STRONGER

I woke up feeling very relaxed. I hadn't slept very well the past few days but today was a different day. I felt so good that for a minute I ignored where I am.

Its so refreshing and exciting today but I can't quite place a finger on why I feel this way. Since it's been a rough couple of days, I'm not complaining. This is so much better. I want to hoot and make a lot of noises. I want everyone to know how I feel.

But something holds me back. So I stay calm on the outside. Slowly climb off my bed and sit on Pier's . He looks worse than yesterday again. When his big eyes catch a glimpse of my face, he is startled for a second before recognition flashes through his eyes. He stays quiet and so do I. We just stare oddly at each other and he looks like he is trying to figure me out.

"I see you discovered the camouflage effect. " He observes quietly.

What?

"Camo... what? " I ask confused.

"Your... uh... you do realize you are younger, right? " He asks shocked.

Why is he shocked? What does he mean 'younger '?

"Me, younger? I do feel younger yes but there is no way in hell I'm going back there you know. Though I wish. " I rumble imagining when I was energetic and youthful.

Pier looks at me puzzled. He looks like he is going to say something but holds himself back. I give him a questioning look. What's up with him? I look at my hands because I can't shake the feeling of him seeing something I don't.

The fuck! I actually I'm young again. How did that even happen?

"How? " I ask before I could stop myself.

"I was an old man when I came here. Completely bald and wrinkled skin , " He pauses to watch me as I look at him weirdly, " I have been here a while. " He finishes with a sombre sigh.

"So we grow younger here? " I ask in bewilderment.

"No but you can choose a body at any stage of your life you would like. Whether you lived it or not, it is how your body was meant to look like. So you could see your body at ninety if you want. " He explains.

Cool!

"I could make myself a baby? How does it work, cause I don't know how I made this. " I motion to self.

"You just think and feel like the years you want to have and... " Pier explains trailing off.

"So why can't you make yourself a teenager or something ?You look like shit. " I say with a little chuckle.

He looks away from me with a pained look.

"It wears off and there are no babies here. Now excuse me, I need my peace and quiet. It's been a long night . " Pier dismisses me.

Ugh! He likes to do that. One of these days, I'll be the one to dramatically end the conversation.

"Whatever. " I mutter and sit facing the grill door elbows on my knees.

It wears off...

"So you can't change any more? How long have you been here? Wait... it takes away the feelings and emotions of here, doesn't it? " I ask excited I figured it out.

Silence. So I answer myself. I had one peaceful night sleep for once. Before it wears off I think I will be using it a lot.

How long has Pier been here? How long till it wears off? Oh let me stop stressing over it and enjoy it while it lasts. You only live once. Shit! You only live once... and I'm no longer living because my once expired!!

"Pier, you should know I have a lot of questions and I'm never keeping quiet until you give me the answers I want. Only then, I'll let you be. Put yourself in my shoes, when you first arrived here you must have too had questions and needed someone to explain it all to you. Why are you being difficult ?Just tell me everything and I'll let you be. I promise. " I rumble in frustration.

I seriously thought I'd forget about everything and enjoy my youth again. If only I could go back to earth like this.

"Look newbie, you will be here long enough to find everything out so just be patient. " Someone from next door yells annoyed to me.

"It's Mystia and I don't want to be here... " I hiss and I'm cut off by several angry voices.

"We don't want to be here either. "

"There is no getting out of here. "

"Nobody would want to be here. "

"Should have been a good man. "

That last one was from Pier. I look at him and I see given a chance he would have ripped my head off. Good thing I don't exactly have a head right now then!