Romance Novel (Untitled)

Chapter Four

         Hot humid fits of fever, hardly remembered images or thoughts, uncomfortable, interminable periods of vague unease and acute confusion. So Suzanne passed the night, knowing nothing, but feeling much.

         Morning brought lances of painful light to her eyes, and a sullen, malevolent thud to the base of her skull. The lid of the crate had slid since being loaded, and now a rolling motion slurred the heavy wood past the tipping point. Morning increased her bounty, bringing fresh cool air; nauseating smells of fish and sweat, mildew and rope; a familiar, gentle rocking; and mumbled shadows of obscure dreams that might once have been memories.

         The young woman in the box moaned, and tried to sit up. Cries of surprise needled into her ears. The sliding crate lid had drawn attention from the deckhands. A deep voice called with authority for someone to rouse the Captain.

         She opened her eyes to slits and tried to peer at the source of the voice. A merciless blue sky dwarfed an indistinct silhouette, drove her eyes tightly shut again, and she turned away.

         “Be still, Miss.” the voice commanded. “The Captain will attend momentarily.” Gentle, but firm. A voice that reminded her of… Nothing…

         The girl’s eyes opened wide, focusing on green and yellow ropes, gray and brown wood. The voice reminded her of-- But there was nothing. She realized then that there was a vast nothing behind her eyes. Where was she, and why? Why was she sitting in a box of ropes? Who was she?!

[And this is where I'm stuck]