reasons to go, reasons to stay ➸ camren

chapter thirty ➸ after the storm

"M-matty?"

Camila's eyes blinked open, and she was surrounded by darkness.

"Matty! Are you okay? I've got you, Matty. It's Harry, can you hear me?"

"H-h-harry?" Camila rasped, and she suddenly felt two small hands around her shoulders, helping her sit up and leaning her against some sort of wall. It was still pitch black.

She was naked.

"I'm gonna turn on a flashlight, okay? I'm gonna keep the light off of you, I just need to find your clothes. Is that okay, Matty?"

"Y-yeah..." Camila nodded, covering her hands over her exposed chest. "Wh-w-what ha-h-happened?"

She saw the light flick on and realized they were in some sort of building. Following the light with her eyes, she gasped when it landed on a lifeless body on the floor.

"Do you know him, Matty?" Harry asked, flashing the light on the body.

"Y-y-yeah... His n-name is Keith," she brought her hands to her head and winced at the throbbing in her forehead. "Wh-w-what happened?"

Harry gently placed what felt like her clothes in her lap.

"I'm gonna turn around and close my eyes and I'll turn on the flashlight so you can get dressed, okay Matty?" he asked, still not answering her question.

"Y-yeah," Camila said softly. Harry did as he said he would, and Camila pulled herself up to her feet. She was sore, but as far as she could tell, she wasn't injured severely in any way.

"My cl-c-clothes... d-d-did he...?" she stumbled over her words, suddenly becoming panicked.

"Are you dressed? Is your hood on?"

Camila quickly pulled on her hood. "N-now I am, y-y-yeah. Wh-w-what happened? H-how'd you g-g-get here?"

Harry sighed, turning the flashlight over so it shone on the ceiling, casting a little light through the small room they were in. Camila could tell it was some kind of shed.

She look at Harry, realizing how visibly shaken he looked. When he sat down next to her, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I saw you walking with him... Keith... and I got worried, because you looked scared. And I remembered you mentioning something about someone like him once... So I... I, uh, I took my mom's gun that she keeps hidden and followed you guys on my bike," he said quietly, scratching his temple nervously.

"Y-you did what? H-h-harry, you could've g-g-gotten hurt!"

"But I didn't! I followed you here and then... I looked in the window and he was t-t-taking his belt off and then... then I... well, I..." Harry shook his head, grabbing the flashlight and showing Keith's full figure. Camila's eyes widened. Blood was pooled around his head.

"Y-you shot him?"

"I h-h-had to... Matty... He was gonna hurt you!" Harry raised his voice and Camila quickly shook her head.

"I'm not m-m-mad Harry... I-I just... Thank you..." she whispered. She pulled the curly haired boy in for a hug and didn't realize she was crying until he reached out and used his sleeve to wipe her tears.

They sat there for a while in silence until Harry spoke quietly.

"Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?"

Camila shook her head. "No. Just s-sore... Can you w-w-walk me back to the sh-s-shelter?"

He nodded softly. After picking up the flashlight, he offered her his hand and she took it, standing to her feet.

"Thank you, H-harry."