Missing Streams

Late Night Talk - 11

Laying in bed, I stared at the roof. Ceiling? I didn't really care. But the room was dark and I couldn't sleep. It wasn't enough that I'd had something bad at dinner and already puked out my stomach contents, now I was laying awake without a wink of tiredness.

Supper was fairly eventful. Scarlet got in a fight within five minutes of supper being served. A fight being that number four of the squadron pissed her off, so she dumped a bowl of soup on him before knocking him the fuck out. I didn't see it but apparently she punched him in the temple. I didn't even know anything was happening until his head hit the floor.

She got carted away pretty quickly, put in detention until lights out. She didn't talk to anyone when she got back, she just went straight to bed. I wasn't going to bother her after two hours in detention. Whatever detention even was. I wasn't really curious.

But now I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to stay in bed. I didn't have the chance to ask Scarlet whether or not she had made it outside, and figured I would check it out for myself. Not much else to do. So I headed out.

***

The brisk air wrapped around my body, making me shiver. It was a cold night despite how warm it was during the day. In the moment, the chills woke me up. But soon enough I'd be curled up under a blanket, ready to sleep.

There was actually dew on the grass, shining in the moonlight. I noticed a path where it was disturbed, and immediately wanted to follow it. I wasn't too worried about any dangerous animals, figuring the ten foot fence would keep those out.

But as I rounded the corner, some primal fear sparked in the back of my brain. I briefly laughed at myself for being scared of ghosts, but realized there was something realistic to be afraid of.

What if someone was waiting to break my spine? No, that was dramatic. Someone could still beat me up, though. Was this place like prison? Would I get raped?

I didn't want to think about that.

Trees scattered the yard, but none of them anywhere near the fence. It was because of their shade that I walked a while before spotting a person sitting against a tree. It scared me for a second, making me freeze.

Then I noticed their lopsided hairdo, and relaxed. It could only be Scarlet sitting there and I decided to approach before I was considered a weird creeper. She could've just told me to fuck off if she wanted me to leave her alone.

When I did get close enough for her to notice me, she barely spared me a glance before she lowered her head again. Her eyes were glazed over in the way that made me think she might have been sleepwalking. She quickly proved me wrong.

"Well? Are you here to say anything?" Her voice was venomous, she spoke with resentment I couldn't understand, "Or were you just hoping I killed myself?"

"What?" I tried to think of something to say, "I-"

"Sorry." Scarlet shook her head, her voice having softened in mere moments "I didn't mean to flip."

"It's okay." I smiled, hoping not to make her feel bad, "Was it the same with that soup shower earlier?"

Scarlet sounded like she was choking as she stifled a laugh, composing herself to speak through a grin, "No, I did mean to do that. It was great."

I sat down next to her, relaxing now, "What did he do to deserve it?"

"Oh, not much." She chuckled, "He didn't really deserve it at all. I just decided he was looking at me wrong."

I wasn't so jovial anymore, "Was he being creepy?"

Scarlet shrugged, "No, he just looked like he didn't like sitting next to me. Figured I'd give him a reason to avoid me."