Freedom

[amelia-z.livejournal.com]

This morning starts like any other morning. There were no restless points the night before, no enthusiasm-based insomnia, and this morning is cold and groggy.

As per usual, Amelia is awake disturbingly early. At five AM, she begins to collect her things. She has no one to say goodbye to, so the following four hours are spent packing in silence and solitude. For the first time in many years, Amelia's mind is clear.

When everything has been packed, the room looks like the only bit of life that might've ever breathed into it has been sucked out. It's become another dead cell, cleaned and prepped for someone else's humiliation.

Amelia covers her eyes, and closes the door.

There's two hours of meetings with her various doctors during her stay, and her lawyer. Then it's time to make the appearance in court. The warden and psychiatric head are kinder than she thought they'd be. Dr. Tomin is not, but Amelia keeps a neutral face and answers as best she can. The judge reiterates all the information of her release, but finally it's done. She signs a head-spinning amount of paperwork.

At seven after two-- at least, Eastern Standard Time-- she's on her way back to her big, empty house for the first time in many months. Setting down her things in the front hallway makes an echo. She closes the door, shutting out the snow and wind.

Comments

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Now there she has a point.

"Sometimes. On the other hand, I do a lot of good with them. It ... It's not a thrill thing. It gives me a sense of purpose. Focus, direction."

"Besides, trouble has a way of finding me. Remember the SUV in the basement, by way of the wall? They fought an army in Hell to retrieve me."

[amelia-z.livejournal.com]

She doesn't need to be reminded of that, either.

Time for a topic change. "So when are you going to take a break? I know vacation days kind of go out the window in this gig," she shrugs, "But it's not like you can't try."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

A vacation.

A vacation?

Caleb isn't sure how he feels about that. Having not had a soul recently left him somewhat relaxed, though he's felt the stress return with every bit of his regenerating humanity.

"You might be on to something there," he admits a touch longingly. "Sleep in, do some reading. Spend some time with Mara, spend some time with you, spend some time drunk and playing pool." The enthusiasm continues to grow.

"Capital idea, Bird."

[amelia-z.livejournal.com]

Pause. Stop. Rewind.

"Did you say 'Mara'?"

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

He smiles. "Elmira Porter, but don't call her 'Elmira,' she gets cross. We've been seeing each other for a year, come April. I'm, uh ... I'm left with the distinct impression that she wishes I had a more ... accommodating schedule."

"Here," he says, reaching for his wallet. "I have a picture."

[amelia-z.livejournal.com]

Amelia takes it, looking a little hesitantly.

Yep. That's her.

Huh. So Amelia isn't crazy as crazy as she thought.

"We're never going to Africa," she says dismissively, handing the photo back.

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

"Come again?" And why do you look as if you've seen a ghost?

[amelia-z.livejournal.com]

"We're not. Ever," she reiterates. "Because they have lions in Kenya, that's why. Oh my God get in the car."

She shakes her head and sighs in frustration. "Don't ask why! Why would you ask why? Nevermind-- spelunking in Hell guy here. Suffice to say that I ever make it with a hot blonde, don't ruin it, okay? There's no reason to spend that much money on a desk if there's no recreational use for it, and when I say go on vacation just trust me. Just don't do it in Africa."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

...

...

...

...

"You threw all the pills in the fire, correct?"

[amelia-z.livejournal.com]

Amelia's really said too much. It's possible that vision was always for her and no one else, something only she could see and not to be shared with anyone else.

"Da," she says quietly. "Maybe I'm relapsing?"

She can't keep a straight face long. "I think you called it a 'vision quest'. I thought those came with inebriation, and if so, I got completely ripped off."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

'Make it with a hot blonde?' Mara? Did she have a vision of a ... desk encounter ... with Mara?

Well, that image is going to come back to haunt me at an inopportune moment, now isn't it? He winces the thought away.

"They sometimes manifest to the latently magical through inebriation or malnutrition, and are often -and more reliably - accompanied, if not outright obscured, by hallucinations."

"So how about we split a bottle of vodka, and you tell me what you saw that has you so frightened." A smile. That way we can ensure it never comes to pass.