Annoying duties

"Still, we can get a cheaper room next time," He said, bothered by the amount of gold she had to pay to feed and bed him.

"You wouldn't fit in the bed," Laughing, she shook her head and tried to stretch her arms high above her head, when the awful truth dawned on her. The sun is already high in the sky. It was almost noon.

"I don't fit in these either. You know, we could make a nice place somewhere. Just for us. A hidden cabin far away from the beaten track. You can grow crops all around and I can hunt in my spare time. Food and shelter are all we need. We don't need to travel anywhere," He was lost in his own plans and visions, happy he finally found someone with whom he could share the future.

"Bugak, I must leave. I need to get some rest and go to work," she pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation. "I completely lost track of time. I must leave - right now."

His expression darkened for a brief moment. He was sure he made her forget about that career thing she was talking about earlier. 

Should he try even harder next time? Maybe he wasn't as good as he thought. Or is her abstractedness caused by something else?

"Go, I'll keep an eye on you," Bugak backed off and sat down, leaning on a wall behind him, before he spread his arms, waiting for her to join him. 

Her wide smile surprised him and before he knew it, she was curled in between his thighs, cuddling to his chest like a stray cat.

"I'll miss you so much! I promise to log back in here to see you as soon as I can, please wait for me." 

"How long will it take?" He asked, with eyes jumping from one human face to another, studying their behavior. They looked all the same to him. Vain, rude and self-centered. But now and then, he caught a glimpse of a bit different humans. Calmly walking around without rush, as they tried to navigate through their day.

"Anna, how long? Can you be back sooner than last time?" His eyes lowered to her face pressed into his chest. But she was gone already.

Her sleeping unit was cold and dark. As the soft light from street lighting gently streamed in through the small window near the ceiling, one wall was bathed in a soft, electric glow she used to love.

 But instead of bringing comfort, a deep feeling of unease began to settle upon her. The tightness in her throat grew, suffocating her with each passing moment.

Her head ached, with dull, throbbing pain that gradually builds up in her head as if a tight band is wrapped around it. She reached for her helmet and slowly pulled it from her head with quiet curses.

Her throat tightened, creating a suffocating sensation she never experienced before. 

It took her much, much longer to come to her senses.

She reached out, stretching her arms to brush against the walls of her small unit only to feel trapped in a place that once held so much love. It was a tiny enclosure, a stark contrast to the rooms she had shared with her lover or the vast fields and forests that had captured her heart in such a short time.

Even that tiny cottage in the woods was nearly four times bigger! 

Painkillers were the only medicine supplied to everyone for free and it quickly helped calm both her headache and anxiety.

Before dashing off to catch her bus, she squeezed in a 90-minute nap, a speedy shower, and a small meal.

At least she arrived a few minutes early to work, which was much better than being late.

Today, she successfully avoided her boss once again, skillfully evading him as he briefly entered his office to retrieve some documents before he left once again.

Due to her extreme exhaustion, Anna completely forgot to pick up groceries on her way back and had to make a return trip to the shop.

After removing her shoes, she lay down to rest for a while and ended up falling asleep with an empty stomach. In the morning, she woke up feeling refreshed and finally well-rested.