Survival Of The Fittest/By Taran

Chapter 3

Everyone has already fallen asleep and I lay here awake for god knows how long. It's not like we know what time it is. Our phones have been dead. The only device that works, rarely, is Isaac's radio.

The night is chilly, nothing to keep any of us snug and cozy. Except, I have the warmth of Noah's body wrapped around me, which is still boiling hot.

I can hear the trees swaying back and forth. The wind whistles, throwing the leaves around. Noah and I are lucky that we have a tent to shield us away from the wind and the leaves that the breeze blows around.

I take Noah's arm off me, and I quietly unzip the tent.

It's quiet outside, even with the wind howling. I stretch my arms and legs before looking around to see if everyone is okay. I can't sleep knowing that with everyone sleeping something could happen and someone wouldn't be ready for it.

Of course though, Isaac isn't where he is supposed to be. I'm not worried. He's the toughest person I have met, and I know exactly what he could be doing at this time. I get it. There has to be one person on watch or else if no one is up, we are more prone to danger. It's so messed up that he feels as if he should be the one taking care of everyone. I see a shadow that could only be his. The shape of his body, his jacket and of course his hood, that he usually always has on.

"Hey Isaac," I whisper. I walk up to where he is sitting, in front of a stream of water. His legs hanging from the rock.

"Hi." He doesn't look back to see me. He just sits there staring at the water flowing slowly. The sound of the small wave crashing against his rock.

"Mind if I sit?"

"Kinda," he murmurs. I roll my eyes and sit beside him anyway, hanging my legs from the rock as well.

I look at him, his hood covering most of his face, "aren't you scared that something will just pop out and grab you?" I smile at him.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he finally turns my way and looks at me, blankly.

" I couldn't. It's kinda cold. I feel bad, you know?" We stare down at the water together for a minute. The peace and calm of it despite reality.

"What do you feel bad about?" He breaks the silence, drawing us back to our conversation.

"We have a tent and no one else does." It's quiet for another minute, thinking before he speaks.

"Well, it's your tent. It's something you brought from home. It's yours and that's nothing to feel bad about."

I smile at him, not being able to see his face again, except his hair peeking out his hood.

"Do you ever sleep?" I sway my legs back and forth.

"No. Can't." He looks like he hasn't slept well for months. He's got huge bags under his eyes, burned out. Though, the tiredness shown didn't take away from the beauty of his forest-green eyes. 

"Well of course you can Isaac". I get up. When he looks up at me, I put my hand out.

"I'm not getting up," he says looking away once again. I put my hand down in slight defeat. 

"You are fuckin weird, dude. I'll stay watch and you sleep. Try and nap for two minutes. Try it." He annoyed me. Was it so hard to just listen for once? 

He shakes his head and then shrugs, "Ok. But I'm taking a quick nap and I'm laying near you while you watch," he says as he gets up.

I smile and nod. He hands me his pistol, "Wake me up if anything happens. No. Wake me up in 10 minutes."