18. The soak in which emotions run high and pain runs low

∘₊✧───≋❈18❈≋───✧₊∘

The soak in which emotions run high and pain runs low

∘₊✧───≋❈≋───✧₊∘

This was a new experience for Kally. Hot steam rose around her, for once the haze she could see was not purple, and a refreshing water lapped around her. She was in the bathhouse. A quirk of Traemiridian regulation prohibited bathing anywhere but here. This was not mentioned in Karin’s Almanac; what use even was it at this point?

Stationed at the back of the settlement, the bathhouse was a large Traemir-made body of water, diverted from the river around them. A hot spring. When she had found out about the water saving directive from the Council of Sustainability, Kally had blanched. That poor innkeeper was given a fright; crumbolians were not known for turning white.

Kally, frozen with indecision, had stayed in the reception a while, not sure whether to head out or up. She certainly did not relish the idea of bathing, toe on show to a bunch of strangers. Had she not been caked in sand with a wound that needed cleaning, she may have given it a miss. Now here though, she was more relaxed. There seemed to be a booth like system, with plenty of nooks to seclude yourself in. Of course, the darkness of night helped. There was also hardly a soul about, which also helped.

Perhaps, what helped most of all was the slosh of the beer in her hand. The familiar sound soothed her. A place where you could be clean and drink. How had she never thought of that before? She exhaled. It was familiar, yet strange. What is a beer without splinters, she lamented, thinking wistfully of home.

“Old habits die hard…” drawled Katoia, with a slight glug to her voice. Kally had allowed her to float on the water for a while now. She could just see her in the steam. Red-faced and soft, a crinkled toe; her cuticle, at its weakest. Kally, putting her drink down on the marble side, rubbed the dead skin cells off the back of Katoia’s head.

“There, there, now. I’ve not taken you to Karin’s. This should be nice and new to you.” She looked around at the leafy surroundings, made to be naturalistic, as she mumbled under her breath, “…and, me too.”

≋❈≋

A large tropical plant draped its leaves into the pool and Kally played with it absentmindedly. Katoia grumbled. As they sat for a bit in silence, Kally sipped her drink. She could feel the dull ache in her muscles, warm and pulsing at the weight of the water.

She looked above. Through the mist, she could just about make out the dark tones of the night’s sky.

She grimaced; her leg.

The air on her face was cold, but fresh. An outdoor hot spring was something she never thought would be possible. How were they keeping the purple away? Her eyes momentarily flashed in panic. They must have a way, whatever it was. Beating it into submission with rules and regulations she supposed. She laughed, distracting herself from the twinge in her leg, the ‘Council of Bullying the Purple into Mist’.

Kally let out a sharp cry of pain. She clutched her left leg and, gripping onto the side, held herself up.

Her leg locked.

It felt impossibly heavy against the weightlessness of the water. Burning and tight, it throbbed. She tried to move it but it would not budge to her will. This just had to happen now, in water of all places.

She grabbed her calf and kneaded it in desperation, still hanging onto the edge. Katoia was panicked, water spluttered from her like a fountain. Bobbing in and out of the water as the foot wavered with each knead, she gasped for air. Forever destined for redness, she bulged: bloated and sore.

Kally’s leg prickled in pain as the cramp intensified and spread up her leg. Focusing on her breathing, she attempted to keep calm and move awareness away from the crackling pain.

Breathe in and out. Gently in and out.

Her mind clearer, she bobbed around until she was facing the marble. Still grabbing onto the edge where she could and, hands slippy, she positioned her left heel so it was propped up and resting against the edge. A few rounds of heavy breaths later and the cramp had eased. Kally sighed and picked up her drink once more and faced the mist.

Katoia also sighed. This sigh was not out of relief.

≋❈≋

Placing her glass on the cold marble, Kally wafted this mist with her hands, playing with the patterns it made. Katoia watched as Kally took another sip, larger this time, glass clinking back on the marble.

“Honestly, as soon as you cleaned yourself up you went straight for the beer. I’m surprised you didn’t use it to sterilise your wound,” Katoia snarked.

“Oh, give me a break, Kat. It’s been a long few days.” Kally rolled her tired eyes. She felt the ache still in her legs, heavy and warm.

Katoia stewed.

“Is it because you can’t have any?” Kally teased.

Katoia produced a harsh scoff. Kally rubbed Katoia’s cheeks in a motion similar to petting a cat.

With a quiet voice, Kally mused, “Soon, you’ll be able to try some properly yourself.”

Katoia stiffened and, turning slightly to Kally, still said nothing.

“Aren’t you excited, Kat?”

Kally wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, still holding onto the glass with the other.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Katoia’s cuticle wobbled, soft and floppy; she had a lot of emotions whirring about. Anger, exhaustion, fear: they all bubbled within her. She was never one for containing them well. After all, she is a toe, and toes are not exactly known for emotional regulation.

“Mmm,” was all Kat could muster as a reply.

“Mmm?” Kally paused, and furrowed her brow. “…about tomorrow, I mean.”

Katoia said nothing. She didn’t really want to think about tomorrow, if she was being honest with herself.

“Tomorrow, you might get your life back. You will finally sing on a stage again. A real stage, Kat.”

Katoia’s stomach dropped at this thought. It was a strange feeling, bittersweet. Fear and anticipation all melded into one. Her voice was small and, with a tremor, she asked, “Without you?”

