10-20-2017, 03:07 PM
The world had pivoted, and everything was different. Not that she wasn't still petrified (she was, every single moment she dwelt too long on the thought), but perspective shined a new light, and in it the future did not look so bad. The woman in the park was going to help her understand the terrible power that lurked under her skin, and Calvin had agreed to come with her. Above and beyond the call of duty really, but it made her feel warm inside to know that someone cared enough to take the risk. And from the wispy remains of her darkest memories she was pretty sure it was a risk.
In the days that had passed she still hadn't returned to her apartment (that fear could wait another day), but she was at least out and about. Much to Aylin's relief. Her sister worried. A lot. She called regularly during work, and was chatting away in Thalia's ear at the moment (lunch break) while she threaded through the street, bag slung over her shoulder, coffee pressed to her lips between "uh huh's" and "yeps" into the wallet snug between shoulder and cheek. She was not much watching where she stepped. Did she ever? It wouldn't have prepared her anyway. Not when the earth suddenly spouted up to brain a man running hell bent in the other direction.
She stepped back, too quickly, almost scalded herself with coffee trying to rescue her wallet before it hit the floor, then raised wide eyes to the passersby around her. To make sure they saw it too. And suddenly recognised a face. "Dane?"
She wasn't so good with names, but even she managed to remember someone who'd gone to the extremes of portraiture flirting. Was that a thing. No. No it probably wasn't. Her surprised gaze fell to the man prone on the floor, a women's bag strung from his hand. Huh. That probably wasn't his.
In the days that had passed she still hadn't returned to her apartment (that fear could wait another day), but she was at least out and about. Much to Aylin's relief. Her sister worried. A lot. She called regularly during work, and was chatting away in Thalia's ear at the moment (lunch break) while she threaded through the street, bag slung over her shoulder, coffee pressed to her lips between "uh huh's" and "yeps" into the wallet snug between shoulder and cheek. She was not much watching where she stepped. Did she ever? It wouldn't have prepared her anyway. Not when the earth suddenly spouted up to brain a man running hell bent in the other direction.
She stepped back, too quickly, almost scalded herself with coffee trying to rescue her wallet before it hit the floor, then raised wide eyes to the passersby around her. To make sure they saw it too. And suddenly recognised a face. "Dane?"
She wasn't so good with names, but even she managed to remember someone who'd gone to the extremes of portraiture flirting. Was that a thing. No. No it probably wasn't. Her surprised gaze fell to the man prone on the floor, a women's bag strung from his hand. Huh. That probably wasn't his.