I awoken on a beach unfamiliar to me. No memories of how and when I arrived, but I try to stay calm. My mind is racing with questions and worst-case scenarios, but to find my way home, I know I need to focus. I'm not wet from the ocean water; however, I'm so close to the shoreline it seems obvious that I came from that direction. The sun is barely visible, so I'm assuming it's the evening. If it is getting dark, I need to find a safe place to stay overnight.
After a few moments of calming down by looking at the tranquility of the water, I turn around to see two buildings. One is a small gas station/ diner. Two pumps outside and, from what I can see through the two glass doors, a bar facing the kitchen on the inside. No people. The second building is, I guess, a beach house. Making my way pass a hammock swinging in the breeze between two trees,
chairs with umbrellas on the patio, and towards the broad, dark brown door attached to the off-color white housing. I knocked one time before it open up to a man with two holes one each side of his hat and a screwdriver in his hand.
"Howdy, and welcome!" His teeth are perfect, his arms are wide open to embrace me, but didn't, and he smells like paint. He's staring at me like he's excited to finally meet me.
"Come in, make yourself comfortable. The others are in the living room." What choice do I have? I let him lead me down a hallway lined with fully bloomed flowers in vases, next to a big spiral staircase, into an area with hanging plants, big double glass doors similar to the other building, chairs of different types like rocking, high, and cushioned. An island countertop with fruit and snacks. Two people watching TV on the flat screen, two are playing cards in the corner by a bay window. One person approaching me, and I could hear more people in the other parts of the house.
"Hi!" Her dark hair bounced when she did and she held out her arms to hug me, but immediately pulled back. She hugged herself instead.
"You're my roommate!"
Roommate?
"Let's go say hi to the others!"
That's what we did, no names, just saying hi to the two people on the couch watching TV, the two people playing cards, and the three others walking and talking around the house. 10 lively people in this house, maybe more. I started to feel at ease knowing there are people here, but a ball of uncertainty is sitting in my chest. My throat is opening and closing from wanting to ask questions, but chickening out and deciding to wait for the right moment, whenever that'll be.
"Now, we can check out our room. You can have the bed by the wall or in the middle of the room. I think it's weird to have a bed in the middle of a room, but most people in the house don't think so. Which one do you want?"
It doesn't matter to me because I'm not staying. I open my mouth to say something like that, but was pulled to the side by the screwdriver guy.