(recap)
We lay about 4ft apart after all we're still strangers, but before I close my eyes they lock with his, and I just feel warm and safe next to him.
Then we both drift off into dreamland....
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Whitney's (pov)
I toss and turn on my side trying not to lose such a wonderful dream; that I had experiencing moments ago.
I was with my family at an amusement park with my over energetic little sister Lily, dragging me from one vomit educing ride to the next.
But even with my nauseated self and pounding headache I was so happy and overjoyed.
My mother was also there just as much of an adrenaline junkie as my sister, my dad peacefully watching us on the rides from the sidelines.
Then we all decided to go on the fairest wheel, something we all loved to do together.
I looked to each of my family members smiling and laughing, as we approach the top they all turned to me with tears in their eyes. They began to sob, and I saw how much they loved and missed me. They wanted me to come back to them.
Before I knew what happen they disappeared, and I was alone at the top of the fairest wheel.
What once was a packed amusement park was now a ghost town dead and silent. I was overwhelmed with the loneliness. I felt the tears streamed down my face, I realized it was a dream and started shaking myself awake.
My eyes shoot open, and I have a huge sigh of relief loving the fact it really was just a dream.
I feel my pillow and realize it’s moist with my tears. I dab my eyes with the corner of the blanket. I know I miss my family and wishing everything that has happened so far was just a nightmare.
But I have to just face the facts, that this is the situation I'm in and keep a level head, and keep my emotion under control.
I prop myself on my hands, and look over to see Will, peacefully sleeping, well peacefully sleeping while snoring, completely sprawled out on top of the covers.
I hold in a laugh, he just did not seem like a snorer to me.
I don't see how he's not cold, I lean over to place the blanket back on him, and feel a steady wave of heat coming off him.
"What the heck." I nearly shout.
He grumbled in his sleep, but he didn't wake.
So I inch my hand closer to sees if he gets hotter, and a wave of heat is coming off him.
I can't help but be intrigued and want to touch his skin to see if it too is hot. I slowly reach to touch his hand all the while sneaking glances at his face to make sure he's still sound asleep.
His breathing is even a good sign, just a little closer I finally poke him expecting it to be burning, but it’s not, it's normal feeling, how can that be?
I'm confused, so I grab his hand and lightly rub it to see if it will warm up again.
Nothing’s happening and no heat is radiating off him any longer. Suddenly someone clears their throat and I freeze.
Slowly I raise my eyes to meet slightly confused blue ones. I feel my face became warm, and I know I am blushing which I never do. I quickly release his hand that I was still awkwardly holding and stand up.
"I- I, I'm sorry I was just- just, um, there was heat coming from you, and I was just checking and-and then you weren't hot anymore, and, oh my gosh this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry I wasn't thinking and now you’re probably creep out, and I woke you up, I'm sorry, and I'm going to stop talking now."
It all came out so fast I was not sure if he understood any of it. Hell I barely understood any of it.
He just stares at me, I run my hand threw my hair a few times nervously. Then he finally speaks.
"Oh thank god it was just you. I thought, well I thought it was someone else."
"Huh? You mean you're not freaked out or mad?"
"What? No of course not, but was I really that hot?"
"Yes your hot, I- uh mean you were giving off heat that is."
I let out a nervous laugh, god I'm such an idiot, and I just called him hot, which he is but I don't want him to know that's what I think.
He just chuckles and smiles, but thank god he just let it go, and starts to get up and stretch.
"Were you cold last night, because you should have said something I would have gave you my blanket." He asks suddenly.
I'm confused, why is he asking. "Um no, actually I was just fine, why?"
"Well when you were touching my hand."
Ugh I started blushing again as he says it.
"What woke me up was how cold your hand felt." I put my hand to my face, and I must have not notice before, but they are very cold.
"Oh, it's okay it happens to me back home from time to time, not really sure why though, poor circulation or something, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" I wave him off, "yes I'm sure."
A little while later we set off on Dustin again, the forest starts to thin, and we came to the edge of a cliff.
It overlooks a small fishing town, and I can see the vast ocean just ahead.
The water is very dark, and murky looking, but I know that we would have to cross it for us to have any hope in returning home.
I look over my shoulder to Will, and can see his mind turning probably thinking on how we will persuade anyone to take us to the Center Land.
"Are you ready?" I ask Will, snapping him back to reality.
"Yeah, I guess I am, and you?"
"Well since we don't really have any other choice, I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
"Very true." Is all he says" As we continued down a fairly steep path to the town below.
But as we get closer and closer I keep getting this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is wrong or something bad is going to happen. I decide I should stay alert and on guard, Will must have notice my sudden change in mood because he takes one of his hands off the rains, and pats my shoulder for a few moments reassuringly.
It helps a little, but I just can't shake the feeling.
I have never been to a fishing town in my life, but as I look around I guess this is pretty close to what I would imagine. It is still pretty early maybe seven in the morning, and people were just starting to wake up, shops opening, boats being prepared for the journey ahead.
Most of the boats seem very small to me so my hope in one of them letting us on without payment at that is diminishing.
"So how are we going to do this?"
Will seem to ponder this for a while. "Well I thought I would ask around and see if a captain would be willing to let us on, and I would offer to work on the boat as payment or something."
"That might work, but you mean "WE" will work for payment, not just you. I'm not just going to sit back and let you do all the work."
"Well yeah both of us, but I don't want you to have to worry about working, and stuff I mean I don't want you to push yourself if you don't have to. I don't mind taking on more of the workload, whatever that might be."
I just sigh, who does he think I am; some useless dainty girl or something.
I mean I'm no stranger to work, and I am most certainly not dainty.
But maybe he's just trying to be helpful; he did say he doesn't want me to worry which is really sweet.
Oh gosh there I go again, I can’t start to like him, and I’ve already been over this, no getting attached especially to someone like him who is way out of my league.
We continue down the coastline until we see an enormous ship at the very end. There are people scurrying around everywhere getting the ship ready for departure.
Will leads Dustin about 7ft off to the side of the ship, he gets off and offered his hand to help me down, which I take gratefully. I'm not the most graceful person in the world.
"I think this one is it. It's really big so they shouldn't mind having two extra passengers on board. What do you think?"
It surprises me slighting that he's asking me, but I look to the ship, and survey it. I mean he did have a point two extra people couldn't hurt them, but we have no idea if the people are friendly or even human for that matter.
Oh gosh please let them be human. If they're not human I'm sure they'll let Will aboard, but me a human, it's starting to seem not like such a good idea after all.
"I don't know what if they're not human, and they find out I'm human, what if it's not safe."
I look to my feet a little embarrassed that I sounded so scared.
Which I am, but I don't want to show it. I have to be brave in all this. I look back up to him, and he has a reassuring smile on his face.
"That is a possibility, but I think we have to risk it, it’s kind of are only option. But I promise I won't let anything happen you."
The serious look on his face tells me that he means what he said.
But it still doesn't ease the anxiousness I feel in the pit of my stomach.
"Okay then let’s try, I take a deep calming breath, here goes nothing.
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The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.
~Napoleon Hill~