her. But it did. She wanted to cry, she wanted to get up, march over to him and tell him everything about her so he’d understand. But she couldn’t.
What did it matter anyway? In a few days this would all be over. He’d move on and she’d take another job. Only the next one she would work alone. She’d had enough of teammates to last her a lifetime. All it got her was heartache.
Clear your mind Samantha. Rest. Tomorrow will be a new day.
Sam didn’t argue. She just wanted to sleep and disappear into nothing for awhile. Maybe he’d feel differently tomorrow morning. Maybe he’d feel bad for making her feel so alone. Yeah and maybe Bin Laden would walk into camp tonight and surrender. Sam closed her eyes and drifted off into darkness.
* * * * *
When it came time for Kong’s turn to watch, he grabbed his pack and gun and sat in the dark.
He pulled an MRE from his pack and began eating. He always liked having a full stomach before he started out the day. A guy never knew when he’d get to eat again. While he blindly ate his food he thought over the day ahead. He’d put Ricochet on point, followed by Boomer, Sam, then himself. That way he’d be able to keep a close eye on her. Somewhere inside he felt a little guilty about the way he jumped her last night, but he quickly corrected that by reasoning that she had it coming.
A soft whimper came from behind him. He stopped chewing and listened. When he heard it again, he stood, this time the whimper came along with a gasp. Kong grabbed his gun ready for a fight. As he walked around the group of rocks, he heard a sob. His heart began pumping wildly inside his chest. It was Sam.
Making his way to the spot where she was sleeping a new wave of feeling flooded through him.
What if someone made it into camp? If they found her, they’d do horrific things to her. Panic made him crouch down and walk faster. When he reached her, he heard her sob again. She was still asleep, dreaming. He thought about waking her up, but then decided he’d just watch for a while. See what he could learn. Sweat glistened on her forehead in the moonlight, her fists were balled tight and her breathing was shallow. Whatever she was dreaming about had her fighting. In some twisted way, he was proud of that. She even put up a fight in her dreams.
He watched as her body jerked and twisted. Then he heard her sob, “Mommy.” Her voice was small, meek. Like a child’s. Was this the same dream she had on the plane? Did this have to do with how she lost her parents? Was she haunted by her childhood?
“No, please. Mommy, Daddy,” Sam whimpered.
Kong nearly reached out to wake her up, but she jerked her legs up and cried out in pain. It startled him to the point of freezing with his hand in midair. Her breathing became deeper, like she was struggling for breath. Then she bolted upright with a gasp. Her face was pale, sweat trickled down over her skin. Her eyes were open, but she wasn’t awake. Without so much as a word, she flopped down on her back.
His own heart racing, Kong watched her for a few moments to make sure she was resting. He scrubbed his face with his hands, then stood and went back to his watch spot. God, how awful it must be to be plagued by nightmares every night, he thought to himself. This little ball of fire carried a lot of baggage with her. He wondered if Cannon had any idea she suffered so badly at night, then decided it wasn’t any of his business. In a few days, they’d never see each other again.
Sam woke drenched in sweat. The sun wasn’t up yet, so she figured she had time to sneak away to wash off in the stream. Remembering that Kong was the one who had last watch, she crawled through the rocks soundlessly. He was the last thing she needed at the moment.
When she reached the stream, she pulled her shirt off, then leaned over the water and began splashing herself. The cold water felt good against her sticky skin. It also soothed the sores the sand had begun
What did it matter anyway? In a few days this would all be over. He’d move on and she’d take another job. Only the next one she would work alone. She’d had enough of teammates to last her a lifetime. All it got her was heartache.
Clear your mind Samantha. Rest. Tomorrow will be a new day.
Sam didn’t argue. She just wanted to sleep and disappear into nothing for awhile. Maybe he’d feel differently tomorrow morning. Maybe he’d feel bad for making her feel so alone. Yeah and maybe Bin Laden would walk into camp tonight and surrender. Sam closed her eyes and drifted off into darkness.
* * * * *
When it came time for Kong’s turn to watch, he grabbed his pack and gun and sat in the dark.
He pulled an MRE from his pack and began eating. He always liked having a full stomach before he started out the day. A guy never knew when he’d get to eat again. While he blindly ate his food he thought over the day ahead. He’d put Ricochet on point, followed by Boomer, Sam, then himself. That way he’d be able to keep a close eye on her. Somewhere inside he felt a little guilty about the way he jumped her last night, but he quickly corrected that by reasoning that she had it coming.
A soft whimper came from behind him. He stopped chewing and listened. When he heard it again, he stood, this time the whimper came along with a gasp. Kong grabbed his gun ready for a fight. As he walked around the group of rocks, he heard a sob. His heart began pumping wildly inside his chest. It was Sam.
Making his way to the spot where she was sleeping a new wave of feeling flooded through him.
What if someone made it into camp? If they found her, they’d do horrific things to her. Panic made him crouch down and walk faster. When he reached her, he heard her sob again. She was still asleep, dreaming. He thought about waking her up, but then decided he’d just watch for a while. See what he could learn. Sweat glistened on her forehead in the moonlight, her fists were balled tight and her breathing was shallow. Whatever she was dreaming about had her fighting. In some twisted way, he was proud of that. She even put up a fight in her dreams.
He watched as her body jerked and twisted. Then he heard her sob, “Mommy.” Her voice was small, meek. Like a child’s. Was this the same dream she had on the plane? Did this have to do with how she lost her parents? Was she haunted by her childhood?
“No, please. Mommy, Daddy,” Sam whimpered.
Kong nearly reached out to wake her up, but she jerked her legs up and cried out in pain. It startled him to the point of freezing with his hand in midair. Her breathing became deeper, like she was struggling for breath. Then she bolted upright with a gasp. Her face was pale, sweat trickled down over her skin. Her eyes were open, but she wasn’t awake. Without so much as a word, she flopped down on her back.
His own heart racing, Kong watched her for a few moments to make sure she was resting. He scrubbed his face with his hands, then stood and went back to his watch spot. God, how awful it must be to be plagued by nightmares every night, he thought to himself. This little ball of fire carried a lot of baggage with her. He wondered if Cannon had any idea she suffered so badly at night, then decided it wasn’t any of his business. In a few days, they’d never see each other again.
Sam woke drenched in sweat. The sun wasn’t up yet, so she figured she had time to sneak away to wash off in the stream. Remembering that Kong was the one who had last watch, she crawled through the rocks soundlessly. He was the last thing she needed at the moment.
When she reached the stream, she pulled her shirt off, then leaned over the water and began splashing herself. The cold water felt good against her sticky skin. It also soothed the sores the sand had begun
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