Unraveling The Faded

Chapter 15

     Last night I didn't get that much sleep at first. I kept waking up thinking that thing was going to be there watching us as we slept. Throughout the rest of the night I could hear its' moans being carried on the wind and ringing through the cramped walls of our little cave. But after some time, not even the imminent threat of a rampaging monster couldn't keep my eyes open any more than it already had been doing. 

When I had woken up there was light sneaking its' way inside and casting out any shadows that it touched. Sleep still clung to me strongly as I tried to adjust my eyes. They felt heavy and were a struggle to open, dark circles etched under my eyes like they had been carved and honed into a point like the tips of our spear. The stillness of the morning was accompanied by what smelt like mist floating through the air causing dew to formalize on the edges of the cave's walls. 

The quietness of the day was both welcomed and fear filled as the memory of last night's little  adventure had rendered silence to be an uneasy acquaintance of ours. I wanted to get up but my body was not complying. Sleeping had left no trace of aches or pain but now that I was awake the flood of how hard I really hit the ground yesterday was making itself known. It started in small ripples along my legs as it made its' way up to the rest of my body. Then it shot up like the crack of lightning with all its' power and randomness. I barely was able to nudge my head towards the sun light from under my blanket that I was wrapped in.

My lids were drooping, I was fighting to not fall back asleep. If I did I'm positive by the time I wake up again it'll be nightfall and we'll have lost another day. There was no way I was staying in this place with that thing that I personally had mutilated. I had the suspicion that it held onto grudges. 

The cold barged in and made my teeth chatter and body shudder. I could  feel my nose getting ready to drip as it was turned slightly red and frosty to the touch. Without any feeling I let go of my blanket and used my sleeve to wipe my nose. That one movement made me close my eyes and wished the pain would just knock me out of my misery. But I wasn't that lucky.

For a little bit there were no thoughts at all in my mind. I was completely blank, in a haze. My gaze was to the wall on the other side of the cave. I just continued to stare at it, blinking repeatedly. I could make out the rocky lumps of the wall that were painted in moss like the field of tall grass that I used to walk through. Halfway up the wall the moss had become less and less until it was gone. Just like where I used to live, gone. Or whatever life I had lived that was now forgotten in every sense of the word. Gone.

     I broke my clouded thoughtless thoughts with one blink, the softness of the flutter of my eyelashes. I inhaled profoundly with just as much fatigued annoyance as I let out my sigh. I tried to lift myself from my stiff and dirt bed but I leaned on my elbows as even that effort felt like much too much. My bones ached and my muscles exhausted but still I slowly brought myself to a sitting position. I rotated my head around and stretched my shoulders hearing them crack at my movements. Yawning, I turned  to see if Jean was still sleeping but quickly learned that was a bad idea.

I groaned at my soreness and instead I carefully moved my whole body around to find Jean's back to me. His blanket was wrapped around hos body tightly like mine had been. He was curled into himself with the blanket completely over his head. I watched him stir in his sleep which I was thinking might have been because of the loss of body heat. Although it was not much, us having our backs up against each other had helped a little bit to keep warm. 

Looking at Jean asleep, I thought about how easy it would be now to just get up and leave. I could pack up my flashlight and blanket, take the spear and go. I wouldn't have to rely on anyone for anything anymore and not have to constantly worry that I am going to be left on my own. It's funny, I used to wish that I would always be alone because I didn't want to go through all the emotions of getting close to someone just for them to end up like the two men all that time ago. And now, that's not my main concern. Now I worry that I will be abandoned by Jean after I have gotten used to having him around.