Blood

26.

The tent is buzzing, but I'm exhausted. People still scurry around even though its dinner time

A mild headache threatens to set in.

"Go to bed, Lisa." Edgar suggests and he's gone for dinner too.

I close my eyes and end up drifting asleep.

"Tyler!" I shout. I run towards him but I crash into the force field.

"Tyler." I scream and he turns, his eyes landing on me.

He sprints up to the force field,"Lisa! Oh my god, Lisa." There are tears in his eyes.

"Tyler. You. Have. To. Get. Out. Get everyone you can. Get. Out. Of. The. Force. Field."

"Wait, Lisa. What's happening?"

There's a large flash and something explodes inside the force field, hurling Tyler away.

"Tyler!" I scream.

I sob hysterically,"Ty!"

I wake up with a gasp. I'm sprawled on a cot, wrapped in a blanket. I sit up to find myself still in Cole's tent with a concerned Cole hovering above me-wide eyed.

"Cole." My voice is hoarse.

He looks down at me. I take a deep breath and wrap my arms around him,"Tyler..."I whisper,"My dreams..."

He pats my back reassuringly,"I know, I know."

I release him,"I'm scared." I murmur.

"Well, I'm not." He smiles,"Go back to sleep."

I look down at the sheets and then back at Cole. He shrugs,"You fell asleep and I didn't have the heart to wake you up or pick you up and take you to your tent."

I slide out of the bed.

"Don't go." He says quietly.

I shoot him a puzzled look.

"Please?"

I slide back into the bed, hesitant.

"Why aren't you asleep?" I ask. It's well past midnight.

"I have trouble falling asleep." Cole says settling into a chair and closing his eyes.

"Uhm...Cole?"

"Yeah?" His eyes remain closed.

"Are you gonna sleep on the chair?"

"Mhmm." He answers vaguely. And I take that as a yes.

"No way." I say, sliding out of bed,"I'll sleep on the bed."

Cole opens his eyes,"Just sleep." He tells me.

"I will. If. You. Sleep. On. The. Bed." I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh pretty, girl. Just go to sleep." He groans.

Pretty girl.

I blush, but I answer sternly,"No."

He mutters a curse and comes over to the bed. I make a move towards the chair, but he tugs on my arm,"No." He says.

"What?"

"Don't sleep on the chair."

"Fine, I'll take the floor."

"Just take the bed, Lisa."

"If you don't sleep on the bed, I'm leaving." I threaten.

He smirks,"Then I'd have to follow you, I did promise to never leave you."

I stick my tongue out at him and he quirks an eyebrow in response.

"Fine. I'll sleep on the bed." He throws his hands in the air with an exasperated sigh.

I beam at him.

"But." He adds,"You're not sleeping on the chair-or the floor."

I snort,"Then where do you want me to sleep? On the bed, with you?"

"Sure." He says casually.

I look over to the cot. It's large enough to for two people to sleep without touching. That's when I realize he was serious.

I'm too tired to protest so I reply,"Okay." I will myself to sound bored and unfazed whereas in reality, my heart was thundering in my chest.

I crawl into the bed as the lights go out and Cole crawls in beside me.

Our shoulders are almost touching and I can feel the heat radiating off his body. I lie awake for hours. I'm awake even after Cole falls asleep.

I'm deep in thought about the Afrikans, my back towards Cole. Suddenly his arm shoots out and wraps around my waist and pulls me closer to him. I nearly jump, but Cole is still asleep.

Of course he is! He would have never done that if he were awake.

His arms are warm and I can't help but snuggle closer to him.

This time, my sleep is dreamless.

---

When I open my eyes, its past dawn and I can hear the clanging of utensils and pots outside. It must be breakfast time.

I realize that Cole is gone.

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A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the late update. I'm in a writer's block...so, yeah.

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