cringing, she pulled herself in tight. Her own breaths seemed loud on her pillow, an endless, dragging rhythm.

It did feel strange to be here. Every so often, she'd hear a cough from the street, or footsteps going through the tower, reminding her that she wasn't alone, that life was still going on. Since she was a little girl, she'd feared that time of night when quiet fell to its deepest, and people lying in bed looked like corpses.

But the city didn't seem to have that dead hour. Nor did it have to worry about thieves attacking in the middle of the night.

If only church beds were more comfortable, she might be able to sleep really well here. She could only hope that with time, she'd get used to the stiff-as-a-board mattress, and the short blankets that exposed her feet. A little stingy on cloth, weren't they? Come to think of it, how many people had slept in this bed before her? Poor travelers? Old beggars? Maybe she should think about washing the sheets.

Hannah woke up late the next day, her mind slowly taking time to remember where she was. Magda's, her brother, Dalen. That was right. She set her feet on the floor, yawning against sharp sunlight. Now that she thought about it, the sun seemed too high for it to be morning.

Sure enough, going downstairs, she found the dining hall empty, and she could hear after-morning work going on behind the doors.

Now what was she going to eat? She didn't want to bother anyone in the kitchen, and it didn't look like there was anyone around she could ask for help.

She turned, walking back into the entry hall. If only she knew Dalen better, she could go out and find her own food. Honestly, what was the point of coming to this big city if she was going to sit all day in a church full of nuns?

Somewhere down a side hall, there was the loud ring of a metal door, and she looked up. An old nun was stepping out into the sun, the door still gaping behind her. There looked to be a small garden outside, marked off with soft wire, growing small fruits, some stubby flower bushes, and a few vegetables. She most of all noticed the tomatoes, red bulbs sagging and ready for harvest.

Hannah went over, quietly approaching the door. She didn't think they would mind her taking a look.

"Come to have a look at our little garden?" a voice caught Hannah's attention, and she glanced over. It was the old nun, standing in the shade as she tugged on a large set of gloves.

"Yes. It's lovely."

"Thank you."

"I'm from a farm myself so this is familiar to me."

"You're boarding with us, aren't you?" the old nun realized.

"Yes."

"Not alone?"

"No. Well, I have a brother, but he's in the guard. I came down to Dalen so I could visit him."

"You came on your own? From where? What of your parents?"

"They're not here," she said dimly, not wanting to have to explain. She raised a hand, gesturing over the patches. "I recognize some of what you have here. It looks like it's all growing well."