The Camp of Elements

The Whispering

Lauren's POV:

I wake up to the sound of a smack. I groan out of the back of my throat, it echoes in the still cabin. I blink my eyes open, running my fingers through my surprisingly smooth hair.

"Stupid mosquito.." I hear Camila grumble above me. I smile at the sound of her voice.

I look towards the window where our wooden shapes stand proudly. The sky is still dark, I shake my head and roll over. I close my eyes, trying to block out the activity in my mind. The silence shoots a shiver through my body and my eyes flick open. I sigh softly, not wanting to wake the others. I stare at the top of my bunk, shaking my head slowly. I'm never going back to sleep.

"Lauren?" Camila whispers, she sounds distant.

I let silence fill the air. I want her to go back to sleep, if she knows I'm awake; she won't. The sound of mattresses crinkling fills the quiet air, another loud crunch rings through the cabin. The sound stops.

"Lauren?" Camila repeats, her voice small. I sigh in defeat.

"Yeah?" I ask, my voice raspy from sleep; like it always is. I prop myself up on my elbows.

"Are you awake?" She asks, I chuckle slightly. I turn to look out into the cabin but my eyes land on Camila's face instead. She is dangling her head from the top of her bunk, her hair drapes down like a curtain. We connect eyes and she smiles.

"Yeah, wide awake." I answer, Camila's smile grows wider.

"Something crazy happened when I woke up." Camila shares with me, I nod. "I woke up, and look," she dangles her arm from the side of her bed. "I was wearing a sweatshirt! The crazy thing is I've never seen this sweatshirt before in my life." Camila's eyes glow with amazement.

I chuckle before sitting up completely. "Oh, really?" I ask, sarcasm laced in my tone. Camila doesn't pick up on it.

"Yeah," Camila says seriously, her eyes not leaving mine. "I'm not kidding."

My chuckle grows into laughter, Camila's facial expressions morph into confusion. "Camz," I say, the nickname slipping off my tongue again. Camila's face softens at my words. "That's my sweatshirt."

Camila's face falls, "Oh," she whispers. Her face then lights up again. "But I also found this yellow blanket on my bed, I swear it's not mine."

"It's also mine," I clear up, Camila disappears from my sight. Her bed crinkles again as she moves over to the ladder, her feet appear on the ladder steps. Her feet are covered with the same polka dot socks she wore yesterday, I guess Dinah and I forgot to change them.

"Why?" Camila asks once her feet gently thump onto the ground.

"What do you mean 'why'?" I question, sitting criss-cross; I still don't know what that means. Camila joins me on my bed, she sits the same as I do. She leans against the bed frame.

"Why did you give me your sweatshirt and blanket?" She asks again, her eyes focus on mine.

"Why wouldn't I?" I shrug, Camila smiles warmly at me. She wraps her arms around herself. "Anyway, were you warm last night?"

Camila nods, her smile growing slightly. I smile back at her, she's irresistible. "Yeah, I was. Thanks to you, Lauren."

"Anytime, Camz." I say, reaching across the bed and placing my hand on her knee; it feels right.

Camila's eyes wander to the window, her irises land on the wooden letters. The room seems to heat up like a furnace, I feel sweat beads develop on my forehead. Silence over takes everything, I study Camila's face. She looks like she's deep in thought, maybe she can't even see the wooden blocks. She then brings her fists up to her eyes and rubs them while yawning.