Broken

Once we were finished, I noticed that Carrie seemed restless.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, allowing humor to infiltrate my tone.

“Absolutely nothing,” she replied as a giggle escaped her.

“Then, what’s so funny?” I inquired.

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“This is just so…strange and wonderful. I don’t want it to end, but I think I am too tired to go again.”

“Aww, come on…” I teased, “Why would you say that?”

Cassie laughed aloud now, snuggling into my chest.

“I want to do something,” she insisted after a moment of silence.

“What do you want to do? I think we’ve done a lot…” I answered in a heavily suggestive tone. “I’m exhausted.”

“Me too,” she admitted, “But I don’t want to sleep.” She shook her head and I reveled in the feel of her long, soft hair swaying over my bare chest. “Do you have any games?”

“Seriously?” I asked, trying to hide my laughter. “Do I look like the kind of person who has Pictionary just lying around? Or how about Twister…That should help your ankle,” I snorted a chuckle, though I could tell that she wasn’t exactly joking.

“I know you don’t have that…” Carrie answered, playfully insulted, “I’m not that much of an idiot. I was thinking, cards?”

“Oh, now you’re the one who’s being insulting.”

“What? Unless you’re one of those crazy men who plays chess with his dog, or himself, I thought a deck of cards would be a good suggestion. At least you could play Solitaire with the cards.”

“Wow, you’re just painting a lovely picture for me, aren’t you?” I insisted, easing myself out of her embrace and heading for the closet I probably hadn’t opened in years. I wasn’t even sure there was anything left in there that I could use, but I figured if there was anything, it would be in here.

“What do you have?” Carrie inquired as she watched me walk toward the cabinet.

“I’m…not sure?” I replied, opening the door, and peering inside.

Immediately, the dusky, musty smell hit me and nearly knocked me back. Standing corrected, I was sure I had never opened this closet, since I was the owner of the cabin. It certainly didn’t smell like it was utilized in at least a decade.

Seeing remnants of a life I would rather not think about, I sighed and shook my head, but pressed on, hoping that what I remembered would still be there.

I quickly searched through clothing and a few boxes that were half opened but didn’t find what I was looking for right away. Instead, I found a barrage of belongings to a life that was no longer here.

Pictures, keepsakes, and other mementos I didn’t even realize I had were piled high in the small area of the cabin that I had almost completely forgotten about.

It was strange to be searching through here, with the intent to find something other than a survival tool I had lost.

I was immediately struck by exactly long it had been since I looked for something that was normal.

I hadn’t done anything fun or even remotely behaved like a human in a long time.

However, right now, it seemed as though I was on a crash course back to reality.

I couldn’t help but think that my re-emergence into reality wasn’t half bad with Carrie by my side.

“Is everything okay?” I heard Carrie call from the bed, breaking me out of staring deep into a box of memories.

“Yeah…I’m fine,” I answered, shoving the box aside and reaching for another one.

“If it’s too much trouble, don’t worry about it, Johnathan. It was just a suggestion. Don’t go crazy.”