The Ruins

Chapter 16

Max was the first to wake up- this usually never happens. Being the twelve year old boy, he sleeps like a log, what Lalon said to him at one point. He does at times sleep so hard no one could wake him up until Killeen pushes him off a bed or couch, smacking his nose on the floor. He hated wake up calls since the RK's have certain a times for jobs and wanted them to help and get a work load experience. But these months now, he's getting up early, at the time to see the sunset shining on his window.

He rubs the sleep off his eyes, combing his hair with his finger. He grabs at the left of his drawer where his hat laid. Putting it on, a hands appears on the curtains.

"You're up early." Mal noticed.

"I notice you've been too." Actually, he notices for the past year or two he's been in the Tradepost with Mal. Occasionally, he presumed her exhausted, sleep deprive was a routine of being a light sleeper. He wouldn't hide about that, who would sleep soundlessly in a place like The Ruins. Even you're in a protective, well secured, highly powered community with high fenced walls you still be cautious on sleeping.

Although, there's time where he walks along the kids room to the bathroom and the candle light is on which is time for the generators to stop using power at night, conserving fuel, and he remember the faint breathing. He went inside, only peeking through the room to see Mal in the dim poor light bathroom, her reflection showed her face. She was covered in her own sweat, taking deep breathes, and was frightened, paralysed but there was also something that was hidden, not quite clear but understandable to read. It may have been frustration, down right pissed at herself.

Max never had the guts to come and talk to her why she is not sleeping and waking up from nightmares. He knew it would be rude to come up and ask and have her ignore or order him to go so tries not to, however, there's guilt and an passive pull in his chest to go and say it. But he goes baby steps.

"Max... Let's just say no one can sleep good-"

"In The Ruins, I know. But you always be the first to be up and I sometimes hear you wake up - violently." He senses her body to shiver, eyes in thought, lips shrinking. She debating on it, wanting to tell something.

"Max- I-I... I know you worry for me but don't, please. It just nightmares and... eventually they'll go away. It's ok." She then opens her arms as Max closes himself close and inhales her scent of gun powered and sweet honey (from the perfume that Vix puts on her). He then lets go and heads into the kitchen to grab some breakfast as Mal follows as well.

-:-:-:-:-

Mal woke up early the next morning to sunlight streaming into her bedspread, the sun shining on the decor blankets hanging on the side. She's slept mostly through the night, she realized. The nightmares had still shown up, but, thankfully, she'd stayed asleep.

She lingered in her spot on the hallway where the kids bedroom are for a bit, mulling over Max's concern. It wasn't like she was arrogant to call him off like she did with Lugh.

Communication had never been one of her strong suits, but Max knew she was keeping things like its bottled up into her deep thoughts. But she'd never felt like this before, so vulnerable and scared, and she wanted to get it off her chest. It was just that she couldn't as there's a pressure in her lungs. She would have preferred it to be someone she was closer to, someone she knew she could trust. Although, she trust Max however she did tell someone although, their reactions drove Mal to the point of maybe thinking of not telling it at all, be able to handle this mess herself.

Now that Max and Lugh know something, and that Lugh had offered to...to talk to her, and Max to be there for her...she wasn't sure if she was going to take Lugh up on his offer. She felt childish.