Post by Delilah Sterling on Dec 18, 2008 5:47:59 GMT -8
"Ma'am, it's 10:30 AM. This is your requested wake-up call."
Delilah groaned.
"What was that?"
"Uunnnggghhh."
"I see."
"Mm."
"Have a nice day, Ma'am."
"Mmm."
It took a few tries, but she finally got the phone back in its cradle and rolled over, her entire body stiff and lower back aching from sleeping on her stomach like she had.
Cringing, she rolled out of bed gingerly, stretching her poor back and legs for a few seconds before rubbing her sleep-gummed eyes and stumbling into the bathroom.
Mornings were never a pretty sight.
She emptied her bladder in a daze, showered in a fog, got dressed in another dimension, and walked down to the lobby like a zombie.
"Coffee."
"Down the hall and to the left, Ma'am."
She could tell by the voice it was Mr. Wake-up Call. "Mmgh," she said, and followed his directions to the sweet ambrosia of life.
It wasn't the best coffee in the world, but two cups, strong and black, were enough to get her going.
Back in the hotel room, she packed her rucksack and slung it over her shoulders. The clothes she was wearing were dirty, but not as dirty as the clothes she'd worn yesterday. She only had two shirts, two pairs of jeans, and two sets of undergarments. She needed to go shopping.
So that's what she did, first stop of the day. She bought a suitcase with rollers and only bought as many clothes as she could fit in it. Nice, warm sweaters, cozy leggings, jeans, long sleeved tees, two belts, two scarves, a pair of comfortable walking boots and all clean undergarments.
Once she'd paid for it all, she asked to use the changing room again and took off her old clothes, stuffing them in the waste basket.
When she came out again, she looked much more suited to the weather in a soft, luxurious royal plum sweater, a sapphire blue soft-knit scarf, pale jeans and the new boots. The look would have been better with some makeup, but she didn't have any and honestly didn't give a rat's ass.
The clothes were nice, though. The sweater was beyond comfortable, and warm.
Next stop: Starbucks.
Because there is ALWAYS bound to be one within a two block radius.
Sure enough, she found it, ordered a 'venti' - "Whatever happened to 'large'?" - apple cider and a pumpkin scone, then sat down outside to eat it.
She didn't have a book. She didn't even have her rucksack on - it was in the car along with the new suitcase. There was nothing at all to entertain her or provide an outlet from making eye contact with strangers.
She wasn't sitting there to be entertained. She wasn't there to escape. As she broke off pieces of the scone, washing it down with the apple cider, she watched the people crossing each other in the intersections, walking up and down the sidewalks, talking out in front of unopened independent stores, filing into the Starbucks.
It was a busy street. She was bound to see a demon eventually.
A glance at the clock inside Starbucks said it was barely noon-thirty.
Yeah, one was bound to walk by eventually.
