Priya had been everywhere and nowhere, her mind scattered across space, if the dream world could be called space. Although she couldn't sleep, it was a kind of rest for the spirit, where she moved in a half-conscious haze through things mostly forgotten. She wasn't certain if the things she saw were memories or notions. If they were hers or someone else's.
She liked to think that the memories of India, hot, humid, and beautiful, were hers. That the taste of mango, the juice dribbling down her chin, was something from her childhood. The dancing, the colorful saris, the smiles of people she knew loved her. But maybe these were all wishes.
Some part of her existed on the sun-warmed flagstones of her grandparents' garden in over-sized flipflops. She was teasing the monkeys perched on the garden wall, offering them yellow starfruits and then snatching them away with a laugh. They chittered angrily. Then, from inside the cool house, she heard her name. Her full name. It pulled at her, as her name ought to.
After throwing the fruits to the monkeys, making them fight, the child Priya turned and ran to the open door. The person that came through the other side was fully-grown, unshod, but wearing a pair of jeans and oversized t-shirt. To her perception, it was a start when she crossed the threshold, it was not the breezy architecture of her grandparent's house that she saw.
Instead, it was the living room of an apartment in Easthaven. The spirit appeared behind Goki, accompanied by the scent of rain-soaked soil and flowers. Beyond her roommate, she spied another man in a suit, taking his shoes off by the door, and knew it had been his voice that beckoned her from the garden. She only knew it in fits and starts over the phone, but the spirit's gaze was drawn straight to Theo.
“What did you call me?” she asked, anxious but intently curious. Her voice made Goki startle and spin to her.
"Don't do that," the big man hissed, taking a step back to give her space. He followed her wide-eyed gaze back to Theo, and then snickered. "Love at first sight?"
“Go away,” Priya said peevishly to Goki, and he laughed, swinging his sword around as he turned and ambled for the kitchen. He touched his forelock to Theo on his way past, clearly understanding when it was his time to dip.
She liked to think that the memories of India, hot, humid, and beautiful, were hers. That the taste of mango, the juice dribbling down her chin, was something from her childhood. The dancing, the colorful saris, the smiles of people she knew loved her. But maybe these were all wishes.
Some part of her existed on the sun-warmed flagstones of her grandparents' garden in over-sized flipflops. She was teasing the monkeys perched on the garden wall, offering them yellow starfruits and then snatching them away with a laugh. They chittered angrily. Then, from inside the cool house, she heard her name. Her full name. It pulled at her, as her name ought to.
After throwing the fruits to the monkeys, making them fight, the child Priya turned and ran to the open door. The person that came through the other side was fully-grown, unshod, but wearing a pair of jeans and oversized t-shirt. To her perception, it was a start when she crossed the threshold, it was not the breezy architecture of her grandparent's house that she saw.
Instead, it was the living room of an apartment in Easthaven. The spirit appeared behind Goki, accompanied by the scent of rain-soaked soil and flowers. Beyond her roommate, she spied another man in a suit, taking his shoes off by the door, and knew it had been his voice that beckoned her from the garden. She only knew it in fits and starts over the phone, but the spirit's gaze was drawn straight to Theo.
“What did you call me?” she asked, anxious but intently curious. Her voice made Goki startle and spin to her.
"Don't do that," the big man hissed, taking a step back to give her space. He followed her wide-eyed gaze back to Theo, and then snickered. "Love at first sight?"
“Go away,” Priya said peevishly to Goki, and he laughed, swinging his sword around as he turned and ambled for the kitchen. He touched his forelock to Theo on his way past, clearly understanding when it was his time to dip.