I managed to shift my body a little bit, but it didn’t help much. I had been in this same awkward position for hours. I didn’t want to risk waking Ember up. So, I would just have to stay put and suffer. We had been walking for nearly thirty hours, stopping only for food and bathroom breaks. Otherwise, we had kept moving.
Even after I found this abandoned farmhouse, Ember had still stayed awake for a long time. She stared at nothing in particular and didn’t make a sound. Eventually, she rolled over on her back to look at my face. That was the first sign of awareness she had given to me since being on the run. I somehow, managed to keep my expression “gypsy neutral” when she started tracing the outlines of my face. Although I didn’t show it, I was really excited. Maybe, she will come back to me, at some point.
We would carefully study each other’s eyes and faces for countless hours – like we’re trying to remember every detail. We have performed this same ritual her whole life. Even as a newborn, Ember would stare at my face and into my eyes every chance I gave her. I don’t know what we expect to find, but tracing our facial features repeatedly, seems to make us feel better.
Tonight, her wide blue eyes seemed to be offering me…a deep, dark secret. She’s trying to tell me something. I searched her eyes and tried to figure it out. I believe that Ember can look ‘beyond’ what other people see…
I thought I might have seen a flicker of her spirit fighting to come back to me. That guess would be proven right.
Eventually, she placed her hand over my heart. This is something else she’s done her entire life too. It makes her feel safe. She went to sleep a few minutes later.
In the stillness, my thoughts turned to our parents. I wondered if they were in the house or what happened to them. Maybe, they were struck by some flying object? Or shocked and torched to ashes by the toaster. After all, I’m fairly sure that I saw exploded flesh…
Those dark thoughts made me smile. If they did somehow survive what happened on Big Whiskey Lane, I hope they never come looking for us. My mom and dad are now a thing of the past. Wow, I never thought that would happen!
Next, my mind carried on to the future and our seemingly endless options. The silence was making me crazy and I had no idea what time it was. I had left my watch in the chaos of my bedroom. I could have kicked myself for not getting it before we bolted from the scene. Watching the minutes tick by would at least help occupy my mind.
My thoughts were jumping from one topic to another. My pulse was pounding from the mental clutter. So, I took a deep breath and tried to refocus. We need a better place to stay and transportation. Thanks to my overstuffed duffle bag at least, we can afford it.
When I closed my eyes to continue working through a plan, I didn’t feel tired or sleepy. But, I drifted, anyway.
How long can a guy go without sleep?
It felt great to think about something ordinary – like how to never sleep, again…