Small world, part 3.

Time had passed. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but it was enough for her to start leaving.

The problem was she had a terrible headache and her whole body felt numb. Her surroundings were people she didn’t know, and now someone was talking to her at the moment.

“Honey, where are your parents?”

“...what?”


She looked up. A woman was holding her hand, concern written all over her face. She didn’t seem like a careless partygoer. She looked like the careful observer who never got too drunk to not be able to drive or do something crazy. She wore a black dress with ankle boots, and her yellow hair was a curly mid-length hair-do.

“Where do you live? You shouldn’t be here.”

Oh. Right.

“Um…I don’t remember.”

The woman sighed. “I’m not surprised. I’m going to walk out with you, okay? You need to go home.”

Sigrid nodded. Home was all she wanted right now.

The woman was with a girl, presumably her friend, who was dressed in a similar outfit. It seemed they were matching, but Sigrid was too weak and disoriented to even bother. She stood against the lady, her own legs incapable of moving her.

She knew when they were outside because sharp cold air ran down her body again. She winced and buried her face into the woman. Thankfully, the girls had her up on the nice woman’s back in an instant and she was playing piggyback ride.

“...yeah, of course I won’t.”

“...poor girl, too fucking young for their bullshit…”

“...she’s not from this neighborhood…she isn’t.”

.

.

.

“Thank you so much. Thank you so fucking much.”


“Of course, darling. Have a blessed Halloween.”

Sigrid was sitting in the kitchen of her home now, pressed against one of the wooden seats occuping the kitchen table. Her eyes were glued to her lap, a different embarrassment and shame from earlier burning her whole body.

The door shut, and her body was engulfed in a strong embrace. It was Nathan’s. She looked up and sobbed, her hands pressed to whatever she could reach of him.

He shut his eyes, pressing himself against her harder and holding her tighter. She started to babble against his shoulder, but he stopped her.

He pulled away and thumbed her tears away with a hard force before pressing a hand to one of her cheeks.

“Don’t ever run off like that again. You scared me, Sig.”


“I know, I’m sorry, I-”

“Shush. I’m sorry, too. Just promise me you’ll talk to me next time, okay? I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Sigrid nodded and continued sobbing, her eyes closed this time. Nathan continued to wipe her tears away before putting his head to hers.

“I’m gonna put on a movie and make you some tea. You can talk to me if you want, you don’t have to.”

She nodded again before grabbing his hand.

“Please don’t leave me.”

“Of course not, Sig. I’m here. I’ll always be here.”