Royally Emma by Lucia Roberts (i wanna iguana read aloud TXT) 📕

It was dusk now, almost completely dark and already very cold. Sometimes it gets down to thirty degrees here at night but in the afternoon it's normally between ninety and eighty-five degrees. Normally I would have a hoodie with me or a coat, but today for some reason I didn't have one.
I knew having a second person around would be trouble.
 “Do you wish to accompany me back to the village or will you stay here?” I wanted to stay here, just, just so I could be alone. But, I didn't want to be lost right now; not to mention the next time I  wake up here or I could still be lost!
 “I'll follow you. If that's alright?”
 “Of course Deary. This way.” He began walking back towards the way we came but not before shrugging out of his jacket, covering his eyes, and handing the overcoat to me. I guess I've made looking at me pretty much out of the question. I feel ridiculous, but I feel it more-so when he's looking at me, er, trying to look at me. I can't quite place the oddness though. Yet. I'll work on it later.

I followed him back through the willows in the over-sized coat that flapped against my calves and for a moment thought I was going insane. Guess what happened? It started snowing. He stopped for a moment and I heard him whisper “snowflake” and I knew he was smiling. I wonder why he cherishes that word so dearly. But honestly, I am too afraid to ask.

It was beautiful though. That is one thing I do kind of like, it's almost all the seasons in a day, but somehow this world still has seasons on a yearly rotation as well. Buts just like spring and fall, a grow and a fade, because the winter and summer take place every day. Another thing I gave up on figuring out. I would hate to have to change my clothes three times a day as the weather changes if I lived here though. Would make for a lot of goram laundry!

The walk back was quicker than the walk here. Probably because I wasn't insisting on hiding the whole time. Up ahead I saw the glowing lanterns that indicate the entrance to the village. I stopped once I got back to the rock I faded in on and started to take off the jacket.
 
 “Keep it. I'll come back for it later.” He said. He turned as if he were about to look behind him, but only enough so I could acknowledge that his action was to me, and then bowed as they would have in the olden days. “Sweet night M'lady.” And with that he walked away and through the gates of the village.
 “Goodnight.” I whispered from my rock. I brushed the light dusting of snow off and curled up on my side facing the dully lit village and pretended I was back at the water playing with the fishies. I wondered briefly how he seemed to know I'd not be here later, but, maybe he just assumed I'd be freaked about the encounter and leave anyways. I quickly discarded the thought and went back to lulling myself with retracing in my mind the circles I drew for the fish.

Year: 2094
Month: October
Day: Thursday
Time: 2:04:58 PM-RW

My eyes flutter open in the half lit room to see my mother's furrowed brow and dark brown eyes that are full of worry as always. She's so worried that one day I won't wake back up so every 'morning' she sets her watch alarm for five minutes before I am supposed to come back and sits in a rocking chair we moved from her room to mine; just to be sure. She's never believed much of anything the doctors say.
“I'm fine Mama.” I say. “Just groggy.”
“Are you sure? No aches or anything?”
“Fine.” I mumble. I'm really tired.
“Where are you?”
“Mama! Seriously? I'm fine.”
“Answer the question Demeter.”
“Why? Can't we just go to sleep now?” Despite the fact that my body has been 'sleeping' for twelve hours, I still feel incredibly tired. Probably because it's empty and not fully functioning so it doesn't charge all the way, or at all... or something. I don't know. I feel like a robot when I say things like that.
“You're late.” I stop complaining and sit up. I press the button on my watch that makes the whole band light up. I am. I'm late. I look at my Mama. I don't know what to think. “I'm taking you back to the lab.” She says. I know how much she hates that place, so, I know how worried she is right now.

This. Sucks.

Year: 2094
Month: October
Day: Thursday
Time: 3:16 PM-RW

The MedBus pulls up to the house with its sterile stench trailing behind it. I see some of the neighbors peeking through the windows as the look to see if I am being escorted out alive (or not) or asleep. My mother walks as though being court marshaled and I as though this is beyond normal; so normal in fact, that it's boring.

