Kira watched as Baba Razz left the room, heading into his bedroom. She remained standing as she waited for him while wondering what he was up to.
Seconds passed, then minutes.
She was about to go check if he was okay since he was taking too long, but then he came out carrying a medium-sized foam-just big enough to fit the not-too-big space of his cabin’s living room.
“Help me move those carved chairs and the table,” he said to her, the foam balanced in his arms.
Kira showed no hesitation and moved the chairs and the table against the wall, allowing enough space in the center of the room.
Once the space was clear, Baba Razz placed the foam on the floor with a small grunt. He pressed down afterward on it slightly, wanting to make sure it was settled properly and comfortable enough.
Quietly, after he was done, he turned and walked back into his bedroom, and just as soon as he went in, he came back out with a pillow tucked under one arm and a blanket draped over the other.
“Here,” he said, handing them to her. “This should keep you comfortable at least. The foam is small, but I think it’s big enough for you.”
“It is more than enough, Baba Razz,” Kira said, accepting them gratefully.
“I already got everything prepared just in case,” he said to her, as if it was normal and not unusual.
“I see,” Kira muttered while giving him a long look, as if trying to read him, before she exhaled softly and responded. “Thank you; this was all thoughtful of you. I’ll take a nap now.”
“Of course,” Baba Razz agreed, noticing she needed some space as it seemed like she was not feeling all that good. “I’ll be reading in my room if you need anything.”
Having said that, Baba Razz retired to his room, and with him gone, Kira was now back alone with her thoughts.
“I wonder if they have eaten,” she murmured to herself and sighed as she placed the pillow down, lay back and spread the blanket over herself.
She just lay there, staring at the ceiling, lost in thoughts. Numb? Empty? She couldn’t tell. And despite being tired, she could not sleep. She kept rolling, turning, and shifting onto her sides, trying to find a good position, but still, the restlessness wouldn’t leave her.
After a while, she was able to find a good position, and at that point, her thoughts grew quieter. Not being able to hold back anymore, she started crying silently, careful not to be heard by Baba Razz, and with all the crying, exhaustion eventually took over and she slept off.
Hours later, she stirred.
She shifted slightly, her face pressed against the damp pillow as she slowly opened her eyes.
Everywhere was quiet, no sounds except from the birds chirping outside, and as the realization that she had slept off while crying hit her, she pushed it away, not wanting to dwell on it.
“Good morning to me,” she said to herself with quiet sarcasm as she pushed herself up into a sitting position.
“What time is it?” She sighed softly, rubbing her forehead while she reached for her phone, which she had taken out of her bag earlier when she couldn’t sleep.
Checking the time on her phone, she realized she had woken up early. It was six in the morning.
“I don’t think I will be needing this for the meantime,” she thought, and then switched off the phone, got up and put it inside her small bag.
No one would be calling, no one would be checking in… Maybe someone might, but for now, she just needed to think. Everything was just too overwhelming, and she was starting to feel lost and confused.
Since it was morning, she started tidying up the living room, making sure to put it back in order. She folded the foam and blanket, arranged the chairs and the table, set the folded foam against the wall, and lastly dropped the blanket and the pillow on one of the chairs.
Once she was satisfied with the arrangement, she went to where her bag was, pulled out her toothbrush and a toothpaste, and afterward, headed to the bathroom without making a sound as she didn’t want to disturb Baba Razz if he was still asleep.
In the bathroom, Kira ran the tap, wet her toothbrush with toothpaste already on it, and brushed her teeth.
Once done, she spat out the foam, rinsed her mouth, and splashed cold water on her face. Then she returned to the living room, pulled out a set of training clothes, went into the bathroom, and quickly changed into them.
After that, she tied her hair back and left the cabin.
The moment she stepped outside, she fell in love with the fresh morning air that hit her. It was exactly what she needed to unwind and to breathe.
She took a deep breath, letting it all in, and then exhaled slowly, letting it all out.
Just as if she was being controlled, she took a stance in an instant and clenched her fists. Suddenly, she started throwing punches in the air-punch after punch, not stopping.
She punched the air, duck, sidestepped and kicked. To her, it was a way to relieve the stress she was feeling. She just wanted to hit something hard, kick something, anything, and so she just kept going, not stopping, letting all the stress, anger, and frustration out.
Her mind wasn’t focused. She didn’t care about the technique at this point and just followed what her body wanted. The burning in her arms and legs were welcomed; the pain, the tiredness-it all seemed like a distraction she could use.
But they didn’t work.
Nothing ever does.
As time passed, her breathing grew heavier, and she forced herself to stop, dropping her hands to her sides as her chest rose and fell with each deep inhale.
“Uh,” she let out softly, closing her eyes for a brief moment and tilting her head back as she ran her hands through her hair, pushing it back as if she wanted to re-tie it.
And then, silence.