Chapter Nine

I opened my eyes, but I couldn’t see anything in front of me. I could make out a few shapes but nothing specific. I tried standing but I was unable to feel my legs. I gasped, wondering what could have happened to me after falling. If my leg were broken, the pain could arrive at any second. As I braced myself for what awaited me, I heard a noise above me.

“Sorry about pushing you!” Nina said in a bright voice. “I always forget how deep of a drop it is getting down there. I tried turning my head towards the hole above me, but I couldn’t move that either. I began to panic wondering if I had become paralyzed from the neck down. Perhaps that’s why I was guided here. This was my punishment. But before I could finish that thought, Nina descended over me and turned on the light.

“Oh no,” she said with a much more frantic voice. “I broke you!” I tried looking into the room I was led to, but Nina’s words made it difficult to focus. Before I could speak, I felt two hands around my head, and I was lifted to Nina’s face. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Does it hurt anywhere?”

“Can’t feel anything,” I responded. The panic in my voice couldn’t force the words out faster. “Paralyzed?”

“About that,” she said looking down.

“What?” I asked.

“Well, I think it’s best you take a look for yourself,” she said, guiding my gaze to the ground. My eyes widened and I let out another gasp. Below me were the pieces of my body, all jumbled around in a mess of limbs. An arm and a leg sat on top of my torso, while the other leg and arm laid beside it.

“My body,” I said with a shaken voice. “Put me together?”

“Maybe?” Nina said with an unfamiliar voice. “I guess it’s worth a shot.” Right as Nina began to lower my head, the arm on top of my torso began to move, much like it did before. Once it saw my head, it seemed relieved and turned to the other limbs. One by one, my legs and arms began to move together, trying to find where they all belong. I watched the move towards their original locations, helping each other connect to the torso. Once all the pieces fit together, my headless body stood on its own. Nina turned my head towards her in shock.

“I am without words,” she said turning back to the body. “To think, the entire body can move on its own.” I turned towards my body and stared with the shared disbelief Nina had. My body was right in front of me, moving on its own. It raised its hands and legs, trying to stretch itself while also getting accustomed to its new freedom. Once it felt as if it was limbered up, it turned to me and waved at us.

“You, body?” I said to it. It responded with a thumbs up.

“What’s it doing with its hands?” Nina asked turning to me.

“Hand sign,” I responded. “Means good job.”

“It’s agreeing with you,” Nina said with a smile. “It understands you. Can it understand me?” Nina turned towards the body. “Hey there, body. You’re looking good!” My body turned away, trying to take the compliment. I smiled at how embarrassed it was.

“Okay,” I said to it. “Compliments, good.” When my body heard those words, it turned back towards Nina and bowed.

“I don’t know what it’s doing, but it seems so polite!” Nina said with a laugh. My body began walking towards me, reaching its arms out to place me back. Nina noticed this and helped me back on my body. I regained control of my limbs, feeling no pain in the process.

“Can’t hear, my body,” I said turning to Nina. “Suddenly, very quiet.” Nina put her hand on her chin.

“Going on what we’ve just seen, it looks like when you’re separated from any part of your body, the disconnected piece forms a mind of its own. It doesn’t matter how big the piece is, or how many parts are away from you. They all think and act as one until they reunite back with you. It even has a personality, responding to our words in its own way. Fascinating!” Nina’s excitement was contagious. I couldn’t help but smile the more she went on about my body. Though thinking about those words in that order made me pause. I knew she didn’t mean it like that, but it still sounds strange.

“Down here, your home?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Home? This is my house sure, but I don’t know what a ‘home’ is.” Nina responded with a smile and a raised eyebrow. Hearing her say that made me realize that this wasn’t the first time she’s been confused about the words I used. She’s able to have a deep conversation with me but she doesn’t know what a home is. Before I could ask her about it, she took my hand and led me further into her house.

“This is where I live,” she said, announcing it. Walking past the narrow hallway, we walked towards a big opening with different items strewn about. “See, there’s nothing wrong with it,” she said. “It’s disorganized and smells a little funny, but there’s no place I feel safer than being here.”

I looked around and saw shelves upon shelves lined up against one another, each stacked with papers, books, test tubes, and little objects like rocks and crystals. Above us was a chandelier, its dim shine offering enough light for me to see everything without squinting my eyes. The floor had a mess of papers all around, covering a muted rug that looked to have more colors hidden behind the dirt and mud. In front of me was a small passageway, with a single bulb hanging over it, leading to a red door that read ‘Nina’. To the left of me was a small sink and kitchenette, each kept clean only by the water that spilled from the faucet. A small table stood next to a musty red couch and box that looked like an old television set sat across from that. The only thing that separated this room from an apartment were the rock walls. Everything else was the same.