As we step onto the bus and sit down, the Driver gives us the mandatory speech we hear every time I've had to get on this goram bus. “As you know, no personal belongings besides your clothing, overnight basics, and watch if you are a “day walker” are permitted on the bus. If you have any thing not named from above please volunteer it before leaving the premise of your home or it will be permanently confiscated.” He paused giving a chance for a raised hand or short reply. When neither came, he continued but I toned him out. I knew the drill. I traced the rim of the shatter-proof glass cover of my watch as I stared out the MedBus window but instead of seeing nosy neighbors and traffic, I only saw a dark brown pony tail tied in a loose bow of an ice blue ribbon, swaying to and fro against a black waist coat.

I woke up to my mother shaking me as I shuffled my messenger bag onto my shoulder and followed her into the Lab. We scanned my watch at the main desk and waited to be assigned a room. Although, I grumbled to myself, I may as well have a room with my name on the door for how much I'm here. Didn't take long though. “Rapohannock!”  We stood up and followed the voice and the man whose voice it belonged to, down the winding hallways to one of the 60 sleep labs that the Lab is prided for. I sprawled out on the bed as my mother took a seat in one of the office chairs in the opposing corner of the long room. The doctor walked in soon enough, and strangely, I was comforted by the familiar face.

Dr. Constance Marrone entered the room and upon seeing my mother turned to wink at me discreetly before exchanging pleasantries with mi madre.  They sat down and he searched for my files in the database installed in the desk while calling “Demeter, would you mind gracing us with your presence over on this half of the room please?” He enunciated “grace” the jerk. I laughed inside though. He was right about that.

Somehow he always managed to amuse me, even in my most annoyed moments. I wondered often what he was like outside of the Lab, but, assumed I would never know.  I had an slight idea though; after some of the long nights he'd spent with me here; talking or watching old sitcoms on the digital TV walls. He had a funny sarcastic wit about him and seemed too easy going to be a doctor. I think that's why I think of him more like a smart adorable friend than a doctor. The first time  I tried to mention this to the one girl who talks to me after the first “accident” at school, she being my best friend I couldn't be mad at her for trying to look out for me, told me I might have a hero complex for him. I don't think that's relevant considering he didn't save me from anything or magically heal me yet but whatever. I could see where she'd coming from; I guess. I disagree though. He's my charming doctor not-so-boyfriend-friend. I loved when he called my name because it was like a secret between the two of us. I could hear the sweet undertones my mother did not. I wanted to smile like a moron. But I didn't. The floor was too skidish to be concentrating on anything other than walking anyways.

I walked over as gracefully as I could in my Converses, considering I can't wear heels inside in the Lab and my balance is out of sorts as well. I knew that's not what he meant by “grace” but, still, I felt like being spitefully facetious. He caught me in my sarcastic strut as I sat down slowly and folded one knee over the other and hands in my lap while he spun his chair along the U shaped desk so he was facing us instead of the wall to our right as he let out a chuckle. He had that deep, almost evil laugh that rang out... His laugh reminded so much of the lead singer of that old rock band Avenged Sevenfold from like 2021 or something... They're being brought back with a couple of other old bands. But then he starts 'doctor speak' and I lose any sense of distraction he may have previously imposed. 

“You look worried Ms. Rapohannock; did something happen?” He looked from her to me and I looked at the floor rubbing my right shoulder as if I was guilty or something. I felt the doctors gaze on me and almost couldn't help but feel that my mother's anguish was my fault. If I hadn't risked following that man into the woods, would I have returned on time? But then again, could that even mess with my timing though? I mean, I fell asleep way before I was supposed to return home. I briefly remembered wanting to be back playing with the fish, but I'd only wanted that for the time while I was there; and alone. I hadn't