Aurora

Chapter 8

Aurora

After putting up a small tent with grasses and sticks. Aurora and Jack sat close to the bonfire they had made with logs of woods, feeling the radiating warmth, coming from the flames.

The night brought such a silence that the crackle of the fire was all that's  heard, "What is this place called?" Aurora asked as they held out their numb hands for defrosting, It was a cold night.

"Lockwood." He answered.

"I mean the country, are we in Britain, Scotland or somewhere deep in New York." She asked, hoping she was somewhere close to America.

He sighed,

"I've spent my whole life in Lockwood and travelling around it and I have never come across those names." Jack said, while pulling out his dagger.

Aurora's eyes widened, "Wait! You haven't heard of New York, America or even England-"

Jack remained quiet,

"What other country is there apart from Lockwood?" She asked.

He says nothing and Aurora understood his silence meant none, tears immediately clouded up her eyes and she bit her lips, holding them back.

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say to this enigmatic woman that had somehow appeared in his path, "You will be fine~" He muttered, he didn't want to look at her terrified eyes, so he stared at the ground and sharpened his knife.

Aurora embraced herself closer to the flaming fire, she didn't want to think about it anymore or cry, She was tired of trying to wrap her mind around the mystery of this place, "You should get some rest, we have a long hike tomorrow-"

Sighing, she embraced herself and stood up, "Goodnight." She whispered.

"Goodnight." He said and watched after her for a while, before returning to sharpening his knife, for the hunt tomorrow and when he grew tired, he placed two more fat logs in the fire and laid next to the flames.

Aurora made her way into the tent and sprawled herself on the floor, and bit by bit, her tears flooded and she cried herself to slumber.

Aurora woke up the next morning to a riffling cry, she sat up from the palm leaves she was lying on, to see an old blanket wrapped around her, how did this get here? she looked around the tent before dashing out, There was no sign of jack in sight but his things where still scattered everywhere,

Aurora tugged herself and walked over to the edge of the lake and sat down on a rock by the water, watching the sunrise. She recalled those times she would just sit by the park beside her store and stare up at the sky.

She wished her life would be that simple again.

Suddenly, the snapping of twigs had her turning, to see Jack crawling out of the woods and as soon as he sees her he smiles and holds up a rabbit,

"I thought you might like some meat."

Aurora manages a small smile and pulling herself up, she walks over to him and settles herself on a mossy log, watching as he sets up the fire, which must have kindle last night.

Once finished he tied the rabbit on a stick and held it out in the fire and they sat in silence,

Waiting..

"How was your night?" Jack asked breaking it.

"Could have been better." She answered, staring blankly at the fire.

"You're Brave." He whispered and Aurora tore her eyes from the flaming fire to him, "I mean, anyone else would have lost their minds in this wood." He explained.

Aurora tucked her hair behind her ear and tugged herself closer before nodding,

"Thanks.." She said and turned her eyes back to the fire and with that they went in complete silence once again, that was before Aurora broke it,

"Tell me about Sarah~" She asked, she was curious to know about the body she was inhabiting.

He holds out the meat closer to the fire before speaking, "What can I say about Sarah Marshall." He paused, choosing his words carefully, "She was just another girl lost in these woods, very curious I must add and persistent."

Sarah Marshall! The name rang a bell in Aurora's ears, she tried to figure out where she had heard the name before, "What, I mean what was she curious about?"

"A lot of things, she believed there was another world beside Lockwood, where the sky was brighter, someone made the horses of iron and the people were nicer, she spent her time obsessing over it. That's why are you being here makes it all strange..."

Aurora stared at him for a while, watching as he untied the meat and cut it into tiny parts with his dagger, "Do you think maybe she was referring to where I come from, my home." She asked,

"It's possible." He said.

Silence..

"So you and Sarah, were you two~" She didn't know how to finish the sentence but Jack understood, "I mean you two seem close.." She stuttered.

"Sarah and I were just friends.  She scratched my back, and I did hers once in a while...Nothing serious."

"Friends with benefits." Aurora muttered and Jack, stared at her with an arched brow, puzzled. "That's what we call it." She explained, and he pondered on it before chortling,

"I like that, friends with benefits." He muttered and airs a piece of meat, before handing it to her.

"Thanks." She mumbles and stares at the meat for a while before taking a bite. It tastes delicious. She thought and dunged in deeper.

Jack chuckled slightly watching her, before turning and staring out at the fire and then he whispered,

"Tell me more about your world.."