The Hidden

Chapter 22

I heard a rustling sound that I assumed was the human getting into the sleeping bag, then there was just the quiet stillness of the night.

I had a feeling of unease as the darkness pressed in around. It wasn't as if I was afraid of the dark, I had spent plenty of nights traversing the vast forest with Aven. I could handle the dark, but being in the dark with a giant was an entirely new experience. I couldn't see myself being able to fall asleep, not with a human so close by. I couldn't let my guard down with humans around, even if they were currently sleeping. I considered the idea of slipping out of the tent and going back to my hut, but I feared what would happen if the human found me going against his wishes. I had already stepped dangerously near the line, I was afraid that I would cross it, and the human wouldn't be as lenient as he had been.

This thought brought on a shudder. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling the product of the day's emotional trauma. The thoughts of my family and my friends that I had desperately been trying to fend off the entire day came flooding into my mind. I felt tears sting my eyes as I tried to imagine what they were doing now. I could see mom, dad, Ash and Cassia sleeping on the floor of grandma and grandpa's hut in my mind. I thought of Aven and Quinn. Aven would be sharing a bed with one of her sisters in her aunt's hut. Quinn would probably be sleeping on the floor next to his brother and sisters in his grandparent's hut.

Tears were now freely falling from my eyes. For once I didn't try to stop them, I just let them fall. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I then let my head fall into the space between my knees and my chest, welcoming the soft touch of the mouse fur on my face.

I guessed I had eventually ended up letting my desolation carry me into unsettled sleep as I recalled chunks of dreams pestering me through the night. I couldn't remember anything concrete, only images of my parents and siblings, of my friends and neighbors, of an enormous brown eye staring at me through a doorway.

Once the dreams and nightmares ended, I managed to get a small bit of real rest. I was still deep in sleep when I heard the sound of my name being called. "Kalla?" It said. Only barely awake, I wondered why the voice seemed to come from above me, though I was still too submerged in sleep to think too much of it. I tried to focus on slipping back into my slumber, I didn't want to wake up just yet.

"Uh hey...Kalla?" The voice persisted. I groaned as I felt myself being forced awake. Still groggy as I dragged my eyes open, I expected to see Cassia grinning at me deviously, happy to have irritated me.

But I didn't see Cassia. Nor did I see Ash, or mom or dad. Instead I saw the white rubber of a sneaker, of a massive sneaker.

I screamed in a high pitch as I stumbled onto my feet. However I didn't remain there long, I quickly staggered backwards onto the ground, letting out a grunt of pain as I did so.

Suddenly the events of the last day came flooding back to me. Humans, pockets, boxes, fear. I panted heavily as the memories returned and I remembered that I was in the human's tent. I couldn't believe I had let myself fall asleep when in such close proximity to a human. I was an idiot. What kind of hidden let their guard down like that with humans around? An idiot kind, that was what kind.

I looked up to see the human looking down at me, startled. Clearly he hadn't expected me to wake up screaming.

"Whoa, whoa relax. You weren't kidding when you said you were a jumpy person huh?" He said, eyeing me with uncertainty.

I didn't respond, I just sat there trying to catch my breath, trying to recover from the onslaught of returning memories.

I noticed the human had changed out of his sleeping clothes and into a red hooded top and a pair of jeans once again. I began to wonder how long he had been up before he had woken me up. I hated the idea of him seeing me sleeping, absolutely helpless and defenseless.

"Well uh, I'm going out to have some breakfast. Did you want anything?" Connor asked me. I then became very aware of how hungry I was. I had forgotten to eat the berry I had packed last night. Now I felt the full brunt of an entire day without eating a single thing. Despite this, I still wasn't going to accept food from the human. I'd eat what I had then get some other food, because the small berry wasn't going to fill me up.

I shook my head. "I'm fine." I murmured quietly.

I felt my entire body tense up as Connor lowered himself into a crouching position in front of me. God I hated it when he moved like that.

"What did you say? I couldn't hear." He told me, tilting his right ear towards me so as to hear me better.

"I said I'm fine." I told him, more loudly this time.

"Alright well, wait for me until I get back." The human said in a way that sounded something like a command as he straightened back up to a standing position.

I made no indication that I agreed but I guess the human didn't need one, as he turned and exited the tent, dreadful zipping noise and all.

I quickly took off my night dress and pulled out a blouse made out of a green leaf and a skirt made from what I think was a sunflower petal and put them on. I hurriedly ate the small red berry before slinging my bag over my shoulder and slipping out under the tent.

Though I had every intention of making this a covert trip, it felt good to being going against my human captor. You're not the boss of me. I thought defiantly as I stepped out of the confines of the tent.