chapter four: turning tables

                                    

                                          
Everything and Nothing - The Boom Circuits
...Birds chirping. They're so beautiful. The sunlight on my skin, it shines beneath my eyelids. I'm nestled so tightly in a nest. I am safe and at comfort... Wait. Birds chirping?!
I shuffle myself awake and see that I am still in that same old tub. There's no sunlight on my skin, just the bathroom light I forgot to turn off. I'm not nestled in any nest, I'm nestled in a chipping bathtub made in the 70s. But... birds are still chirping. They sound like they're right over my head. I even check because I'm not sure what else I'll find in this hotel room.
No birds over my head. Good. So, where are they even coming from?
I trip over my legs trying to get out of this tub. I hadn't realized I'd be super stiff. My knees crack, along with my ankles. I slept in everything I wore yesterday. Even my shoes. I was too horrified by the unsanitary mess this room gave me.
The mirror is cracked in one corner but other than that it's fine, but the person in the mirror is not. I look as messy as this room. Just like I said, there are deep circles under my eyes. I don't remember not sleeping well, I don't even remember waking up once during the night. Guess I was so tired, which is so weird because I literally went to sleep in a bathtub. That sounds so uncomfortable, and it was. How did I sleep so soundly? Whatever. I forget it.
I dig through my suitcase to find my hairbrush and toothbrush. I don't bother using the water from the faucet because only God knows what's in that water... I brush my teeth dry. I even make sure to leave my spit in the sink, just to add to this mess. I'm sure the next guests will enjoy it. I laugh at myself. Then I brush my long hair gently and even make sure my middle part is perfect. I'm very picky about it.
The next thing I need to do is change my look. I pick out the outfit I made for myself yesterday and put it on. The only mirror in this place is the one in the bathroom so that's where I make sure things look fine. I look like a wannabe lawyer but it's okay.
That's when I go downstairs into the lobby to use their phone to call a taxi. The man behind the counter kept giving me this weird stare. A stare of lust. I kept giving him a rude side-eye but he would never get the hint. This guy is definitely creepy and I need to get out of here as soon as I can.
My plan from here on out was to join the White House touring guide. That way I can get inside of the White House and then ask some supervisor if I can see Leon. Obviously, I'll need to say that I'm Flora Smith and tell them that I was a survivor of Raccoon City. That is the only thing I can say to them that'll gain me any sort of access to things. If it flunks then I'm doomed. I don't know what else I'll do. The taxi picks me up, I pay for the ride after I tell them to take me to the White House.
"Are you an important guest or something?" The lady asks me. This girl was younger, maybe in her twenties. She sort of looks like me when I was younger. I wish I was still in my twenties. Specifically my way early twenties.
"Nope, I'm just joining the tour of it," I smile. She doesn't know who I am and I'm very glad she doesn't. I'm tired of hearing things from people's mouths about who and what I am.
"Oh, cool. I got a tour of the White House when I was eight I think. My dad took me. Of course, I didn't understand anything inside of it, though. Ha, I thought I was going to meet George Washington!" The girl shows her wide smile. It makes me smile longer. I like seeing people happy. I am very happy she has a dad who takes care of her.
The radio in the car is playing some top pop songs right now but I'm not listening to any of it. I'm too busy blurring my mind of images of Leon. I want to see him smile again. I also just want to see him in general. Being in his presence used to always cure any sadness from me. He's almost like a beacon of sunlight for me.