Dreamers- A Merome, Pooflan, Wroetostar and Minizerk Story

⋖Chapter 19⋗

Rob's P.O.V.

After my talk with Josh I went and sat down beside Preston, watching as he played a quiet game with Mitch. My heart was heavy. I knew it was inevitable that Simon would die- I could see it in his eyes that he had accepted it and it was going to happen- and possibly Harry too. He hadn't come to terms with it nearly as much but it was going to happen. Something inside me knew.

My eyes trailed over to Vikk and Lachlan, where they were talking quietly together. The young blonde had taken to the smaller dark skinned boy very quickly and even in the week they had known each other they were practically inseparable, even falling asleep side by side at times. I noticed Harry watching them closely, probably because of his protectiveness of his friend, but he never intervened. He let them do their thing.

Preston and I talked quietly one night after everyone was asleep, discussing what we should do, Lachlan curled up just beside us with Vikk next to him. Harry was on the latter's other side. We were pretty sure Josh was awake but he was a little way across the clearing and wouldn't be able to understand what we were saying.

"I don't know if we can trust them." Preston mumbled, tucking his head closer to my chest. "I know that Mitch and Jerome know Vikk and Harry and Lachy's latched himself onto Vikk but..."

"But what?" I said quietly. "They're in mostly the same position that we are, apart from Simon and Harry being so sick. We need to rest, we're in an area that's warm enough and I don't think Lachy'll even want to go now, so why don't we stay? We have no reason not to trust them."

"I guess." He sighed, reaching up to play with my hair. "I still don't know if I like it though."

"I know. I don't know if I do either, but I think it'll be good to stay with them. And with Harry ill... if he dies I think we might be entrusted with caring for Vikk. I don't want to leave him alone."

"Yeah..." He finally settled down against me, his hands grabbing at my sweater. "I guess."

It wasn't long before the both of us were fast asleep.

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I gave Lachlan a small smile as he came and sat down beside me, yawning. He was exhausted after a day of scavenging around the clearing and then an afternoon of playing around in the fast flowing river we had discovered nearby, as were Mitch, Preston and Vikk. Jerome and I had spent the time watching them, talking between ourselves, Harry slept most of the day and Josh and Simon watched from afar, Josh with the younger curled up on his lap.

"You okay there?" I asked, running my hand up and down his back as he leaned against me. He nodded quietly, lighting up as Preston sat down on his other side. "Hey Preston." Said boy gave me a sleepy smile.

It didn't take long before both boys were asleep against me, Lachlan tucked so tightly up against me that I couldn't move for fear of waking him and Preston lying with his head in the formers lap. I held both of them close and just didn't move, calming them when they stirred.

I glanced across at the other boys, smiling at little Vikk when he looked at me. Harry was half asleep on his lap, looking very ill. Even over the week and a bit we had known them I had watched his slow deterioration to the point where he could barely walk- Vikk had to help him with pretty much everything.

Josh and Simon were in much the same position, Josh struggling to cope with everything while Simon was so weak that he couldn't even lift his head. Josh had told me quietly one evening that the only reason they had been on the move was because their area had burned to the ground, forcing them to move. He hated himself for it because he felt it was his idea to keep moving, and it was that that exacerbated Simon and Harry's failing health.

Meanwhile, Mitch and Jerome were the most awake. They weren't talking but were more basking in each others presence, curled tight up against each other. It was cute.

I tightened my grip around Lachlan's waist as he stirred a little, my chin resting on the top of his head. I wanted to sleep but if the others boy were unable to then I really didn't to. As much as I wanted to, I still didn't trust the newcomers.

Lachlan loved them, just as he had loved hanging out with Mitch, especially Vikk. I could already see the connection between the two and I definitely didn't want to leave if it meant separating them, but there were other factors involved. Harry and Simon were deathly ill and Josh... I didn't know. He was worried, stressed and so afraid that Simon would die and leave him alone.

Eventually I lay back and closed my eyes, hoping to get some sleep.

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"I think we can trust them." Preston mumbled, leaning up against my shoulder. I blinked at him.

"Are you... are you sure?" I whispered, making sure the others couldn't hear me.

"Yeah. I'm not about to leave Vikk alone, Harry..." He didn't have to finish the sentence. "And Josh will be in no position to look after him. Plus Lachy loves him." I smiled.

"Yeah... Mitch and Jerome seem to appreciate the company too."

They really did, Mitch had already been attached to Lachlan before we met the others and now the three and now him, Lachy and Vikk spent most of their daylight hours together, laughing, joking and running around the clearing or swimming in the river. Their friendship was adorable, honestly. My gaze shifted to said boys where they were talking and laughing quietly together. Jerome was also included in their conversation and Harry was half asleep on Vikk's lap, quietly listening in.

Across the clearing Simon and Josh were sitting silence, Simon asleep and Josh staring blankly across the ground. Simon had worsened. He couldn't eat anymore without coming back up, he couldn't walk, in fact he could barely lift his head without help from Josh. He didn't speak much either.

"I honestly think we might have to care for Josh too..." I said, trailing off. "I just wish we knew what was causing this."