Waiting for Amber Skyy

Chapter 37

The next morning I woke up with my heartbeat in my ears. I sat up quickly, my breathing heavy and my vision still adjusting. I was running, screaming, I felt a sharp pain in my chest, where- where am I? Calm down. I tried to steady my breathing and peered around, listening for growling, a gun clicking... but everything was still. Huh?

I blinked, trying to remember. I was in a bed, a bed? I gripped the sheets then pulled at my shirt, realizing it wasn't a hospital gown but my tattered striped shirt. Memories from yesterday finally came flooding in. I wasn't there. I escaped. I was free.

I let out a shaky breath and swung my legs over the bed, trying to suppress my fear with excitement on my first day of being home. I stood, the sheets rolling off me in folds as I wiggled my bare toes against the carpet.

Home.

I closed my eyes briefly and heard a familiar snore not too far. Smiling, I tiptoed across the hall towards Speck's room. Her door was cracked and I peered in, expecting her to be sprawled all over the bed, only to see a bundle of blankets. My pulse quickened as I cautiously walked over, feeling around only to grab handfuls of fabric. No, no no no- I sprinted back to my room and flew to my bag, hanging it upside down to empty it. The laptop banged against the table, snacks bouncing onto the floor, everything I shook out. My hands grabbed for everything, anything, trying to figure out how I could find her, who took her, who would leave me behind-

"What's wrong?" someone moaned from the bed.

I whipped my head up to see Speck sitting up in my bed, rubbing her eyes and hair everywhere. She drowsily stared at me frozen in place, trying to rack my brain on how she even got there. "H-How did you- why aren't you-" my breaths were short.

"I couldn't sleep," she grumbled. Her eyes were droopy as she yawned, trying to wake herself up. "You kicked a lot."

Now that she said that, I vaguely remembered waking up to my door creaking last night. I was half-awake when she crawled in my bed to join me. I guess she didn't like being apart from me, even if it was just across the hall.

I let out a shaky sigh and joined her in bed, pulling her into a hug while calming my racing heart. "Sorry, I forgot you joined me last night."

"It's okay," she muffled against my shoulder. Pulling away, she yawned again and looked up at me with concern in her eyes. "Bad dreams?"

I nodded and brushed her hair with my fingers. Despite being in a comfortable bed and place to live, my subconscious didn't want me to forget what might happen. What could happen. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, trying to dismiss it, "Sorry for kicking you."

"Sorry for scaring you," she stretched her arms over her head and stood out of bed. Her clothes were all wrinkled and the frog shirt's tag was sticking out. Not to mention the rips and tears in her leggings. She turned around, "Do you think they're awake?"

I glanced towards the hallway, "I don't know, we should be quiet just in case."

"Okay," she started tiptoeing towards the door. "I'm hungry, do you think they have food?"

I joined her, tugging down on my shirt to at least look somewhat decent. "Yeah, but make sure we don't eat the entire fridge."

We cautiously stepped down the stairs which creaked at every step. Speck tried to coordinate her steps with mine but it just made the creaking louder. She bumped into me, almost making me tumble, and I had to shush her giggling. Once we touched the first floor, Mom turned the corner wearing an apron and scaring me half to death. Speck squealed and I nearly doubled over.

"Goodness!" Mom put a hand to her chest. "I was hoping you two were still asleep."

"No, we're up," I breathed, steadying myself. I sniffed and my eyes widened. Was that sausage? I turned towards it and breathed in. No, it was eggs, no- pancakes. What was this delicious scent?