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Chapter 4

Francis helped her slide down out of the vehicle and showed her how and where to put the crutches to take the weight of her damaged foot. It took many times longer than it should have, but eventually Ardala could swing herself forward on the crutches. Francis took her into the building in front of the heat poles and sat her in a plush chair before talking to someone off to the side. Before she could blink twice, there was yet another human sliding a bowl of steaming liquid in front of her and one on front of Francis.

Ardala looked at it, picked up an oddly deep spoon and stirred it a little bit. It released wafts of excellent smells and she was utterly humiliated when her stomach decided to declare just how empty it was. Francis was in the middle of a spoonful when Ardala's stomach decided to complain and giggled just a little bit. "Eat it, it's not going to do you any good sitting in the bowl."

All of Ardala's instincts said to flee, that this was a trap, that it was poison or a drug to make her unwary so that she could be taken by hunters. But she was hungry, so hungry, that all of that fear was drowned out by the cravings of her empty belly. The bowl was empty before she really knew what happened and it was swapped out for a full one before she could really look around. She sat there and ate, ate until the hole in her was filled and she was warm inside for the first time in a fortnight. The fear was still there, the fear and sadness and the urge to flee back to what was no longer her home. But she had been cast out, and to go back would be to die. She wasn't ready to die.

"Full?" Francis set her own bowl to the side and nodded when Ardala did. "Good, let's get you over to the women's shelter and get you set up with Patty. She needs to know that the pain pills are doctor prescribed so she can lock them up, so they don't get stolen."

Ardala was ushered back into the vehicle and adjusted her sealskin to let her use the crutches more easily on the way. They drove again, back into the town to stop at a large dwelling near the edge of where the dwellings started to fall away in number. Francis parked the vehicle and opened the door, helping Ardala out and onto her crutches before ushering her up to the house.

"Patty's really nice, ok?" Francis pressed a button that released a low chime somewhere in the dwelling. "She's brisk, but she's got a heart of gold and she'll help take care of you until you can get on your feet."

"But I was told to stay off my foot?" Ardala tilted her head at Francis. "I am not supposed to walk on it until the strange apparatus comes off."

"It's just an expression." Francis said, patting her again. "It means that you know your way around a little bit and are settled."

"I do not think I will settle here." There was sound coming through the door, and she had to stifle the urge to flee again. She would get nowhere on her injured foot. "I am too afraid of humans still."

"That'll come with time, dear." Francis turned to look at her. "Give yourself a little bit of grace to figure things out." The door creaked open, revealing what was possibly the largest woman Ardala had ever seen. If she had been selkie she would have been an impressive seal to say the least. "Hi Patty, this is Ardala. She's new in town, and really scared."

"Well, come in, I'm not trying to heat up the neighborhood." Patty pulled them both inside and shut the door before fixing Ardala with a stern look. "House rules; No drugs or alcohol, no loud music, no men, the curfew is 8pm and if you miss that you're locked out until 6am."

"I do not wish to be among men." Ardala said, trying to stand independently and not hide behind Francis. "And I have nowhere to go other than this dwelling."

"I'll show you your room, come with me." Patty turned and walked away. It took Ardala a moment to untangle herself from the crutches and follow. She could feel Francis at her back. They passed a set of stairs, but Patty didn't move to climb them, instead she lead them down a side hallway to a small door. "Here, this one's yours. It's small so you don't have to share it. Get settled, dinners in an hour."

Ardala opened the door and stepped through, looking at the spare chamber. It had a small bed and a desk, there was a secondary door that, once opened, revealed a room entirely too small for anything practical. That was a puzzle for later, for now all she wanted was to sleep. But how could she rest when she was encircled by humans? She sat on the bed and put the small buzzing box on the side table, trying to think. Her mind was fuzzy, and she was desperate for rest, for a moment of unconsciousness where she could be without fear for just a little while.

But there was a door, and a small protrusion on the door handle that could mean the door was lockable. She hopped over, very undignified, and pressed down on the protrusion, feeling it snap into place. Now the door was locked, and it should prevent intruders or at least give her warning if someone was trying to invade the chamber. She hopped back to the bed, settling down on it. All she had was this dress and the shift beneath it, but she was so tired that the lack of sleeping clothing wouldn't bother her. Plus, there were many blankets, so she would be warm.

So, she laid down cautiously, pulling the blankets over her. She didn't remove her skin, but she did undo the clasp at her throat, so she didn't throttle in her sleep. If she slept on it then no one could take it from her without waking her up. Not to mention that it made good insulation and would keep her warmer. She had time for no other thoughts before her body dragged her down and forced her to sleep.

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