“Norman!” Emili screams waking Mello and Jared from their slumber. “Norman!!”
“Oh my god, something’s wrong!” Mello whips the sleeping bag from her body and runs to the door of the tent.
“Mello, wait.” Jared’s sleepy voice stops her.
“What?” She turns to ask him, crouching at the door of the tent, holding the flap in her hand.
“You don’t have any clothes on. Here.” He tosses his shirt her way and she throws it on, it reaches mid-thigh on her, enough to cover her nudity. She slithers out of the tent.
Jared lets his head fall back onto the pillow. He stares up at the roof of the tent, not ready to deal with another day of fighting and uncertainty. His life had changed completely in only two days’ time and he wasn’t sure he liked the direction it was heading. As he lay on the hard ground, hearing the sounds of birds chirping intermixed with the screams of Emili, he just wanted this all to end, any means necessary; even if it meant death. That thought terrified him, sending a piercing jolt throughout his body. He knew in that moment, he didn’t want this life.
Mello shivers in the early morning cold. She almost turns around to grab a pair of pants and shoes; but the sight of Emili falling to her knees sends her running.
“Emili! Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Mello falls to kneel beside Emili, whose face is streaked with tears. She is sobbing uncontrollably and can hardly catch her breath.
“C’mon, let’s go sit in the tent. You are freezing.” She grasps Emili by the arm and helps to pull her up.
She leads her to the tent and lays a blanket across her shoulders. Despite the extra layers, Emili continues to shiver. Her tears are still streaming from her face and she rocks back and forth.
“Hey, calm down Em. What is going on?” Mello rubs her back trying to offer some comfort.
“He is gone. Something’s wrong…I just know it.” She speaks in between sobs.
