The Suffocating Darkness. Everything going black. A pull, then dragging. Something warm against my lips, a rush of air to my lungs. Something hitting, beating on my chest. No… wait, something pushing down many times. Something touches my lips again, another rush of air, more pushing. I see a dim light, Nick is hovering over me, he lowers his head towards my face. Warmth again my lips again, wait, is he kissing me? Air rushes in. Then.

Gasp. I take in a deep breathe and clutch my chest, something is restricting my movements. Something is wrapped around me? I take a moment to let my sight adjust to my surroundings, it’s dark and there’s a campfire next to us. I tuck in my chin so I can see what’s wrapped around me, a sleeping bag? But there’s something else inside it, I reach my other arm and feeling around. Clothing… ?

Not the same clothes I had on earlier, I keep feeling around, I hit something soft yet hard. I run my fingers around it… wait, that’s an arm. I go to move my arm that was clinging to my chest, but what i’m feeling doesn’t move. Wait, then who’s arm is this? At this moment I hear a soft voice, “I hope your feeling much better now” Helen says.

Helen is leaning against a huge rock that was nearby the fire, with Doug leaning against her shoulder snoozing away inside their comfy blanket and sleeping bag. They often sleep in weird positions since they both take most of the night watches, making it so one can watch and one can sleep but both still can stay warm. It’s freezing at nights without the sun.

It’s mostly safe if we keep the fire nice and bright, since most of the creatures are terrified of the light. Sunlight will burn them severely and most of the time cause death. Fire won’t hurt them if they don’t touch it, but they haven’t figured that out yet.

They tend to stay away from it’s light. So at nights we keep a fire going for warmth and to keep danger away. It should be relatively safe for everyone to sleep at night, but as a precaution we have someone stay up to keep watch. Both Helen and Doug seem to require way less sleep than Nick and I, so most of the time they keep watch for us.

“Um, what happened?” I ask softly, deciding to ignore the arm that’s around me for now. Giving a questioning look “You don’t remember? Well I guess that’s reasonable for what you went through.” Helen said.

She took a deep breathe, “Let’s see, when you went to inspect the bridge over there, you didn’t watch your step” giving a disappointed look towards me ”and fell through. Doug had to swim out to get you, but by the time he grabbed you, you had drowned. Course Nick, being who he his, went full steam ahead to give you medical treatment. It was about the 3rd round of mouth-to-mouth when you finally responded”.

“I vaguely remember that” I whispered as I touched my lips. Helen didn’t seem to notice it since she was looking up at the stairs. “Then he ordered us to make camp as he went to strip you and himself” she continued, “He did what?!” I said in a hushed yell.

Helen shrugged “I tried to object but he convinced me it was the best course of action” she sighed. She look at me “look, he saved your life. Even if he says it was a team effort, when it comes down to it. He saved your life. Even as we speak, he’s keeping you warm.”

So that’s who’s arm this is, even though I could have figured it out by just thinking a little bit. “But he saw me naked, how am I supposed to face him now?” I ask with a blush, “Like how you normally do” she answered “frankly speaking, he really didn’t see much of you. You know he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize your dignity, he isn’t that type of person.” she says trying to comfort me, “yeah” I say sheepishly as my stomach grumbles a bit, my cheeks blush a bit. Helen smiles and throws me a bag of dried fruit, “try to get some more sleep, we need to get back on the road tomorrow” she says. I nod as I go to grab the bag.

As I’m eating the fruit (I don’t know what I’m supposed to think or feel anymore, did that count as a kiss). Thinking back to when he gave me mouth-to-mouth, (it shouldn’t, no it doesn’t. But why do I feel like I want it to count) as I subconsciously squish his arm, my heart flutters.

(No wait what am I thinking, he saw me naked without my permission, I should be mad at him. But he did do it to save my life, I wonder what he thought of me. Did he like what he saw? NO NO NO, just stop thinking about it). I blush. When I’m done with the fruit, I close up the bag and throw it back at Helen, “night” I say. I shimmy closer to the body of heat next to me for warmth and close my eyes. “Just follow where your heart takes you” Helen says softly.

(Yeah, I try) as I drift off to sleep.