2Misplaced soul
travel and the cliff
Chapter 3 part one
Mae awoke with the sun across her face, a refreshing feeling of purpose filling her. She still felt that she was totally insane for doing this, but if felt right. After finishing her morning routine of stretches, pushups and other various maintenance exercises she showered. Steam wafting of her freshly showered skin as she enters the cool room putting on the bathing suit and jeans and t shirt she set out the previous night.
Her parents were waiting for her in the kitchen with breakfast on the table. They took the day off to see her to the bus station. Mea smiled widely at them dropping her brown backpack by the chair and digging into the warm meal. Her mom didn't cook often, but when she did it was chef quality. The three of them talked and reminisced about Ben sadly and fondly even after the food was long finished. Mea glanced at the clock.
"Oh, crap! If we don't leave now, I'll miss the bus." Her parents jump to their feet all three rushing to the car. No one spoke on the way there, none of them knew what to say. Mea watched the world go by through the window the same window that she stared out on every trip to the hospital, to every checkup and every bad news doctor. She loved long car trips some of her greatest memories with Ben are from the car trip that the family went on after his only remission when he was 8. It over road every bad reason for being in a car.
Their parents took a week off to drive to as many famous sites as they could before they had to go back. Most of the time they spent in the car playing eye spy, cards and spinning tales of adventure and wonder. Ben loved to tell her about the dreams he had every night and then they would build a story around it. Her favorite was the one of two brothers who saved a little boy from a monster that was trying to eat him. Ben said his dream started with two guys in a black car that growled and it turned into kids in a hospital then a monster in a black hooded robe bent over a boys bed ready to eat him but the brothers shot him. When Mea asked why he thought they were brothers he answered that one of the men called the other little brother. By the end of their story they decided that the monster was one of the doctors and he was eating kids so he could live longer. Mea smiled at the fond memory.
So lost in thought she hadn't even noticed that they were in front of the bus station. she picked up her ticket from the window and went back to her parents they hugged repetitively until the final call for the bus. "We will miss you baby girl, be safe" her dad said her mom nodding teary eyed. "I will try my best." Mea said before running to the bus and finding a seat. They waved to each other as it pulled away. Hugging her bag to herself after some time she dozed off the rocking of the bus lulling her into a light sleep. She dreamt of the story her and her brother created. She idly wondered if the men in her dream looked like the ones in Bens dream.
Mea got off the bus at the major rest stops grabbed a meal and snacks when she could, changed when she began to feel dirty, and kept looking over Bennies notebook. After two transfers she was finally close, just a 20-minute ride on the American plaza trolley to towards the beach and a 40-minute walk through the neighborhood to the cliffs to go. The open air trolley was a welcome change to the stale air of the busses, she breathed deeply in and out. Mea had long since stripped down to her bikini top that she had put on in preparation for the heat and jeans. The trolley came to a stop she stood up her bag firmly on her back, water bottle in hand, ready for her long walk. As she stepped down she gave a tentative smile to the cute surfer that had been very obviously checking her out most of the ride. He however stayed on the trolley.
She walked mostly in solitude the occasional car went by or kids on their bikes, but otherwise she was alone in her thoughts. It was 10:00 in the morning and she hadn't had very good sleep sitting up or slumped over her bag, even so the walk was invigorating. She enjoyed the long walk, the fresh air, all the houses and kids playing in yards, the complete newness of everything around her. Finally, she reached the end of Osprey street and was staring off the cliff.
The crash of the waves against the rocks was rhythmic and soothing she stared out into the water the sun bright and warm on her pale skin. Mea had soft porcelain colored skin, understandable with how much time she spent in doors over the last 9 years. She smiled and sat down soaking up the sun. it was much too early to do the ritual she couldn't risk being seen that would be embarrassing. Plus, she figured she could use some color. There was such a beauty about the cliff and a peacefulness that permeated the air. Though, maybe that was due to what she planned on doing tonight.