Dying Embers

Chapter Fifteen

   CARLENE

     I couldn't see River's face but I could tell there was pain in his eyes. Jessie slept beside him and seemed not to be disturbed by his screams. He screamed very loud. How could she not have heard it? She must be very tired. I tried to sooth River by hugging him. I laid on the other side of River. I placed my head on his chest his heart still raced on. 

          "What was your dream about?" I asked. He breathed uneven heavily. He tried to gain control but somehow he just lost it. 

         "River we all lose control sometimes. We are only human." 

  "Yeah I know," he whispered. I could hear the pain in his voice. 

  "What was your dream about?" I asked again. 

   "Can I just go to sleep?" He asked. I nodded in the darkness. He didn't want to talk about it. I understood that completely. 

        "Yeah you can go to sleep," I said softly. He sighed and I heard him lay his head down. I guess I should go to sleep too. I couldn't though. I am tired of sleeping. I stood up quietly and walked out of the hut. The stars were out and the moon was shining full. I looked at how the moon shined on the water and sighed in content. It was very beautiful. No beautiful wasn't good enough. I shook my shoes off and I stepped onto the silver sand. I let my feet sink into the warm sand before I walked towards the water. It was a low tide at least that's what it looked like. I sat down by the water and watched the stars reflection in the water dance. I sighed and moved my feet centimeter by centimeter closer to the water. When my toes touched the cold salt water I jumped and giggled. It was really cold. 

        "Ahem," someone behind me said. I jumped t the sound of the unfamiliar voice. When I turned my head I was the dark and mysterious Robert. 

         "Oh I'm sorry. Was I disturbing your sleep?" I asked politely. 

    "No but when I heard River's screams yes that's what disturbed me," he said. I liked Robert's voice. It was calm and deep. 

            "He doesn't trust me," said Robert. I looked into Robert's dark brown eyes. He didn't seemed hurt..actually he looked kinda proud. 

             "It's good that he doesn't trust most people on this island. I don't trust anybody not even you," he said looking at me. I nodded. It was understandable. I didn't trust him so feelings are mutual. 

            "But little girl, I have to say I rather trust you, Larry and River than anybody else on this damn island," he said. I nodded. I don't know why he was telling me but I guess there's a reason. 

         "Why are you telling me this?" I asked. 

       "Because we might have eaten but have all of us had enough? I know why Diana killed herself and she's smart. She rather die than be eaten by people."

       "So are you saying the people are still hungry?" I asked. He nodded.

"So we'll get more fish," I said hoping that would solve the problem.

     "What happenes when they get tired of eating fish? That Lucifer boy has a knife. I know who he wants to use it on too."

        "Who?"

  "River."

    My blood ran cold. I do not like Lucifer. The lanky boy gave me the creeps.  

       "Just listen, don't trust nobody here. Fend for yourslef and do NOT fall in love," Robert said backing away towards the huts. I looked away. I looked down at my feet. Don't fall in love? Did he think I was in love? No. I don't think I am..No I am not in love with River. Robert is just a paranoid old man. I don't hate him just don't trust him. I looked back at the stars' reflection again. I heard a low nonmenacing growl behind me. When I turned my head I saw Nena looking at me. I grinned. 

        "Well it's good to see you Nena," I whispered. She walked towards me and sat down beside me. I rubbed her back and sighed. All through the night I stared at the stars' reflcevtion and rubbed Nena. When the sun came up she walked back into the forest not looking back. The sunrise in my opinion, isn't as beautiful as the sunset. 

       "Hey Carlene," I heard Rive say sitting beside me. Whoa he was sneaky. 

"Hey," I said smiling. 

    "Um...It was my dad," he said. 

"What? Your dad?" I asked. 

   "My nightmare.." he trailed off. Ohhhh. His dad. He was dead and probably his death that cause a dramactic affect on him. 

      "I'm not going to say it's gonna be okay, alright? I hate it when people do that becaus it's not alright. If you have nightmares I'll be there fo you and when your leg starts the pain of your ass I'll help you," I said smiling. He grinned. 

      "Carlene...Jessie..I feel like I should protect her. I feel responsible for her..I want to protect her. I feel like I'm her father, her guardian. I just want to be there for her," River said looking me in the eyes. I smiled. He had so much devotion for her. Jessie has become attached to him. I have seen the way she looked at him at the river. She thinks of him as her father. She loves him as well. 

       "Hey," Jessie said shyly walking towards us. 

       "Well speaking of Jessie," I said smiling. Jessie fell on River's lap and leaned her head against his naked chest. Minutes later she was snoring softly. I laughed quietly and looked at River. He looked good in the sunlight. His skin looked tanner and his hair looked blonder. His eyes were bluer shockingly. They were as blue as the ocean water. I pressed my lips together and remembered Robert's words. Was I? River made me all wrm inside. He made me want more than just a kiss. I blushed embarrassed of where my thoughts have gone. 

       "Do you want to go to the waterfall today?" River asked. I grinned.

  "Yes," I said a bit too fast. River grinned. H epicked Jessie up and put her back in the hut. I walked by there but froze when I heard them talking. 

     "Where are you going?" Jessie asked softly.

 "I'm going to the river Jessie but you can't go okay? I'll be back I promise," he said. 

"River...can I call you daddy? Because you are like a daddy," Jessie said. 

"Of course you can Jessie." 

"Well...I love you daddy," Jessie said. 

       "I love you too Jessie," River whispered. Tears rushed to my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. No. My father doesn't care so why should you, Carlene? I hated myself for caring. River stepped out and I put on a smile. 

       "Ready to go?" River asked. 

"Wait," I said putting on my shoes that I left by the hut. 

     "Now I'm ready," I said smiling. We walked to the river and jumped rock to rock across it and then we walked along the bank towards the waterfall. 

     "Now here we are," River said smiling and looking at the waterfall. 

       "You really do care for Jessie don't you?" I asked. He grinned and nodded. We took turns back and forth swinging on a vine that was attached to a tree. We laughed and splashed each other with water. I wrapped my fingers around a vine and swung directly towards River hitting him. I let go of the vine and landed on top of him making him grunt when we hit the ground by the waterfall. Just when River was about to kiss me we heard a loud pitched scream from the person River loved dearly. Jessie.