Day: 98
Days Left: 5382
Lives Saved: 0
After eating dinner, Corinna went into the bathroom to have a shower, leaving Harmony alone with her thoughts.
Stumbling up from the floor, Harmony hobbled her way over to the counter to begin washing the dishes. In her human form, she couldn't stand up unsupported for more than a few seconds. She clung onto the counter, catching herself from falling as her legs quaked like a new-born deer. How long had it been since she was last in this form? Harmony had lost count. Already, the toll of talking to Corinna earlier had caused an itching soreness in her throat. It burned with every word she spoke, but it was worth the pain.
Holding onto the counter like a hand-rail, Harmony stretched one of her legs out, pointing her toes. She raised her leg high, almost to the point where it was parallel with the rest of her body, but stopped in case it got stuck in that position. Whilst she revelled in the strength and endurance of her chimaera form, she had missed the agile and flexibility of her human form. She bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, delighting in the lightness of her body. Then, the reminder of why she was so slight came crawling back in. Her hands hesitantly brushed against her stomach. Even with the oversized hoodie hiding her real figure, Harmony could still feel her body caving into itself every time she breathed.
Shaking her head, Harmony kept her chin up, neck stretched and one arm out. She bent her knees and her legs in a shaky attempt of a plié. Regardless, she continued the exercise to train her muscles back into what they used to be as well as remind herself in how to control her body again.
She jolted upon hearing the sound of rushing water from the bathroom. Corinna had gotten into the shower. Harmony stumbled her way over to the record player then played a vinyl, hoping that the shower would muffle the music.
The song began with a soft and simple melody as a small holographic dancer was projected from the record player. Feet together and arms to her side, the dancer remained still, head bowed, waiting for her cue. As the tune grew into a crescendo, the dancer spread her arms out and swirled around the spinning vinyl disc. Holding onto the kitchen counter, Harmony copied the hologram's movements, knowing the routine off by heart. The piano's melody was soon accompanied by the gentle strings of the violin, every note long and melancholic as if it desired to play it forever but eventually had to say farewell and move onto the next chord.
Harmony closed her eyes, letting her body take control as her mind was lost to the song. She imagined a large wooden stage beneath her feet and a beam of light shining down upon her, an audience sat before her, so enthralled and captivated by her performance that they could barely breathe. With every step and movement, Harmony's body became lighter, almost as if she were floating. She raised her head towards the ceiling, imagining the beam of light taking her upwards. The song swelled into a triumphant rancour of screeching violins and swift piano keys. Harmony let go of the counter, pirouetting in succession. Then the music stopped. Her foot slipped, and Harmony collapsed onto the floor, her leg smacking against the counter. The music returned, but the violin was gone, leaving only the simple monophonic melody of the piano.
Harmony opened her eyes. She wasn't on a stage, there were no adoring fans and no spotlight that would help her escape. She was still in the Eternal Abyss, now weaker than ever before.
Her eyes glanced over to the holographic dancer. The figure still remained standing even after the music had faded away, her arms reaching up to the sky.
Grunting in pain, Harmony rubbed her bruised leg, cursing at how fragile her human form was. She had just over a week before the next food drop to reclaim her mask or receive a new one; otherwise, she would have to fight in this body which was not ideal. Regardless, Harmony knew that she had to retrain herself back into shape in the meantime to prevent herself from being a liability to Corinna. Her eyes darted to the bathroom, hearing the shower being turned off. Corinna had managed to survive this long without a mask, though that was most likely due to Harmony's input. With neither of them having masks, the chance of them getting any food, let alone enough to live off, was at an all-time record low. She looked down at her thin and starved body. At the very least she could dance properly in this form, though that was a rather weak silver lining when compared to the strength and durability of the chimaera.
The door to the bathroom opened, and Corinna exited with wet hair that she dabbed with a towel. Upon seeing Harmony laying on the floor, she asked, "you alright?".
"Yeah," Harmony answered.
Corinna offered her a hand and helped her to stand up. "You sure?"
Harmony hesitated for a moment, staring back into the dark brown eyes of the young woman before her, ones full of concern and doubt. A slight smile formed on Harmony's lips. She ruffled Corinna's wet hair, turning it into a wild and chaotic mess. "You're so short," she snorted, then headed towards the bathroom, leaving Corinna in a state of confusion.