House (recovery)

(This is the most recent piece in a project that begins here)

When the blue discs are unshuttered, he stands at the door
The Beast turns
Twisting at waist and neck
Pale blue light against the skin of the man’s face
Turn
Outside of the window there is nothing
Not star nor light nor shade
The sound of the latch
Return to the man
He steps forward through the door and is gone

The woman coughs once when she wakes
Slowly draws one hand to her face
Fingers curl
Hook behind the hair across eyes and cheekbone
Drawing back
Eyes open
Her body tilts forward, the arm beneath her drawn back and palm pressed to the carpet
Slowly pushing up into a sitting position
The Beast looks at her fingers extending into the dark blot on the carpet
Damp and red
Looks up to her head to find her looking at him
She straightens and lifts the hand off the floor
Brings it towards her hair then stops
The other hand swings up to her hair, fingers curled
Drawn through the damp tendrils
Moves the hand in-front of her face
Smears of paler red
Blink
Shifting of weight as the torso is thrown forward
A leg curls at the knee, foot placed flat onto the floor
Toes press into the blot as the body tilts
The other leg is drawn out, spaced to steady
Uncoil and stand
Eyes unblinking
Hands held before her body
Turn and move towards the kitchen
One of her feet leaves a pale partial footprint on the carpet
A red impression of toes and ball
When she steps onto the tiles of the kitchen, the impression is reduced
Stop at the sink
Extends an arm to the tap
Closing of fingers then release
Thin red smears on the metal
Close again, application of force and twist
The sound of water striking the metal sink
Moves her hands beneath the water
Blink
Look up at the window above the sink
Nothing
Stare
Nothing
The sound of water
Blink
She moves her fingers together
Rubbing slowly at the film of blood on her skin
Eyes down to the sink
Hands rubbing together as the blood grows pale
Enveloped by the water and drawn into the drain
Lean forward
Hair swinging in-front of the face, over the sink, back and forth slightly
She cups her hands slightly
Lifts the water as some of it falls through her fingers
Presses her hands together over her hair and draws them down

Look up
Wet hair falling in tangles in the reflection backed by darkness
Her eyes move over the image
Examining what is reflected, what is lost
Slight pan of the head and the reflection of the front door
Open
The void beyond
She turns and faces the door
Watches as the man enters her vision from the space of the living-room
Stands
Steps out into the darkness and disappears
Pans the head to the Beast at the edge of the living-room
He looks down at the floor
She moves her head to examine
The body of a woman slowly drawing herself up
Arm drawn back
Hand pressed flat against the clear, unsoiled carpet