23. Courtney
Chapter 23
Courtney
I use the last of my strength to climb onto my bunk, the height feeling taller than it was last night.
Kneeling, I straighten the layers of clothing on the plywood before lying on top of them.
I took some Tylenol with my multivitamin after dinner.
My body still aches, but at least I won’t get scurvy.
I pull my blanket up as I settle on my side.
It takes some shifting and some rearranging of shirts, but I find a position that doesn’t actively hurt.
Staring into the darkness, I think about my boss.
About how I might actually hate him.
I slide my palms together, entwining my fingers, and close my eyes.
I’ve been on my own since I was nineteen.
I’m used to it.
I should be used to it.
My fingers tighten around each other, pretending I have someone’s hand to hold other than my own.
Maybe it’s the darkness outside.
Maybe it’s the quiet .
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m literally stranded here.
But here, tonight, I feel a whole lot lonelier than I have in a long time.