47 Stray Story - 002

"I'm not leaving until you give me an answer."

Caroline spoke up, "fine, I'll come with you."

"Okay, try to keep up then."

And with that, I headed back the way I'd came, with Caroline in tow, walking a few steps behind. I had to walk slower than I usually would to allow her to keep up.

We make our way back through the park, and head in the direction of home, going past the mall as we do so. I keep my eye out for AJ as I do, but I don't spot her.

Sorry. AJ did say whatever she had to talk about was urgent, but I can't just ignore Caroline here. She clearly has something of importance going on at the moment too.

I'll just have to ask AJ at work tomorrow what it was she had to talk about.

I hope it wasn't too urgent.

The two of us walk in silence the whole way back from the park after that. Caroline isn't much of a talker, though I suppose I can't pretend that I am either. And so, we walked without so much as a word for twenty minutes.

When we stepped inside my place, Caroline looked around with a less than happy expression.

"Sorry, is it not up to your standards?"

"No, sorry. I didn't mean to be rude," she responded quickly.

"Well, I can't exactly blame you for thinking that way. It's not the best house."

"It's a garbage dump."

"Huh?"

"No, nothing."

For a second there, I could've sworn I heard this little girl's voice saying that my beloved home was a garbage dump. I guess I'm hearing things.

"Have a shower first, then go find the bed. I'm tired."

"What about a spare towel? And clothes?"

"Do you think I would have a spare towel? As for clothes… I'll get you some from my room. They won't fit you, but it's better than nothing, I guess."

After I grab some clothes for Caroline, I make my way back out into the living room. I guess I'll take the couch for tonight. She can't have been sleeping well out there on that park bench, so she can have the bed. I didn't have work either today, so I'm not feeling too bad. I suppose that won't stop me being sore after a night on the couch.

Oh well.

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No, it's impossible to just go to sleep.

It's strange being able to hear that someone else is in the house with me, while I'm trying to go to sleep. The sound of water running in the bathroom is very audible.

Tayla has stayed the night over here before, but that's different from this.

For starters, when I'm trying to sleep in that situation, Tayla's right next to me. I can see her; I can reach out and touch her. More importantly, I know who she is.

Caroline – who is she? A mysterious girl that I just happened to come across at the park when I was supposed to be meeting AJ. Why she was there is anyone's guess… well, no it isn't really.

She obviously ran away from home. Though, her reason for running away from home, is anyone's guess. Caroline refused to talk about it earlier, but maybe I should press her again in the morning.

I guess there's nothing that I can do about it right now, however, so there's no reason to keep myself awake muddling it over. I'll just have to ask her in the morning.

A soft grey winter's morning.

It smells like rain.

As I'm thinking that, I feel a raindrop explode as it lands on the tip of my nose. There's not a sign of sunlight in the sky above me.

I have to walk home now, just as it's starting to fall. Why is it that it starts raining now? I'll have to walk through this for about half an hour. Not that I want to walk home in the first place anyway.

I would rather that the world be stationary, and kept in this exact moment, than having to take another step towards that house.

"Hey, Alex?"

I turn and look at the black-haired familiar girl beside me.

"What?"

"Tell me the truth, Alex. Are you in love with me?"

The squawking of a bird wakes me up from my sleep. I jump, and sit right up, before almost falling back down in shock.

Huh? Why am I on the couch?

That's right. Last night, I met that girl in the park. Caroline. That strange little girl. I let her sleep in my bed because it was clear that she needed a good night's sleep.

Not that that mattress is the most comfortable either.

I sit up, and swing my legs around.

Ow. A crick in my neck.

That's what I get for sleeping on the couch.

I look through to the kitchen. My eyes are still adjusting, but I think the clock on the microwave is saying 5:54. Work doesn't start till ten.

I lie back down on the couch, but I'm sure that I won't be able to get back to sleep.

I vaguely remember having a dream. Or maybe it was more like a memory? I faintly remember thinking that there was something familiar about it. Something reminiscent.

Hmm.

No, I can't seem to remember what it was that I had been dreaming about.