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For everyone this was a terrible disaster, but for me, it was a purpose, it was a life I wanted to live. I loved this me who was useful and respected.
I spoke to a lot of emergency squad people, who treated me as if I were one of them. They asked where I was from and I said; “I forgot, you?” and they’d chuckle and say something similar.
I kept working, and Cord came to me, saying, “If I didn’t call you,you wouldn’t eat.”
I tossed, “I’d live off my fat…”
We laughed, cause I was skinny.
We went to eat and he told me his name, his full name, asked mine, and I said, “Angel”… as if surprised he’d forgotten.
He seemed puzzled but I acted as if someone had called me Angel and he had heard, just as I had heard someone call him Cord.
We relaxed a little, then back to work until relieved, then to a tent where we lay on our cots.
I was drifting into sleep when I realised I needed a name and a backstory.