The moon shed a silver shine over the camp, creating shadows across the tranquil terrain. Mia tightened her coat as she moved to the edge of the yard, where Caleb waited, resting nonchalantly against the wooden fence. He straightened when he recognized her, a small smile tugging on his lips.
"couldn't sleep?" He requested, his voice low and blended in with the night.
"Someone has to keep watch," Mia said, looking over her shoulder at the sound asleep camp. "would possibly as well be me."
Caleb nodded, his stare staying on her for too long. She felt her pulse increase, her coronary heart mysteriously drawn closer to him, even as caution murmured on the borders of her mind. He drew closer, his movements soft and almost cautious.
"Come on," he said, nodding at a tiny hill above the camp. "Good view of the entire area. And you could sense trouble coming before it ever got close.
They climbed, the silence between them filled with unspoken phrases. When they reached the summit, Caleb spread out a blanket, and they sat side by side, their backs to the bloodless floor. The celebs gleamed above, crisp and clean against the dark sky.
"How long have you been doing this?" Mia inquired, her tone barely above a whisper.
"long enough to recognise trust doesn't come easy," he added, his tone contemplative. "In this world, it's difficult to distinguish between the good and the bad. Once in a while, you simply realize it's too late."
Mia studied him, noting the harshness in his gaze and the cautious manner he talked. "You've seen a lot," she remarked.
"an excessive amount of." He peered at her, his gaze piercing, keeping her in place. "However, I do not regret it. Even now, humans strive to be different. Perhaps especially now.
Their eyes locked, and for a brief time, she forgot about the threats, suspicions, and hard realities of survival. The world felt unchanged, her heart beating as if she had stepped off a cliff, sinking into something she didn't quite understand. His hand brushed over hers, soft as a whisper, and she felt warmth rise inside her chest.
"You know," he said softly, with a twinkle in his eyes, "for a person who's lived through as much as you have, you still appear… hopeful."
Mia bit her lip and shrugged. "hope's all we've were given, isn't it?"
His stare lingered on her, a hint of vulnerability breaking through his controlled mask. But before any of them could speak, a rumble from beneath jolted them back to reality. Shadows moved closer to one of the tents, individuals sliding into the darkness, their speech muffled yet frantic.
Mia froze, squinting to figure out who it was. Her heart fell when she spotted Zoe, standing just out of sight, peering at a little institution gathered in the shadows. Mia felt a sense of worry: Zoe wouldn't snoop unless she had a reason.
But Zoe's position became unsettling, with her hand resting on her weapon. She appeared to be ready to intervene, but instead gripped her lower back, watching and listening. Mia wanted to call out, letting her know she had changed, but Caleb's touch on her shoulder stopped her.
"Let her be," he muttered. "Zoe is intelligent. She didn't take unnecessary risks."
Mia hesitantly nodded, believing Zoe's instincts. She returned to Caleb, but the warmth in his expression had faded, replaced by something unreadable, haunting. The moment of connection between them felt like love was slipping away, and she wanted to draw it back.
Just then, a muffled cry from a nearby tent piqued her curiosity. She immediately identified the voice as Sam's. Her heart constricted, and she stood up quickly, Caleb following her down the slope toward the tents.
Sam squirmed in his sleep, his small face distorted with anxiety. Mia knelt alongside him and lovingly stroked his hair. "Sam, awaken," she urged, her voice soft and calming.
He jolted awake, eyes wide, gasping for air. His eyes darted around, and his small body trembled.
"bad dream?" She requested quietly, her hand still resting on his shoulder.
He nodded, looking aside, his voice soft. "I dreamed I misplaced you and everyone. "I couldn't find everyone, and they were all gone."
Mia's heart wrenched for the pain in his eyes. She grabbed him close and hugged him tightly. "I'm right here," she whispered. "We're not going everywhere."
Caleb knelt alongside them, his face soft as he gazed at Sam. "You're secure here, Sam," he said calmly. "not anything's going to manifest to you."
Sam's gaze remained on Caleb, a gleam of hope in his eyes. He nodded slowly, resuming his place opposite Mia. "Promise?"
"Promise," Caleb said, his tone unwavering.
Caleb absorbed Mia's eyes as Sam eventually dozed off again. "Kids shouldn't have to stay like this," he added, his voice soft and sorrowful. "However, at least he has you. That is something.
She felt warmth in his words, and her heart melted. But before she could respond, voices rang out of the door, a ripple of murmurs that grew louder and more intense. Mia and Caleb exchanged glances, and he signaled for her to live with Sam as he stepped outside.
Zoe appeared there, status with the numerous camp guards, her face bright. Her gaze fixed on Mia, her face filled with a peculiar, uncomfortable dread. Mia joined her, with Caleb near the rear.
"What's occurring?" Mia inquired, peering between Zoe and the guards.
One of the men shook his head, his gaze fixed on the dark perimeter of the camp. "They are saying he's back," he whispered, his voice quivering. "The shadow. A person observed him just past the fence.
"The Shadow?" Mia inquired, her mind racing with bewilderment and anxiety.
Another guard, his expression filled with panic, nodded. "Some think he is a fantasy. Others claim he's a real guy or woman, a figure who has been manipulating things since the beginning. "He's like a ghost, watching from the darkness, controlling what he wants, and taking what he needs."
Mia felt a relaxed sensation travel down her spine. She looked to Caleb, hoping for solutions, but his demeanor went stern, his eyes distant.
"have you ever seen him?" She queried Caleb quietly, realizing that he knew more than he was letting on.
He turned away, a shadow crossing his face. "I have heard tales. "Nothing more."
Zoe folded her arms, her expression suspicious. "looks like you realize loads about him for a person who's most effective heard stories."
Caleb's eyes met hers, and his face hardened. "This is not the time for conspiracy theories. Right now, we need to keep the camp comfortable. Whoever this Shadow is, he is no longer going to guide us through Marvel."
But Zoe's gaze did not soften, and her skepticism of Caleb grew. Mia could sense the schism between them growing, which worried her. Accept as true had already been frail among them, and now, with this additional worry hovering over them, that link felt ready to break.
As they departed, Zoe lingered, her gaze fixated on Caleb and her words quiet. "I do not buy it. Whoever this Shadow is, I believe you already know more than you're telling."
Caleb's countenance did not change, but his silence spoke volumes. Zoe turned, her irritation apparent, and returned to her tent, leaving Mia with him.
"She doesn't believe me," Caleb admitted gently, his tone resigned.
Mia responded, "She's simply… involved," recognizing Zoe's underlying concerns. "This place, the humans - it's lots to manner."
Caleb offered a slight nod, his gaze shifting to the darker line of the trees. "I apprehend."
They stood in quiet, the weight of the night looming over them. Mia wanted to ask him more about the Shadow, about the secrets and procedures he seemed to retain, but the expression in his eyes stopped her. Several issues were too dangerous to deliver in a modest manner.
While she eventually returned to her tent, the unease persisted, burrowing deep into her bones. She laid beside Sam, listening to his calm breathing, hoping to find comfort in the rhythm.
However, the calm just heightened her concerns, and the murmurs of the Shadow resurfaced in her head like a warning she couldn't ignore.
The Shadow waited in the darkness, ready.
And she or he understood, deep down, that he had already come closer than any of them realized.