Deceive

Chapter 5

Coming awake with a groan I snuggle deeper into the warmth around me. The sun is brightening, Turing the dark world bright behind my eyelids. I bury my face into something warm. It was smooth and smelt clean, it had been so long since I smelt something clean. Arms tightened around me, my heart leapt into my throat, my instincts kicking in. Throwing my weight to the side, suddenly I broke the hold of the arms around me, snapping my eyes open. I found a disgruntled looking Dylan and a snarling Betsy, but not at me, at Dylan. Betsy who had been l*****g Dylan’s face ‘like no tomorrow was growing at him. Because of how I acted? It amazed me, the loyalty of this creature.

“What, what's going on?” He said groggily, sitting up. He started rubbing his side, wincing in pain. I shook my head frantically, embarrassment making my face heat.

“No- Nothing, I thought I saw a spider.” I stammered. Gosh, I sound like a child.

Dylan screwed his face up.

“Spiders.” He shuddered. He started collecting the camping gear, stuffing them into bags and clipping them to others.

Taking a long draught of water before passing the bottle to Dylan. Swishing the cool water around my parched mouth before swallowing. I poured some water into a colapsable bucket for Betsy, she drank from it greedily.

We had been walking for a few hours, stopping for a break now, Betsy had forgiven Dylan once she realised he didn’t mean any harm to me. A tingling in the back of my mind and the slight present flip of my stomach told me things I wasn’t ready to analyse. Pushing the thoughts and feelings away I marched angrily up a hill. It meant nothing, it was nothing. I was just happy to be warm. With a start I realised I was lying to myself. I stopped abruptly. I was lying to myself, the one person I promised not to lie to. And yet I was denying what I felt. Dylan realised I wasn’t walking with him and stopped, waiting for me to catch up. I did. I need to stop lying to myself, I liked being in his arms. There big secret no need to lie. I grew angrier at myself, there are people in this world that arn’t out to get you, Hope. I mentally scolded myself. Dylan was proof of that. With a start I realised that I trust him. This feeling was new to me, I’ve only trusted very few people in my lifetime, and one dog. Yet I could go 100 years in ‘Pit Stop’ always looking over my shoulder, never trusting a smile. But only knowing Dylan for 3 days, I trust him.

Dylan’s POV

I didn’t mean to scare her. She felt so good in my arms, so peaceful, nothing calculated or hidden. She slept with her mouth slightly parted, her nose scrunched when she moved in her sleep and she looked okay. She still looks like she has a shield around her, no one gets in and nothing gets out. It’s not as prominent as before, but it’s still there. I hadn’t relised I had dosed back off to sleep until she was lashing out. When my eyes opened, her frightened ones made my gut tighten. So we played dumb.

I hadn’t relised she had stopped walking until I looked back. Betsy was at her side, a dutiful guard dog. She had a confused and bewildered look on her face. I hope I didn’t cause that look. I have to talk to her. But I’m afraid if I try to break down her walls she’ll run. Maybe I should let her take her walls apart herself. I would wait for her, I would stand by her as she took her walls down brick by brick. God, I hope she’ll let me.

Hope caught up to me, Betsy at her heels. Her face became unreadable and a knot formed in my throat, I suddenly found it hard to swallow. Is she okay. I was so preoccupied with trying to read Hope’s face that I didn’t notice Betsy. Her ears were flat against her head, teeth bared. Looking into the tree line at my back.

“Hope,” I say. My world becomes fuzzy, Betsy is growling, Hope is screaming. Anger and sadness and concern written on her face. Betsy launches herself into the air. The ground meets my face. Everything is happening in slow motion. Something is wrong. Warmth is spreading throughout my torso. Sticky and wet. Hope kneels down in front of me. And for the first time, I can clearly see the emotions on her face. The urge to smile is quickly overtaken by pain. Blinding and searing, replacing all thoughts and feelings of warmth. There is only pain. And then, nothing.