The river.

Chapter Five

"Jenny, Jenny. Wake up. You have to see this," Peter whispered in her ears.

She let out a groan as she opened her sleepy eyes. They were caught in a moment when Peter got lost in Jenny's eyes. Jenny stared mutually. The sunrise hit its rays on Peter's left eye leaving a brown-orange effect on his brown eyes. Jenny was deep in his eyes.

"Jenny?"

"Yes?" They whispered to each other.

"You are.....you are incredible," Peter said, with one hand on Jenny's cheek.

Jenny placed her hand on top of his. She smiled and just before she was about to say something, Johnny was screaming in his sleep.

"No! Leave him alone! Leave it alone!" Jenny quickly got up, bumping her forehead on Peter's but held the pain in.

"Johnny honey! Johnny!" Jenny shook her son awake, "It's just a bad dream."

Johnny woke up panting as though he was from running for miles. He looked round and hugged his mom. He was sweaty and red. When he looked straight in his mother's eyes, Jenny almost collapsed. Her eyes opened wide and mouth fell agape. She moved back as though she was afraid of her son.

"Johnny?" she quietly called out in caution.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Johnny asked, moving closer.

"Your eyes......your..." Jenny was too shocked to speak.

Johnny's iris turned purple. He was a natural brown-eyed. Peter stared at Johnny in a very suspicious way.

Anam was deep asleep, unaware of what's happening.

"Why are your eyes glowing purple?" Jenny asked in complete shock. Her eyes were wide open, barely blinking.

"Find me, Jenny. Free me from these chambers," Johnny said but it wasn't his voice. It was a mature male voice. "I'm not dead, I'm trapped. My love. Find me."

"Jimluis?" Jenny whispered, her hands over her mouth. She was too shocked to speak aloud.

"Where do we find you?" Peter asked demandingly.

Before the voice could speak again, Johnny collapsed and his eyes stopped glowing. Peter ran to Johnny calling out his name. Johnny woke up traumatised, screaming. He was uneasy. Worse than how he woke up the last time he collapsed.

"Dad!!!!" Johnny called out, crying, begging him to come back.

"I saw my father. I swear I did. He is alive!!" Johnny told Peter, crying.

No one knew how to react. Anam then let out a loud yawn and woke up. He looked around and asked,

"I'm I really such a sadist?"

Jenny was still in shock. She stared at the ground, still sitting. Peter was just staring at Johnny, looking concerned. He then stood up and looked at the sun.

"It's almost daylight, we have to get going," Peter put himself together and told the rest, "Anam, throw me the compass."

Peter stared at it, as though he was thinking of something. He then clenched it in his feast and placed his feast on his chest and closed his eyes taking a deep breath. When he opened the compass, the arrow turned towards west. Peter almost dropped the compass in shock.

"It doesn't bite," Anam said.

"We should probably head west," Peter changed his mind.

"And why so?" Jenny asked in an uncomfortable tone, "You can leave me and my son here. I ran away to stay alive and, I'm not going to some unknown place yet I have a chance to stay alive!"

"What if they are there too? Huh? Jenny what would your son do if you died?" Peter asked with anger, "What would I do?"

Jenny let out a sarcastic giggle, "If you think this is a soap opera to you, you better wake up honey. I'm not going to die intentionally. No."

"Mom, listen to him," Johnny said in a calm voice, "Listen to him mom."

"Son, keep out of this okay?" Jenny stopped her son from talking further.

Peter looked at Jenny with a sad facial expression.

"Jenny, you saw that. I saw that. Jimluis is basically calling out for you! Will you bail on him? What if he really is not dead? Do you even love him?" Peter was getting more agitated.

Jenny lost the strength to stand and sat down, crying. The realization hit her. She really never mourned her husband's death. She did feel sad but she never really expressed the pain. She realised she misses him. Peter walked to her and sat beside her.

"Jenny, you're not alone. Okay? I'm here for you. Your son is here for you. If your happiness means reuniting with Jimmy. I'll be happy too," Peter kissed Jenny on her forehead. Jenny looked up and right before Peter could say another word, Jenny leaned in for a kiss, a kiss so slow and passionate.

Anam covered Johnny's eyes with his hands. Peter put his hands on Jenny's face as they shared that kiss. When she leaned back she whispered to Peter, "You are my hero."

Peter smiled and kissed her forehead again. Johnny slapped Anam's hand to see what happened. But he was too late.

"Come on, we have to get on our feet. It's time to go." Peter told everyone.

"West it is," Anam said.

Johnny had a vest in his bag that his father gave him to wear once he grew older. He gave it to Anam, "Buddy, don't you feel cold?"

"Thanks pal, I owe you one," Anam said, wearing the vest.

Jenny and Peter held hands as they walked. Johnny commented on how happy he was seeing his mother to Anam.

^b%