Mirai

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Tamah turned around in the bed, then gave off a whimper. Before I had time to reach her, she had started moving around more and when I reached her, I saw tears slipping through her closed eyelids.

"Tamah," I said and put a hand on her shoulder. She moved to the side, throwing off my hand. "Tamah, it's alright. You're safe."

She opened her eyes and sat up. Her mouth opened and her lower lip shivered, but not a sound left her. Then she looked around the room and I moved closer. Placed a hand on her cheek.

"Remember what I told you before? About where we are?" I asked her. She looked at me with eyes glistening from tears. Then she nodded.

I smiled softly and pulled her in for a hug. She rested her head against my shoulder.

"How are you feeling? You probably need more sleep," I continued in a soothing voice while I drew circles on her back. "Though I have no idea for how long you've slept. Dad said that time works a bit differently in here. Are you hungry? Should I go and get you food?"

I made to let go of her and stand up, but she held onto me. That was something I should have expected. I was on my way to ask her if she wanted to come down with me when a knock came on the door.

Tamah jumped away from me and pressed herself against the wall as Dad opened the door while balancing the tray in one hand.

"I thought it might be time for more food," he said and walked over with the food.

"Thank you," I answered.

He placed the tray on the bedside table, made no comment on the new furniture in the room. Then moved to leave us alone again.

"If you need anything else, I'm downstairs," he told me.

"And you'll probably know that we need something without me going and asking for it?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Probably yes." Then he left.

I turned back to Tamah. She still sat with her back pressed against the wall and her eyes glued to the door.

"That was my dad," I explained and moved to take the bowl from the tray. "You fell asleep so quickly you didn't get a chance to meet him before. I'll introduce you to him properly later."

I filled the spoon with some soup. Raised it and blew on it. Then held it up for Tamah to eat it. Her eyes had wandered from the door and back to me. It now went down to the spoon. Slowly and deliberately, she moved closer so she could eat it. Her behavior reminded me of a scared cat, vary of strangers but drawn to the food.

I fed her a few spoonfuls in silence, but after the fourth, she frowned and didn't continue to eat. Instead, she looked at me.

I giggled slightly. "Want me to talk?" I asked.

She pursed her lips but nodded.

I giggled some more. "Alright. I don't really know what to talk about, though. Maybe I'll just tell you a story. Oh! I can tell you Snow White."

And that I did. I told her the whole story. She had finished eating before I reached the end, but she sat completely still and watched me as I finished telling her the story.

"Did you like it?" I asked when I was done. She shook her head. Theatrically, I placed a hand over my heart. "That was my favorite bedtime story. You're breaking my heart."

All color disappeared from her face in an instance. Her body began trembling. She withdrew. Moved to the wall again, pulled her knees up, and hugged them.

My eyes widened while my brain processed what had made her react like that. When I realized, I wanted to face-palm myself.

I gave her a soft smile as I moved to sit next to her.

"I'm sorry," I said. "It was meant to be a joke. I didn't mean you actually broke my heart."

She turned her head to look at me and her eyes swam with tears again. I let out a sigh and put an arm around her. She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Please don't be sad. It was stupid of me to say that," I continued. "You want me to tell you another story? Hopefully, this one will be better."

I racked my brain for a moment to decide on one. An idea popped into my head and I went along with it. I told her The Little Red Riding Hood but when describing the characters I made Riding Hood into myself and the Hunter into Tamah. I also decided to not call the Hunter a hunter, but simply a witch that used magic to free Riding Hood and the grandma.

"How was that one? Did you like it better?" I asked when I finished telling it.

She nodded and then let out a yawn.

I looked outside and noticed that the sun had started to set. It was first then I realized I wasn't sure how long it had been since I had slept nor since I had eaten. And Tamah had to need more food. I didn't know much about malnutrition, but I imagined that small, but frequent portions were the best strategy.

As if reading my mind, a knock came on the door again.

This time, Tamah didn't withdraw, though I felt her tense up next to me.

"Thought both of you might want some food before you sleep," Dad said as he carried in the tray with two plates this time.

"Thanks, Dad," I smiled at him.

When he had left, taking the old tray with him, I took the tray and placed it in the middle of the bed. Then sat down on the opposite side compared to where Tamah was and began to eat.

For a few minutes, she watched me. But then she moved closer and took the second spoon herself. She dipped it into the bowl and then moved it into her mouth. After that first spoon of soup, she began eating at a rather fast pace. Too fast, more like she inhaled than ate.

I placed down my own spoon and moved my hand so it was over hers when she dipped the spoon into the soup. She looked up with raised eyebrows.

"It's better for your stomach if you eat slower," I told her. "The food isn't going anywhere."

I then continued eating and as she continued as well, she matched her own speed to mine.

Once we had finished, I placed the tray on the desk in the room before lying down on the bed. Tamah laid down next to me.

"I have to sleep. Do you want me to go and sleep somewhere else?" I asked her and she shot up to a sitting position again and shook her head in small but rapid movements.

"Then I won't," I smiled at her and a shaky breath left her as she laid down once more.

I pulled the blanket back this time so that we were both under it. Really, I probably should have showered and changed clothes, but I doubted Tamah would be alright being left alone for the amount of time that would take, nor be alright with us showering together, so it would have to wait.

"Want me to tell you another story before we sleep?" I asked her.

She started by nodding, but then shook her head followed by a frown.

"Do you want me to tell you the same one?" I asked instead and she nodded.