Kally’s shoulders drooped. She had been worried about how Katoia might react. She just knew that Kat would thrive on her own, that Kat wanted this as much as she did. This wasn’t just wishful thinking on her part; she could feel the emotions resonating from her toe. Conflicted, yes. Anxious about separation, yet mixed with excitement at the possibilities. Mostly however, she was drenched in the question… would she be good enough on her own?

Kally felt all this too. It had been so long; they were both as much a part of the others identity as each other. It was hard to even know which part at this point. She would have to discover, what is Kally without Kat? And Kat would have to find out - what is Kat without Kally? It was dread inducing. They could be crippled by this, or they could flourish. Kally was reassured by the knowledge that they would not truly be separated. She was certain they would always be a presence in the other’s life.

Just not omnipresent.

Kally sighed. Just how could she reassure Kat? Deciding that the beer in her hand would not aid the situation, she placed her glass on the marble edge once more. The clang seemed to ripple in her ears as she turned to Katoia.

Reaching her hand out to pat Katoia on the head, she repeated her words softly, “Without me?”

Kally smiled, the steam running off her cheeks and dripping into the warmth of the water.

“Without me, you’ll do great.”

Katoia looked blankly back at her.

“No, seriously, Kat. You’ve been hidden away in my boot for too long.”

Kally pursed her lips. She understood Kat’s reticence, her tension and anxiety about the unknown. She also understood Kat’s dream and hoped this would be enough to quell her fear.

She nudged her in a light-hearted way. “You’ll be able to sing and perform to your heart’s content. With me watching in the audience.”

Katoia’s cuticle wobbled more at this. “You’ll be watching?”

“Of course, come on Kat, it’s not like I’m going to disappear from your life. I’m not going to do a runner or anything like that.”

Kally guffawed at this thought.

“So long, see ya, have a nice life.” She snickered, and then reined it back as she saw Katoia’s grumpy expression.

She put her hands up in a motion of surrender. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”

“In all seriousness though, you are you and I am me. Sometimes with our situation it’s easy to forget that. And just because we won’t be joined anymore doesn’t mean we won’t be an important part of each others lives, you know?” Kally lingered on this a moment, an odd expression on her face. “Blah—!” She stuck out her tongue imitating a retch. “I’m getting all corny here, Kat. Look at what you’ve done.”

Katoia’s grumpy expression alleviated slightly. Her cuticle curled upwards into a semblance of a smile. Kally had a way about her that could always cheer her up. She was ridiculous really. How could she make every serious issue dissolve into this light jovial mood? There was no issue too great; she always managed to make Katoia feel less alone.

She gulped at the mere thought, but maybe it would be alright to step out on her own, as long as Kally was there to help guide her. She might even make some friends. Tommy and Karin didn’t count.

They were Kally’s friends.

≋❈≋

Kally exhaled. It seemed like the worst was over, and hopefully she had helped ease Kat’s worries. She leaned back against the marble and savoured the warmth from the pool. She would need to leave soon, otherwise Katoia would melt off her foot and this whole journey would have been a waste.

Kally looked again at Katoia, who was bobbing, looking happier but still preoccupied with something.

“What is it, Kat?”

Katoia paused, uncertain. Her voice faltered, “Um, what if I don’t know who I am on my own?”

Kally’s heart ached. This was something she felt herself but could not bring herself to voice it. Katoia was brave with her emotions, braver than her. She felt a twinge at this thought.

“You’ll find out. That’s part of the fun of it, discovering yourself again. You’ve been in my shadow for so long. You need to remember that you are the lead singer of your own song, not just backing to mine.”

She pretended to gag again and flashed a wicked smile at Katoia.

Katoia shook her head. “Oh smog, you’re so—!”

“So, what?” Kally flicked her. “So…” She flicked again. “What?” She landed a final flick.

“Hey—!”

“That’s more like it, Kat. See, after tomorrow… you’ll actually be able to avoid my flicks.”

Katoia chuckled, less strained this time. There always was a silver lining, trust Kally to find it.

They settled into a comfortable silence, happy in the knowledge that the air between them had cleared.

Little pockets of warmth rose up in the water, cushioning them as they enjoyed their remaining time together. Tomorrow would come soon enough. They might as well savour their last peaceful moment.

That is until Katoia piped up, “If I’m the lead singer, does that mean I can sing when I want?”

Kally rolled her eyes. “Don’t you do that anyway?”

Gurgling with laughter, Katoia soon responded with a hum that rose into a soulful lament. It was as if she encased those negative emotions into her song and set them free to wander the earth and disturb her no more. Kally welled up at this, if only she had an outlet like Kat’s. All she could do was listen to Katoia’s cathartic melody and focus on her breathing.

In and out, in… and out. Gently in, and … out.

The rhythm of her breathing complimented the lapping of the water around her. The swaying leaves of the surrounding trees rustled in their own melody. She sipped her, now rather warm, beer and waited for Katoia to finish singing.

As Katoia’s song came to an end, Kally jostled her. “You feeling better now, Kat?”

Katoia nodded. That release was needed.

With thoughts of tomorrow - now more of excitement than dread - brimming in both their minds, Kally and Katoia stayed in the bathhouse until they crinkled in their cleanliness and absolutely had to leave.

Sleep called, and the new day beckoned them towards it.