Where do I go from here?

M  A   E    A I talked to God to no avail Said, "If you won't save me, please don't waste my time." Sounds swam all around her. The distant murmur of voices. Animals. A soft breeze stirring the branches of a leafy brush... they all blurred together into something distant, a familliar comfort and grating annoyance. She wanted to go back, blend in with the crowd again and enjoy the feeling of belonging, of being part of the whole. Forget herself and disappear. And she wanted to be alone. Sit in silence and brood, weigh her options, fish for something, anything that could stir her into action. Some hint of desire. But most of all she just wanted to sleep. Approaching footsteps made her tense, and when they stopped right in front of her, Maea opened her eyes and looked up. She heard her name, and thought she recognized the voice, if barely. The face of the woman it belonged to was somewhat familiar too, but though she searched her memory for a name, she couldn't recall if there should be a name to go along with it. Had she ever heard it? The woman offered solitude, and refreshments. That was... new. No questions, no startled remarks on how long it had been, where had she been!? Just... a simple offer. Anything else the young woman would have refused, rejected. But this? She nodded. Accepting the offered hand, Maea stood. She thought she ought to say something, ask something... but her throat had closed and the tongue felt numb. So she merely waited, until this almost-stranger indicated where they were going. She would follow. It was all she could think to do, right now.