What sleeps in the deep

Ch 9: Bestfriend

Everyone was shaken by what happen in the lower deck. Since hope in resolving this issue dwindled everyone dealt with their now new trauma their own way.
As Stella and Kilo quietly walked down the hallway she did not let go of his hand. Despite her tight grip-both did not exchange words.
Everything felt like slow motion, Chuck was in the break room finally sitting down as his fingers trembled while he combed his hair. Mr. Chen was by the water cooler pulling out a tin box full of pills just downing all of them as his cup filled up with cold water. Savanna was locked in her room and you could even hear her faint cries from there; and the once proud Captain Hunt now slinked away with his men back to his ship-defeated.
A new discovery was made-this beast is a lot bigger than what legend described. What made it worst is that there is no equipment that can handle the colossal beast-not even with the help from the government.
Finally Stella reached her room and Kilo silently beside her. When Stella opened the door she removed her sweater and walked straight to the bathroom to wash her face. As she closed her eyes to rinse of the soap harsh images of today and her past would flash in her mind. GASP!
Looking up on her reflection she already saw Kilo grabbing an extra pillow and blanket to sleep on the floor. Seeing this she calmly walks towards Kilo taking away his pillow and blanket,

"Tonight, you're not sleeping on the floor."
"Then where will I sleep?"
"With me."

For the first time both saw each other eye to eye-exposing each other. Stella's rough past and her endurance swam through her ocean blue eyes-her heavy past was visible. Kilo's look presented his own resilience and confidence, but along side his good heart reflected in his warm brown eyes. Both felt connected that moment.
After realizing the length of their gaze both briefly looked away as they now lied together in the same bed. As Kilo finally adjusted himself, Stella quickly rested herself close to Kilo and finally snuggled up to him. Now both were tightly together in their embrace, Kilo would stare at the ceiling contemplating what was happening, then his thoughts were interrupted by Stella's whisper.

"Thank you, for everything."

Minutes after her comment she was already asleep. Kilo looked at her and knew he made the right decision.
While everyone slept in what little peace remain, another lucid dream visited Stella.
Distorted visuals of today's debacle replayed and Kilo's comment echoed through her ears. "Stella, its just a bad dinosaur. Let's go!" As that scene played forward flashbacks of younger Stella in the city walking through a museum with her classroom. The exhibit that caught her eye was the one titled, "Why, T-Rex was afraid of the water." And on display was colossal skeletal remains of jurassic aquatic-DINOSAURS. Could it be possible that maybe not all of the dinosaurs went extinct? Maybe as it was said on Jurassic Park 'nature found a way'. Suddenly what now echoed in her dreams,
'STELLA, STELLA, STELLA'

"Stella! Wake up!"
"Huh?"
"Are you okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"You were groaning and then you are started to sweat then shake."
"Wow, I did all that?"
"Yeah, you scared me for a sec. I thought something happened to you."
"I'm okay-Promise. Hey, what time is it?"
"Its like 4:30 in the morning. Why?"
"There's something that you said while we were down there and I want to test that theory."
"Okay? I say a lot of things. So I'm confused."
"Relax, I'm gonna go look for a computer. There has to be one around here somewhere. You can go back to sleep. I'll get you later."
"You really think you're gonna leave me hanging like that? I'm going with you."
"Alright Jules-Bad motherf******!"
"Well, damn if I'm Jules then you must be Mia Wallace."
"Oof! If I'm Mia then who's Marcellus?"

Both roared out in laughter as they threw more movie references at each other. Stella fixed her hair and then grabbed her bag, as both headed out the door. As soon as they both peaked out of the room the hallways were empty and the sun still didn't rise yet. Like two high school teenagers they galloped down the hallways as if they were running from their teachers. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallways until they finally reached the cafeteria. Everything was dark and put away, both Stella and Kilo saw the perfect opportunity for a limitless option of breakfast. Mischievously they storm in the cafeteria climbing up tables and now hopping the counter as they now raided the clean kitchen. More jokes and sarcasm were ensued as now both made their own versions of the 'perfect' sandwich.