Untainted

Chapter 11: Go With the Flow

"Every human walks around with a certain kind of sadness. They may not wear it on their sleeves, but it's there if you look deep." ~Taraji P. Henson

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Most people take pride in being correct. It makes them happy. I, on the other hand, feel nothing but aggravation as I toss and turn. As I predicted, unfortunately, my first night on the island feels like it's going to last forever. I only managed to get a few hours of sleep before waking up. Everyone else, while I'm sure uncomfortable, continue to rest soundly.

Shifting from my side to lay on my back, I feel the same annoying pebble dig into my lower torso through the base of the tent. I exhale loudly while staring at the roof of the small shelter. Despite how tired I am physically, my body refuses to fall asleep. It must be the enviornment. Most would find camping outdoors to be relaxing, having the sounds of nature surrounding you and all. But to my unpleasant surprise, it's actually very distracting. The non-stop running of the the nearby river, the sound of grass and tree branches rustling and the loud songs of multiple creepy crawlies linger everywhere. Everything was so loud and I couldn't take it anymore.

I glance at my watch looking at the time. The digital clock reads 2:26am. 'Jesus' With another huff I slowly sit up. 'I won't be getting any sleep like this.' I get up as steadily as I can, wanting to avoid waking anyone. I crouch as I near the tent's exit. It was dark, but I could see Ibuki resting near the exit alongside our other classmates. As I suspected, Yosuke and the others decided to let her stay. A decision I hope they won't regret later.

Slipping out of the tent, I stand up straight and stretch. Clasping both my hands I bring them above my head. If there was one thing I could appreciate about the outdoors, it would be the fresh air. I breathe deeply as I approach the river bank. Sitting down in front of the water, I take refuge underneath a tree. I lean against the trunk and take in the jungle's night time view. Unlike before, the moon is now visible. It's a cresent moon, waxing I believe. It's bright light is softly reflected in the water. It's a nice sight. Strangely enough, the sounds of nature seem less intimidating when you're actually outside.

"(Y/n)?" I suddenly hear a soft voice whisper.

My body jolts as I shoot my head in the direction the voice came from: the tents. I'm surprised to see Yosuke quietly walking towards me. A subtle look of worry covers his normally calm features.

"What are you doing out here? Is everything alright?" He questions now standing beside me.

"Yeah, I'm good," I explain while keep my voice low. "I just couldn't sleep is all... embarrassing I know." I reluctantly admit before facing the water again.

"Not at all," he says taking a seat beside me. The action takes me by surpise, but I do my best not to show it. "Lots of people have trouble sleeping," Yosuke adds.

'Is he trying to make me feel better?'

"That's the thing, I don't usually have a hard time falling asleep. I've never slept outside before so I guess I'm just kind of on edge," I explain.

"I see, it's certainly understandable. We'll all encounter new things during this special test, but you shouldn't feel bad about it."

"I know, but enough about me, what are you doing up?" I finally ask.

He gives me a small look of bashfulness I've never seen before while slightly scratching his cheek. "To be completely honest, I'm a light sleeper. So when I heard someone moving around outside, I got concerned and decided to check it out," he clarifies.