The Tributes (Sable)

Tea & Biscuits - Part II

Sable was not entirely aware of what all happened next, but neither was she unaware.

She was aware, at one point, that there were two other people in the room now instead of just one. And she recognized that the other woman was the one named "Bri". But she wasn't aware of why that knowledge should mean anything to her.

Hands led her, and she let them, because they didn't hurt and she couldn't remember why it was important to be aware of where they were taking her.

At one point, she was submerged upto her neck in water, and recognized flower petals in the water. But again, the water was warm, the air smelled very mildly sweet, and there was nothing worth the effort of trying to figure out. Her skin stung a bit, but again, nothing to the point that it was worth her notice. And while she could hear the two women talking, it didn't seem important to pay attention to what they were saying.

Not until one of them kept repeating something and then tapped her shoulder to actually get an answer.

"What's your name, girlie?"

Oh, it was the gentle one who gave her sweet things to eat. She was fine...

"...Sable...Zao..."

"Sable...may I call you, Sable, dear?"

Sable started at that. "Dear?" Wasn't that a term of endearment? Or was there a deer here? How did she miss noticing a deer?

"Excuse me, now," the nice woman's voice said again, hands pressing gently on both shoulders, "but is it all right if I call you Sable?"

Sable didn't know what else she was supposed to be called. But this question had been asked twice now, so she was apparently expected to give an answer. "Yes...OK..."

"OK, then, Sable. I'm afraid your hair needs to be cut. OK, dear?"

"Hair?"

"Yes, dear, your hair needs –" 

Sable tuned out to think. As far as she knew, cutting hair didn't hurt, so she couldn't understand why her input was important. She would rather they did whatever they wanted as long as it didn't hurt, and let her return to this nice state of not really thinking of anything.

"OK," she said at length, half-wondering whether she had interrupted someone. But even that wasn't important enough to focus on.

"My word, Eve, how much did you give her?"

"I only gave her the standard amount. She must be more sensitive to it than most..."

That was Bri...and what was the gentle woman's name again...? Something Vee? But the conversation hadn't addressed her so she didn't need to pay attention to it.

The women continued talking to each other quietly, but Sable was only peripherally aware of it for the most part. She also heard the snip of something like shears, but quieter. But none of that seemed to matter enough to pay attention to.

She felt fingers on her scalp and...oh, that felt nice somehow. How was that nice? Now it stung in places. But, again, it was not enough to make her want to come out of this pleasant haze...