Seven (Completed)

CHAPTER 15 ~ Gunshots ~ PART 2/2

'Last night ... I thought we'd lost you,' Pierre admitted.

'Yeah, I was pretty scared too,' she answered without turning to look at him.

'Well, we should have known better. You proved yourself more than capable, making it out alive, on your own,' he continued but Sonia would not respond.

Pierre knew that even when he was talking to her, Sonia's mind was with Carlos.  He sighed. 'He'll be alright.'

'I hope so,' Sonia answered just to fill the emptiness between them.

'Sonia, can I ask you something? It's completely irrelevant,' he said, his words soft, almost careful.

'Yeah, I guess,' she said and turned to look at him. Her eyes had their usual sadness but to him, any signs she had not yet lost herself were welcome. Including sadness.

'I heard you've had a lot of nightmares and, well ... I was wondering how you go through them? Like, is there any way that you can wake yourself up?' he asked.

'Why? Are you having nightmares too?' she wondered. She needed a distraction to keep her thoughts away from Carlos' condition.

'Yeah. I've only had two so far but they were so ... so real,' he answered sincerely.

'Right, well ... I don't really have any advice,' she said. Pierre tensed up. 'Really. Most of the time I just .... I just die. It wakes me up. I think it has something to do with fear, though. I usually experience something scary and the fear wakes me up,' she said. At that moment she turned around to look at his expressionless face. 'Pierre, just because it happens a lot to me doesn't mean I'm some sort of an expert. I don't want to have to talk about my nightmares at all,' she said to distance herself from him.

'I'm sorry,' he answered. 'Carlos will be alright. Don't lose your mind over it,' Pierre reassured her before getting up and leaving her side.

Pierre's words made her think. She reached for her journal in her backpack whose pocket was ripped on the side from last night's chase. The pen was untouched at the page she had left it so she picked it up and started spilling out her thoughts on the yellow paper.

 ***

The children were all gathered around the sizzling bonfire. Pierre had suggested they had not lit up a fire but Lucas insisted they would not attack them again right away. The seven travelers had spent most of their day looking for food with poor results and only a small rabbit to cook over the burning sticks.

Carlos broke the silence upon deciding to speak up to Sonia.

'Can I talk to you?' he asked her with a hint of concern.

'Of course,' she answered without hesitation. 'What's up?'

'I meant, like, privately...' he added and everyone suspiciously stared at him.

'What is he hiding?' Lucas wondered.

'Um, fine. Sorry guys,' she mumbled and followed Carlos away from the camp. Carlos led her to an array of big trees, their branches tangled together over the two friends' heads.

'What's the matter?' she asked, her face painted with agony. Her voice became softer, tender even. 'Are you alright?'

'Yes, don't worry about me. I'm gonna make it,' he insisted and took hold of both her cold hands in his palms.

'Please tell me what's going on. You're really scaring me!' she pleaded and looked into his eyes.

'I'm sorry. The gunshots ... you heard last night...'