Into the Dark [SLOW UPDATES]

V

(A/N: Awesome banner of Veronica at the side made by @illusions- :))

I woke up with a start, bumping my forehead on whatever it was that was on top of me. But then I realized that it was the bottom of the bed above mine. It was low enough for me to hit my forehead on it when I sat up.

I looked around, rubbing my forehead as I did, and realized that I was in a cabin, but I do not recall going in a cabin last night. It was a small cabin, with two bunk beds beside each other, a small bedside table between them. On top of the table, was a candle lamp, but it was not lit up. It was when I realized that I was in our cabin, and I was starting to hear someone murmuring.

I slid out of my bed, my head bent down so as to avoid bumping it again. I saw Kathleen sleeping on the bed on top of mine.

Her back was turned to me, so I could not see her face. But I can hear her murmurs, muffled by the pillow she pressed to her face.

I shivered, remembering about the death of her father. I remembered the muffled cries and the curiosity I felt. I could not imagine how three people died yesterday. In just one day.

It all seemed so crazy that it felt like it was not real.

"No . . . Don't! Please, no!" I heard Kathleen's murmurs turn into something more like strangled cries. I reached out my hand to wake her up.

"Kathleen, wake up." I gently put my hand on her arm so as not to frighten her, but she cringed away from my hand, pressing herself to the wall beside her.

"No! Get away from me!" she cried again.

I sighed and climbed up to her bed. I put my hand on her shoulder, not pulling it away when she cringed again.

"Kathleen, wake up!" I gently shook her, and she quickly bolted up, her hands gripping my arms so tight and her eyes opened wide. Her cheeks were stained with dried tears and I could tell that she was crying all night.

She hugged me, burying her face into my shoulder. I felt her starting to cry again.

"Cry all you want, I will still be here after you get over it," I said, trying to re-assure her. I did not know what I meant by what I said, but I just felt like it would comfort her.

I do know how it feels to lose a mother, but telling her my sympathy would not do any good, either. She would probably just bawl up and think about how life is so unfair.

When I lost my mother, I thought nothing else could hurt me more than that. I was wrong though.

I may not be close with Kathleen, but just seeing her cry because of the same thing I cried at once made me feel sick. It made me sad knowing that she experienced what I did back then too.

"Calm down now. You might be hungry after everything," I said, smiling weakly at her. I pressed both of my palms to the sides of her face and wiped away her tears with my thumb, chuckling as I did. She forced a smile but did not say anything else.

We left the cabin and walked around the village. She still had to hold my hand for support, and we had to stop from time to time because her legs felt wobbly. The strange thing was, she had not spoken since we left the cabin. Nor the time after her mother was . . . gone.

"Why don't we grab some breakfast? I know someone that can give us some," I said, trying to get her to talk, but she just nodded.

I sighed, leading the way to Madrigal's house. We stopped outside when we got there.

'Benjamin might be inside too,' I nervously thought. I wondered what he will say to me if I see him. I could imagine him saying his stupid sorry to Kathleen for her mother's loss. I wished Madrigal would be the one to open it. I don't know what I would do to Benjamin if he is the one who opened it.