Putz12 Plus One

TWENTY TWO | TRAIN OF THOUGHT

Nobody could sleep when night came. The sky made no sense. Cursed thing. Iza awoke in a screaming state, and all but Felix, who was resting outside rushed to coddle her. There were no more flickers of the beautiful candlelight, all was dark and glum inside the cold metal train. She turned and moaned, annoyed at her inability to sleep. Because all she saw when she closed her eyes was Sera. Every movement sounded like the jingling bells. She'd twitch and stammer, so much so that Free offered to sit beside her and rubbed her back. "There, there. It's okay. You've been through enough."

She got up, submitting to the new nocturnal life. Though the sky would change so much she assumed it was futile anyway. The way she wrapped herself in that blanket, Putz couldn't help but notice how sweet she looked. How badly did he want to punch himself for thinking that. 

"I've been through, I... when I close my eyes I still go through it."

He looked up, trying not to eavesdrop. Derek stopped him. "She's gonna know."

"Know what, squithead?"

"Look at you, choosing a girl over squideo games." He sighed, looking out the window.

"I'm not choosing anything!"

"Then why are you whispering?"

All he did was get up to sit in the back and Derek smirked, though the small movement in the otherwise still train gathered eyes he didn't want. But not from Iza.

"I," she began to cry and cherished the ability. Free's hand gave her comfort, and she wept in her shirt. "I don't know where to begin."

"The beginning seems nifty."

"Smartass." Putz said, everyone staring at him again. Even Iza this time.

"Pot meet kettle, am I right?" Free whispered and she laughed, then suddenly a solemn look reared its appearance and she was quiet, still.

"Um..."

"Maybe now's too early," Free suggested.

"It's not that. I," How could she say it? That she couldn't trust a soul after all this. That especially her being a girl, how could she assume there is kindness without ulterior desires? She was now paler than her natural countenance and Free took it as incentive to leave her alone to recover.

"If you need me, I'll be outside watching for Felix. Get some rest if you can, and if you can't, I'm sure at least one of the two will keep you company."

"I can talk to him now," she thought. I can speak, but I can't. Every time she even thought of turning or talking she felt a phantom's burn. Yet it didn't help when she turned to glance and he was right behind her. She shrieked.

"Wh? Relax, squidiot." He smiled. "It's just me."

"She probably didn't expect to see such an ugly face." Derek mocked.

"Shut up." Iza's grave tone killed the whole conversation. She cleared her throat. "Ahem, hey, you."

"Hey." Smiled Putz, sitting right beside her. "You alri-, you're shaking."

And then like a tsunami tears ran down her cheeks and she cried into her hands. "Putz!" She said his name and he made some distance between the two. "You have no idea how badly I've wanted to talk to you this whole time."

"Uhh..." He scooched over a little further now, his face turning pale and Derek's stupid smile was seen from his peripheral vision. "Wh... I'm sorry? Well I'm always here, ya know." And he slid down an inch further away again.

"I just, she told me if I talked to you I'd be burned alive."

"Jesus fucking Christ dude." Derek said from the other side. "That's brutal. And damn, for someone under the threat of execution, you sure handled it pretty well."