The Lost Ones Book 2: Welcome Home

Chapter 57

Tyler was the first to wake up. While he was one of the first asleep he hadn't been that way for long. Random spots of pain would sear through his arm and cause him to stay awake. Not to mention the nightmares, which just made everything a million times worse. For the whole night he stayed where he was, leaning on Jerome, yet barely catching a wink of sleep. Before he even knew it the sun was rising through the trees.

Everyone else was still asleep, exhausted from what had happened earlier.

Tyler breathed a heavy sigh and stood up. He stretched, causing another spike of pain to trail up his arm. He winced and let out a small grunt before beginning to pace around the small, roofed area in the forest. The rain had thankfully died down, but there was still a light drizzle falling from the sky.

Sqaishey stirred awake and stretched before spotting him. "Tyler??" She asked quietly.

Tyler jumped a bit before turning to her. "O-oh! Good morning!" He gave her a strangely fake smile.

"Good morning... How are you feeling?"

"Ah, could be better I guess."

"Yeah, same here." She agreed softly, standing up.

Tyler looked put into the rain, falling silent.

"... Are you sure you're okay, Ty?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tyler nervously replied.

Sqaishey didn't look convinced but let it drop. "Okay." She looked up at the rain and took a deep breath. "I love the smell of rain, don't you?"

"Um... I guess I've never really thought of that before." Tyler responded. "It does kinda have this sorta... somber smell, if that makes sense?"

"Yeah. I think its refreshing." She smiled. "Usually I'd be at home with Stampy and alyx and ori, bundled in blankets drinking some warm tea..." she smiled sadly.

Tyler nodded. "I'd probably be in bed." He chuckled "Well, until Drum wakes me up."

Sqaishey laughed. "Sounds like most peoples plans on a rainy day."

"Heh, yeah. Except I spend most of my time sleeping even when it's not raining."

She giggled. "Yeah, Stampy tends to take Cat naps if he's not recording. The animals take advantage of that quite often."

Another sigh came from Tyler. "I just wish we could go back home..."

"Me too..."

"But... w-what if we don't make it out? What about our families?"

"I... I don't know, Tyler..."

Tyler held onto his broken arm. "We've nearly died so many times. We've even tried to kill each other!"

"I know..."

"I'm beginning to lose hope honestly..."

"It's hard to keep it..." She agreed softly. .

"Yeah..." Tyler looked back out at the rain.

"Do we even know if Stampy and Jason are here?" She asked quietly.

"I remember getting pulled into some portal... I think Jason was there? But considering what I've seen that could have just been an illusion to pull me in."

Sqaishey hummed. "maybe..." She replied quietly.

"It'd be better just to hope that they aren't here..."

"Yeah, I hope so..."

Tyler sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

She glanced at the others. "Guess everyone's still tired."