because of us, it will only be for a few more hours.”
Cyrus nodded to all of us. Shiva wrapped her arms around him and pulled him away, her eyes still full of the rage and resentment she had toward me. They disappeared into the forest and out of our sight. When they did, I sighed a deep breath of relief.
“We’ll take a spot away from the rest of them,” Irvine said. “It’s been a long night and we’re far from finished. Come on.”
Vaughn and I followed Irvine through the camp, passing by clusters of men who were splayed out on the grass. Some of them occupied the makeshift cabin, either resting upon the floor or sleeping on the upper levels. Despite Shiva’s ill feelings toward me, the rest of the clan seemed to have a general disinterest. They were too busy and preoccupied with simply enjoying the peace that now resided in this small clearing.
While Irvine gathered another bundle of sticks to build another fire, I sat down next to Vaughn. I turned to Vaughn to make sure that he was all right. I could see the exhaustion on his face. I wanted to make him feel better. But I only knew one way to do that and his fatigue was obvious. Now wasn’t the time for that.
“It’s nice to finally get off of my feet,” I sighed.
“You’ve had a long night,” my boyfriend said to me. “Just relax now.”
I forgot about everything that we were discussing in the motel room. Even Shiva’s attitude didn’t bother me. At this point, I was just happy to be able to relax with Vaughn right next to me. I leaned in close to him and rested my head upon his shoulder as Irvine built the small fire for me. He then took a seat across from us and finally we had a moment to rest.
It was peaceful out here. The rhythm of the flames dancing in front of me made it easier for me to relax despite the circumstances. The sounds of the wilderness were harmless compared to everything we’d been through. My lungs filled with the fresh open air. Finally, I could enjoy the serenity of the night.
Vaughn fell asleep as soon as he hit the ground. I laid down next to him, resting my head upon his chest. Irvine leaned against a tree stump and rested with his head down. Even though I was completely exhausted, I couldn’t fall asleep. I was restless. I didn’t know why. I would close my eyes but it wasn’t enough for me to drift away like I usually did.
Frustrated, I sat up and leaned against the log next to me. I sighed as I listened to the sounds of the men sleeping next to me. I continued to be hypnotized by the flames, trying to somehow tire myself out so that I could get the rest that I needed. But none of it worked.
I slowly stood up and began to pace back and forth. I looked around the camp and everybody was laying around. I envied the peace and sleep they were enjoying at this moment.
Come on, Ariel. Just go to sleep. You have a long day tomorrow.
But I wasn’t sleepy. I decided that it would be best to waste whatever energy I had left by walking around.
“Having trouble sleeping?”
I turned around to see where the voice had come from. The old wolf I had spoken to earlier was there.
“Oh,” I sighed when I saw him. “Hey, Yung.”
“You look surprised.”
“Surprised?”
“Were you expecting someone else?”
“I… I thought you were someone else, yeah. I thought you were… her , here to bite my head off.”
“I’m sure she’s occupied at the moment,” he chuckled. “You should be sleeping now.”
“I could say the same for you.”
“I’m an old man, Ariel. I don’t need as much sleep as I used to. Come here. Sit with me. Let an old man bore you to sleep with his stories.”
He smiled politely at me. I looked at Vaughn and Irvine who were now resting peacefully around the fire. Yung and I seemed to be only ones in the camp awake at this point. I figured since I was up that I would take him up on his offer.
I sat down on the grass underneath me and Yung took the spot next to me. Despite his old age, he
Cyrus nodded to all of us. Shiva wrapped her arms around him and pulled him away, her eyes still full of the rage and resentment she had toward me. They disappeared into the forest and out of our sight. When they did, I sighed a deep breath of relief.
“We’ll take a spot away from the rest of them,” Irvine said. “It’s been a long night and we’re far from finished. Come on.”
Vaughn and I followed Irvine through the camp, passing by clusters of men who were splayed out on the grass. Some of them occupied the makeshift cabin, either resting upon the floor or sleeping on the upper levels. Despite Shiva’s ill feelings toward me, the rest of the clan seemed to have a general disinterest. They were too busy and preoccupied with simply enjoying the peace that now resided in this small clearing.
While Irvine gathered another bundle of sticks to build another fire, I sat down next to Vaughn. I turned to Vaughn to make sure that he was all right. I could see the exhaustion on his face. I wanted to make him feel better. But I only knew one way to do that and his fatigue was obvious. Now wasn’t the time for that.
“It’s nice to finally get off of my feet,” I sighed.
“You’ve had a long night,” my boyfriend said to me. “Just relax now.”
I forgot about everything that we were discussing in the motel room. Even Shiva’s attitude didn’t bother me. At this point, I was just happy to be able to relax with Vaughn right next to me. I leaned in close to him and rested my head upon his shoulder as Irvine built the small fire for me. He then took a seat across from us and finally we had a moment to rest.
It was peaceful out here. The rhythm of the flames dancing in front of me made it easier for me to relax despite the circumstances. The sounds of the wilderness were harmless compared to everything we’d been through. My lungs filled with the fresh open air. Finally, I could enjoy the serenity of the night.
Vaughn fell asleep as soon as he hit the ground. I laid down next to him, resting my head upon his chest. Irvine leaned against a tree stump and rested with his head down. Even though I was completely exhausted, I couldn’t fall asleep. I was restless. I didn’t know why. I would close my eyes but it wasn’t enough for me to drift away like I usually did.
Frustrated, I sat up and leaned against the log next to me. I sighed as I listened to the sounds of the men sleeping next to me. I continued to be hypnotized by the flames, trying to somehow tire myself out so that I could get the rest that I needed. But none of it worked.
I slowly stood up and began to pace back and forth. I looked around the camp and everybody was laying around. I envied the peace and sleep they were enjoying at this moment.
Come on, Ariel. Just go to sleep. You have a long day tomorrow.
But I wasn’t sleepy. I decided that it would be best to waste whatever energy I had left by walking around.
“Having trouble sleeping?”
I turned around to see where the voice had come from. The old wolf I had spoken to earlier was there.
“Oh,” I sighed when I saw him. “Hey, Yung.”
“You look surprised.”
“Surprised?”
“Were you expecting someone else?”
“I… I thought you were someone else, yeah. I thought you were… her , here to bite my head off.”
“I’m sure she’s occupied at the moment,” he chuckled. “You should be sleeping now.”
“I could say the same for you.”
“I’m an old man, Ariel. I don’t need as much sleep as I used to. Come here. Sit with me. Let an old man bore you to sleep with his stories.”
He smiled politely at me. I looked at Vaughn and Irvine who were now resting peacefully around the fire. Yung and I seemed to be only ones in the camp awake at this point. I figured since I was up that I would take him up on his offer.
I sat down on the grass underneath me and Yung took the spot next to me. Despite his old age, he
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