Work Text:
You sit up. Green hair falls in front of your eyes, and you push it back behind your ears. Your hands are a tan brown, with tattooed stripes on them. You think that should have a meaning, but you don’t know what that is.
Looking up your arms, you realise that the stripes continue up them, and when you look down, you see the same stripes on your legs.
You’re wearing a dark brown top, with a v neck and no sleeves, and pale blue shorts. You don’t know where these clothes are from, why you are wearing them, or even if they are your own.
You don’t know anything. You know that you are cold, and you are alone.
You stand up, and check out your surroundings. It’s just. Empty. One big grey room with a dark ceiling and floor. You can’t even see the walls.
A shiver runs up your spine, settling like an itch at the base of your skull.
You start walking.
There’s nothing. Nothing but the unending grey, and the faint slap of your feet on the hard floor.
The room seems to stretch on forever.
Just you, alone.
A feeling rose up in your stomach, one that made your skin crawl and your whole body twitch. Someone should be here.
You don’t know who.
Someone should be here. You’re missing. Someone.
You try to ignore the lump that sits in your chest, and sit down. The room hasn’t changed. There’s no one else here.
You reach around behind you, and start to braid your hair, a long green plait that falls down your back.
It’s comforting. It reminds you of- someone. Someone. You don’t know who, or why. But you’re missing them.
You sigh, and continue to walk.
There’s a mirror. That’s new. A mirror with- a woman? A woman with brown hair and purple eyes. A woman who you should know.
You reach out to the mirror.
You remember her. Lacey. Lacey, your friend. Your only friend.
You push your way through the mirror, a texture like a pannacotta, and remember.
You know who you are, Calla, a Chef. You know who she is, Lacey, your everything. You know the stripes, those of a tiger, inked onto your skin.
You remember.
You feel warm again.
You can remember who you are, and who she is. That’s all you need.