The Cooinda Cycle: Part Three

The Young Girl awoke with a start. She had been dreaming, or at least she thought it was a dream. What was happening in it? She thought as she headed back out to leave for the day.

It had been a normal enough shift for the most part, but now it was time to leave. The Young Girl had completed her day at the care home and had decided to take a quick nap to rest before driving home, but had slept well beyond her 20 minute alarm. What time was it? She wondered.

She stepped out of the break room, and there was one of the residents, The Old Granny, that always carried around a small baby doll toy with no hair left, it had long since been pulled out.

“Shouldn’t be here, dear. Should be home.” Said The Granny, waving the doll in an odd manner at The Young Lady.

“I know, I meant to just have a nap but must have over-”

“WHERE’S NONI!?” Someone boomed from behind The Young Lady.

She spun around to see The Elder Man, the one that always seemed to find her during a shift, and followed her around asking where Noni was. The Young Girl would sometimes try to explain that Noni wasn’t here, she never had been. She was a memory of The Elder Man from his past. Other times she would try to distract him with other tasks or questions.

Once when she asked him, “Do you like puzzles?” He just looked at her for a moment, replying in a confused rage, “Pugrels?” Then would launch into a tirade about the dangers of letting Pugrels into your yard and that they make mess everywhere.

“They’ll mess on your carpet, and then if you step on it… you’re done!” He had said.

But today there was something in his eyes, the way he asked, that just unnerved the young lady. “Hello.” She said softly to him, while trying to figure out the best way to leave, she looked at her watch, 6:30 am! I slept right to the morning shift and no one woke me up! She thought.

The Elder Man walked a few paces towards her, and then with a sudden lurch forward, boomed at her,

“HELLO!!”

“Well… I need to go home now, my shift is over. I’ll see you tomorrow- well tonight I guess.” She said nervously and headed towards the elevator.

She hadn’t noticed him following her, but by the time she did, it was too late. He was in the elevator too. It was only a 30 second trip to the bottom floor, but she felt so uneasy about those short seconds.

The whole time he just stared at her, just before the doors opened at the bottom floor, he boomed his incessant question another time.

“WHERE’S NONI!?”

The doors opened, she jumped out, trying her best to seem casual.

“See you later then.”

She thought she heard someone running away down the corridor, as she navigated her way through the corridors and halls towards the front exit, she could still hear the Elder Man always behind her, mumbling his question. Demanding to know where this mysterious Noni was.

Just as she was about to reach the entrance to the main foyer and exit, there was another booming voice, but not The Elder Man.

“HELLO!” This voice cried out. The Old Man! She thought, he must have cornered The Other Guy.

The back door. She hurried to the back door, but as she got there, the Elder Man was waiting. He began to ask his question with a ferocity and anger he never had before, it was constant. Over and over and over again.

“WHERE’S NONI?”

Suddenly her arm was grabbed by The Young Man, and they were running.

Then The Grannies appeared, that one with the doll is back!

Then they were running up the hill, they were getting away, Then she lost the Young Man, she turned around to find him, he was gone, as was one of the grannies. The other just stood at the bottom of the hill, shaking the doll at her.

Then she awoke, she was in her own bed. Just a nightmare.

Her alarm went off. 6:30 am.

As she was getting out of bed she felt like her body was in slow-motion, everything ached and she struggled to even stand up.

Someone knocked on her door, and before she could even answer, they entered. It was one of the others she worked with in the home, another girl. About to ask what she was doing here, she was cut off before she could.

“Good Morning, I’ve got your breakfast here," she said, placing the tray down.

"How did you sleep, Noni?”