Apologies

“No…No! I didn’t mean it like that…I…” David shook his head and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. Just forget I said anything.” He glanced out the window and saw the light pouring in. He frowned as he realized that the light had no apparent source. No sun stood watch in these skies. He quickly turned away.

She had followed his gaze and saw his reaction to the sky. “Yeah, I know.” She said, “It takes awhile, but eventually you get used to it.”

He stood up. “I hope not. You and I aren’t going to be here long enough to get used to it. We’re going to find a way out.”

A wistful look came over her face. “A way out…Oh, god, I’d forgotten what it’s like to have that kind of hope.”

He started to reach out to her then stopped himself. They both looked at each other awkwardly for a few seconds and she broke the silence by saying, “Uh, did you find anything to eat?”

He smiled and said, “No. You refrigerator isn’t stocked very well.”

“Oh, I guess it wouldn’t be, would it? Sorry. I haven’t actually lived here for a while. Even when I did it’s not like I had to worry about food much.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh! That’s right! You wouldn’t know…I mean, how could you?” She put her hand to her head. “Sorry, um, all the restaurants and grocery stores are stocked here. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, you name it, it’s all here. Sorry, I’m just so used to…”

David interrupted her with a gentle smile, “Please, you don’t have any need to apologize. I’m just glad that I’m not alone here.”

She sighed very deeply, “So am I.” She looked at him and realized that one of her most fervent prayers, one she would cry herself to sleep at night with, had finally been answered. She wasn’t alone. Not anymore.

He saw her looking at him as if she had just seen him for the first time. Her gaze seemed to penetrate his flesh and see into the core of his soul. In that moment he felt a spark, like a splint second connection had been made. For that brief instant, he felt what she had felt. Finally, here was someone.

She noticed that seemed to be staring at each other and shook her head. The spell was lifted and after moment of eye blinking she said, “Do you want to go somewhere? I’ve been living in a library on the outskirts of the city. There is an occasional breeze that runs through that part. Or maybe you want something to eat?”