GHOST - No Man's Land

/CHAPTER 18

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[Ghost]

Rebecca fell asleep quickly after our last conversation died down. The moon had risen herself up high in the sky, casting a blue light over the room that made Rebecca's hair appear jet black. 

I'd always thought her to be as much of an insomniac as I was. Turns out I'd still win that contest. 

Watching her was peaceful. The slow rise and fall of her chest, her face no longer scrunched up in focus or frustration, but neutral. Mouth slightly agape, hand curled up beside her head. 

Even if I'd have wanted to, she took up so much room just by positioning alone I never would have fit on there beside her. In a short time, she'd managed to fit diagonally on the bed. 

Not that it would have gained me any more sleep than sitting in this chair would. The idea of laying there, with her thin pants and even thinner shirt the only thing separating me from laying flush against her body, was not necessarily a thought that put me to sleep. 

I wasn't risking it. 

This way, though I'd surely not get a wink of sleep, at least ensured that the thin barrier still swept up between us stayed intact for as long as the both of us could hold it. 

I could feel it crackling already. 

I had known she was beautiful from the day I saw her. The same way I knew that the sky was blue and the forest around us was a myriad of green and brown. It was an objective fact. 

Rebecca Cross was beautiful. Ice was cold and fire was hot. Strange how both seemed to flow through my system simultaneously whenever her glacier eyes settled on me. 

Especially with that smile this afternoon. 

I dragged a hand over my face and redirected my attentions to the street outside. Pedestrians crossed over the aged stone path, some hurrying, others slumped over. Some looked as though they had no roof to spend their nights under at all. 

My eyelids grew heavy when a soft rain pattered on the glass. Without a clock, my best guess would place the time around 3 in the morning. The rain grew heavier with every second. 

And Rebecca slept soundly. I glanced over to her more times than I would like to admit. I couldn't place if it was simply a longing for sleep, or the fact that she proved herself capable today for the first time since she insisted to tag along. 

Or the growing feeling that this pull towards her had been there all this time. 

Then the shooting started. 

Covered by the thundering pattern of rain, yet painfully distinguishable. Sharp rounds fired rhythmically, and I was on my feet in less than a second. A rough shake of her shoulder was enough to have her flying upright, looking around her dizzily before settling her sleepy eyes on me. 

''Get up.''

She untangled herself from the sheets and slung her pack over her shoulder, hesitating before eyeing the guns I'd placed upon the small dresser. 

''Take one,'' I told her when she sent me a look. 

She did. The shots outside grew louder, accompanied now by shouts in rapid Spanish. Beside me, Rebecca's breaths came out in short, panicked puffs. I resisted the urge to pull her towards me.