Vusok

Afena woke up, and she wondered why. What was it in her body that bade her to leave the world inside her mind, to interrupt her peaceful rest, and awaken into the world where she'd suffered so much. How was it that she could turn water into ice with nothing but words and will, but not fall asleep again after her body decided it was time to rise.

"Will it ever go away?" she wondered, referring to the aversion she had towards being conscious.

Decades upon decades of practice allowed her to ignore it. But she felt tired. It was the day after the keunto and she exchanged who knows how many stories, and the ubtir had not taken off until dawn was nigh. Rays of sun speared through the leaves of trees, and based on their slant, she knew that she'd woken up two hours later than normal. Her grogginess was heavier than usual. With eyes open, she lay on the forest floor hoping it would get lighter.

"It never does," she told herself.