The Hunger

Two hours before sunset, Brit woke starving. A glance at Ethan reassured her that he would not be waking prior to his usual time. After unwrapping her body from his, she dressed while still under the thick blankets and made her way to the diner. There, Annika, the waitress who seemed to always be present, brought her a heaping platter of pancakes with succulent blueberries and slathered in butter and maple syrup. Rather than dissecting out the blueberries and attempting to soak up as much syrup in each bite, Brit devoured it and ordered yet one more pancake that was consumed along with two large glasses of juice. Her tummy was slightly swollen having eaten so much, but the craving that she had upon waking still remained.

She made her way back to gather up items for her morning shower. Letting the water run to get rid of the thick rust coloring, Brit brushed out her hair, and brushed her teeth with the small bottle of water she had with her. The mint taste mingled with the maple syrup that remained. As she undressed, her thoughts turned to the hunger. She felt hungry. It was a feeling that came and went but, even after eating, sometimes it lingered. Pulling off her clothing, she stepped under the sporadic stream of water. The feeling of it splattering against her skin seemed to sooth the lingering hungry feeling.

She could hear music from outside of the building. A blasting speaker somewhere from someone determined to share their musical taste with the rest of the city. The song was slow in starting. Like a frozen music box, grinding as if reluctant to start. The gravelly sound of the singer and the smoky beat caused her to sway under the stream of the water as she reached for the shampoo that smelled strongly of vanilla and sugar cookies. Pouring shampoo into her hand, she slathered up her long tresses. The splattering sound of the water pattered like raindrops on her skin and the tile beneath her feet. As the singer crooned “Closer, move in closer…Closer now than…Than ever before,” her hands started to feel the soap as it oozed down her arms even as she continued to move to the rhythm. The song continued, “I doubt it that you can survive…So far from your trenches and your friends.”

Losing her self to the music and moving her body under the stream, Brit’s mind wandered as her hands rinsed out her hair. Reaching for the matching-scented milled soap, she ran her hands over the bar until she looked as if she were wearing mittens made of suds. The singer’s voice demanded, “Step into this room and dance for me.” Her hands washed the bite marks on her neck and she could feel her heartbeat quicken. The singer’s voice coaxed, “Step into this room and dance for me.” Her eyes closed as she danced to the music feeling the patters of water continue to pelt her skin.

She thought of the gala the night before. Opening her eyes while dancing with Ethan and feeling surprised at how many were near. Even in the crowded room, she could feel only Ethan’s nearness. “Come on, lady, dance for me. Come on. Come on. Dance for me.” The deep hunger she woke with grew slightly thinking of the warm ballroom, perfumed scents, and Ethan's closeness. Tilting her head back, she ran her hands over her body soaping her skin. The water trickled over causing rivers of suds to pour down making puddles around her feet.

Not so long before, Brit tried to explain this hunger to Ethan while they were on the rooftop overlooking the city. When he offered to take her to the diner, she told him that it was a 'different kind of hunger.' Brit stretched in the shower while she continued to wash her skin and danced to the song that seemed to permeate every corner of the room. “Step into this room and dance for me.” She wondered if Ethan felt similar hungers.

Her mind thought of other times when the hunger would start to grow. Her fingers stretched up toward the water that was cooling. The music seemed louder. All of the suds were off her body when she finally opened her eyes to see an amused Ethan watching her dance in the shower. Before he could say anything, Brit walked to him leaving a trail of water. Reaching up, she looped her arms around him, pressed her body against his, and kissed him deeply letting his Victorian suit absorb the water off of her soaked skin. She was completely oblivious to his expression of surprise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBxGj3R0za0