Waking was always a painful thing.
It was also inevitable.
Blinking away tears, Jewel sat up and brushed those drops that fell away. It was another day after all of those she had already lived and it started just like many of the others before it.
Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she pushed back the covers and breathed deeply. The flashes of memories from the villagers swirled in her mind's eye, a kaleidoscope of human sorrows and triumphs. Eventually, it faded to the background and she was able to get out of bed without any sudden attacks.
The bathroom called to her and she answered willingly, though her eyes avoided the mirror above the sink. She knew what she would see, the silver of her hair bringing back thoughts of her long-dead love. Sleeping with it braided kept it untangled and out of her way until she had adjusted about midmorning.
Clothing herself in a pale shirt and jeans, Jewel headed downstairs to open the shop and start breakfast. She wasn't expecting anyone for at least an hour as the sun rose. That was fine with her as she preferred to have a cup or two of tea before greeting anyone for the day.
The town was small and didn't get much traffic which was the entire reason why she had picked to set up shop there. Without many newcomers or even those just passing through, she didn't have to be subjected to more pain, their pain that her curse picked up and shoved into her mind to go along with all the rest burned into her memory. Nothing protected their minds and nothing could negate her curse.
At least the villagers were simple folks that did not hide much darkness, not like others.
