Floating

Chapter 6

That night, Willa struggled to sleep with the variety of sounds and animals surrounding her. The  owls, coyotes, and frogs seemed extremely loud.

But it wasn't the only thing keeping her awake.

I can't trust this alien can I? I don't know his intentions. What if he's leading me on?

Willa couldn't stop her mind running through every reason not to trust Schaffel, ever since she met him she's been doing that, but she also couldn't help herself from saving him. Every time they were put in danger, Willa felt the urge to protect him. But why? Why do I want to save him? I barely trust or know him.

Willa sighed, then rolled over, and looked at Schaffel as he peacefully slept.

As she looked at his innocent face, she couldn't help the small smile that tugged on her lips. For the first time in four years, the hard, stone cold heart Willa had created was softening. She couldn't decipher the feeling, to the point that she couldn't determine if it was a bad or good thing.

Willa shook her head and turned away, continuing to stare up at the dark sky. Eventually, her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.

As Schaffel slept, his vision changed into a dream. He first saw the sky, and could feel his body falling, and finally he was thrown into a blue liquid. 

It was the same dream from before. 

Schaffel tried to scream for help, pinch himself so that he would awaken, but he never did. He even tried to swim up, but he couldn't free himself—it was no use. 

Suddenly the dark figure came again. Schaffel watched quietly as it came closer, curious, yet terrified. It eventually grew so close he could almost see their face.

Schaffel gasped and flashed his eyes open, to the beautiful night above him. 

He sat up on the grass staring down, trying to catch his breath. Why do I keep having this dream? What does it mean? 

Suddenly his thoughts drifted, as his gaze moved and began to focus more on the dark night. From Schaffel's planet, Actaeon, it was always night, but it never looked as beautiful as this one. The little white dots were brighter, and the sky a beautiful shade of indigo. 

Schaffel nudged Willa.

"Willa? Wake up!" He whispered.

Willa's eyes slowly opened, "what's wrong?"

"Look!" he pointed.

Willa sat up in fear, thinking Schaffel was pointing to something that would put them in danger. 

Her gaze then followed where Schaffel pointed. Willa rolled her eyes. "Those are stars." she said irritated.

"Stars?" Schaffel looked at her excitedly. "How pretty!"

Willa's expression changed, she couldn't help but smile at his adorable curiosity.

Schaffel lied down in the grass, "It's so beautiful!" He said gazing up at the sky, like a child seeing a cartoon for the first time. 

Willa lied down onto her back, beside Schaffel. "You see how some of the stars are cluttered in some places?" She pointed.

Schaffel nodded not tearing his eyes from the sky.

"When I was little, my mother and I would lie down, and find shapes and animals in the sky." She smiled sadly.

"Woah." 

"They're called constellations."

Schaffel's face shifted to focused as he searched for one. "There! I found one!" He pointed excitedly.