Chapter 7 Wake Up

　　Aria's POV

I could feel a pulsation sensation, my head was pounding so fast. 

My eyelid caressed in a deep frown as I struggled to open my eyes, my whole body ails and hurts so painfully. 

Forcing my eye open within the little strength in me.

I noticed that I was inside a small cabin with a light candle beside the bed stand. 

I slowly leaned up a bit with a suspicious gaze and glanced at the room, scanning the whole place.

It looks like an old house, the room is too small but bigger than where I do sleep at my aunt's house. 

The small bed inside this room was enough to cover the place I do pass out at night in my previous house.

I let out a sigh, I sat upright to get a better view of here, I shoved the strange feelings at the back of my head and had my full attention focused here.

I could smell the dry old woods, it seems like this house was constructed with wood. 

It sure is an old house, the interior is presentable and cool. 

Apart from the bed that I was lying on and a small table and two wooden chairs, there is nothing in this room again.

The bed had an old smell showing that it was bought a long time ago, and the fabric of the sheet is sluggish and smooth.

It feels so fragile in my palms, I smiled and continued feeling its softness on me till I heard a cracking sound outside the room.

Trying to sit up from the bed, the blurry image of the stranger from the ocean sneaked into my head. His fresh breath lingers across my mind.

Signing, I shoved the strange image and feelings behind me and quickly got up from the bed, and started walking in the direction of the sound with quiet and calm steps.

I kept tiptoeing to avoid creating any awareness or making my presence known, holding the walls for support.

I kept inching toward the direction with steady and calm steps.

The passage is not that huge, it could hardly fit in a person.

I still wonder how the owner of this place stays here comfortably because I walked sideways in this passage. 

I noticed an open door, inching closer I kept hearing a murmuring of an old woman. My frown deepened. 

Holding the edge of the side door, I tilted my neck and peeped inside.

My face brightened up as I glimpsed an old woman struggling to get something from the upper cabinet, the stuff wasn't that far from her but due to her shortness it wasn't easy and she acts funny with the way she jumps up to get something almost close to her. 

Having had enough fun, I walked slowly behind her without her notice and got down the stuff for her. 

Turning around instantly, her eyes widened in shock.

"You are awake?" I nodded at her, and a silly smile slipped into her face. 

"You look pretty…" She compliments, earning a smile from me.

"Thanks for your help, I was doing fast to make some food for you in case you woke up today…" She said, gaining my attention.

"What do you mean, ma?" I asked, confused by her words.

"Stopping addressing me by ma, it makes me feel old…" She makes a poker face.

I laughed at her silly behavior. "But what do you mean?" I asked when trying to suppress my laugh as I watched a gentle smile on her lips.

"You have been sleeping for days now,"

"Days!!" I exclaimed, surprised.

"Like how many days?" I gaped bewilderingly at her.

She stared at the empty air in deep thought for a while before looking at me and shaking her head.

"I have no idea but since I found you collapsed at the waterfront, you have been unconscious," She blurted.

"You brought me here all alone?" I gasped.

"Yeah… You better not underestimate the power of an old woman, don't mind my size and age. I am really strong and capable," she boasts.

I bit my tongue to avoid laughing as I glanced at her and then at the small cabinet that she was struggling to get through not a minute ago.

"Hey! Stop looking at that cabinet, I was just trying to exercise myself that's why I was jumping," She denied though it wasn't long before we all burst into an enormous laugh.

The woman was sure a funny type, she knows how to brighten someone's mood. I haven't been this free with a stranger before which surprised me.

"What's your name?" The question slipped out of my lips unknowingly.

"I am Caroline, but before you ask I don't live with anybody here… I stay here all alone and you are the first person that I have ever invited here," She confessed before walking back to continue with her cooking. 

My face narrowed in sadness as I stared back at her, she must have been lonely.

"Where are your husband and maybe children?" I shrugged at the last word.

"As I said, I live alone… so no husband nor children," She answered back.

"You mean you don't have any children or you don't have a mate?" 

"I have a mate, " She quietly muttered.

"Then where is he? Wait! Don't tell me that he rejected you," I gulped nervously. 

I watched as she stopped slicing the vegetables and turned in my direction with the knife still in her right hand.

"He didn't reject me…" 

"Then what happened?" I asked with curiosity.

"We will discuss that in our leisure time because you still have to tell me why you were unconscious lying beside the shore damped with the wetness of the water," She said when returning her attention to her cooking.

I smiled sadly as the reason for my wanting to drown clouded my head. 

I don't want to bother her with my problems but I feel peaceful around her which is strange, especially meeting her for the first time. 

"Hmmm..." Scratching my neck nervously, I grunted. 

"Can I help you with anything?" I asked.

"No, it's okay… I got this," she smiled.

"Come on! What am I going to do then?" I inquired.

"I don't know… Maybe you should go inside and rest," she states.

"I have been lying for days now, I am tired of staying on the bed," I whined.

"Please let me help out,"

"Fine!" She mumbled. 

"Since you want to help out, go and arrange the table and make it ready for use because dinner will soon be ready," She muttered.

"Thanks!" I said with a delightful voice, she seemed nice and cool to me.