The pain stopped.
***
Naomi lay, face down, in The White. Lazily she moved a hand to her chest – screams/searingflesh/exposedbrokenbones/shattered face – and stroked her skin.
She was naked, which momentarily confused her until she turned and saw more of The White.
She recognised the place. The emptiness. The silence. But she wasn’t sure why.
***
Naomi opened her eyes, stretched. She was warm.
The rolled over and remembered she was floating. She wasn’t sure where she learnt that, or when she forgot. Is that what The White was – floating?
Naomi found that she didn’t care.
***
The man came towards her. She watched him arrive.
He looked at her, confused. Naomi noticed he was dressed.
He touched her – ribsbroken/armmissing/eyehang- and pulled his hand away quickly.
She exhaled, “That was rude.” Inhaled, “Don’t touch.”
The man looked shocked. “Why are you here?”
She looked around The White, again, and felt everything…drift..awa…
“Why are you?” She replied.
The man nodded and moved on.
***
“I am sorry.”
Naomi slowly turned her head towards him. She didn’t notice him coming.
He was upside down.
No.
She twisted and faced him.
“I am sorry,” he repeated.
“Why? What have you done?”
He looked confused again. Thoughtful. “No. I mean – to disturb.”
“You mean to disturb, do you?” She smiled.
“I feel I am the poorer of this conversation.”
“You are dressed.” She stretched, turning on the spot, lazily.
He blushed and looked away.
“You are here again.” He tried to control the conversation.
“I didn’t leave. You are here again.”
“You stay here?” He seemed surprised. “Are you from here?”
Naomi’s face clouded. “I…I” She thought, her face contorting. “I came here. I don’t know when.” Her face relaxed. “No. I am not from here.”
“Good. Good.” He nodded. “Do you have a name, miss?”
Again, she stared at him. “A name….” Her hand went to her chest again – mask/cape/belt – “more than one.”
“May I?” He held his hand out. She nodded and touched his.
***
He came once final time. “You must come back now.”
“Why are you here?” She asked.
“You have been gone a long time.”
“That’s not an answer.”
He thought and said, “You are missed. Many people think you are gone for good.” He smiled.
“That’s not what I’m asking. Listen very carefully. Why are you here?”
The man looked at her, his face serene. Behind his eyes Naomi could see him thinking frantically.
Finally he said “I am here to help. You must come back now.”
***
Her eyes were gummy and opened slowly. Her body felt heavy. Her hand went to her face – the mask was still on – and then to her chest – her chest was whole and her costume repaired. Or changed.
She turned her head, the muscles in her neck aching.
“Slowly, miss. Your body has been vacant for some time now.” His voice – familiar but entirely new.
She could not focus on him – she could hardly even see him. She opened her mouth, feeling her cracked lips, tasting her dry mouth. She croaked painfully.
“No, miss. You shouldn’t try and speak.”
She tried again. anyway. So he moved towards her, holding her ear over her lips. They moved slowly, words sliding out with her breath.
“No.”
She breathed in, something rattled. She breathed out again.
“Sidekicks.”
Her head turned and she fell asleep.
