Experiment X

16| Another reflection

16 | Another reflection

     The shadows swell and snake slowly along the thick, pitted grass where Sera and her uncle sit upon, against the trunk of a gnarled tree, as they both stare deeply into the fire. It is a risk. But it is too cold now. The heat has become a necessity. Beyond them, Teresa rests cross-legged, holding Teran in her lap, who has fallen sleep. She is stroking his now longer curly brown hair, her eyes lost in the fire as well, and in deep thought.

     Curled near the fire, the wild gray dog sleeps, its round belly rising and falling with its breathing, its wounded leg bandaged. Sera and Teran had decided to call him Streak for two reasons. One is the obvious. The white streak Sera hadn’t really noticed before that ran along his back; the other goes along with his streak of luck, of surviving. Teresa had managed to when they returned to the campsite to tend to dog’s awful wounds, and save him in time. And now he snores, which gave Sera the fluttering sense of hope, for them all, but other things had kept her mind in a worried haze. And it are these worries that keep her silence. Mainly from Manu.

     The silence is almost unnerving. The fire’s crackling, and the occasional hoot of an owl, and rustle in the undergrowth keeps the quiet from fully taking over.

     Manu releases a heavy, exhausted sigh. A tight line creases into his lips, and he rubs his shoulder wearily. “Teresa, you can go ahead and sleep…I’ll stay up; Sera and I have to talk.”

     Sera’s eyes widen at the mention of her; she had known this was coming…If she did, why is she so surprised? Maybe it’s just the way he had said it…Manu could be so cryptic at times…

     “Alright, if you’re sure.” She yawns, covering her mouth; her eyes are weary, cradled by dark strangled circles from the lack of sleep. Teresa carefully rests Teran on the ground, before there’s the distinct rustling of the sleeping bag, and then after a few moments they are lying down, her holding her son.

     “Good night Manu, Sera,” she speaks softly, and they return a good night together.

     Soon, they can both hear the quiet, steady breathing of Teresa, and it is then Manu speaks up:

     “You’ve been avoiding talking to me, Sera.”

     At this, she says nothing, and continues to stare into the fire ignoring him.

     He clears his throat, slightly, agitated, and sighs. “Like now…And, I don’t understand why—”

     “Because you lied to me,” she says quickly, cutting him off.

     “I—What—Lied, to you? What are you talking about Sera?”

     “You should know,” she mutters lowly. She can feel the tears begin to swell in her eyes, her face crumpling. “In the cabin!” she hisses, her voice cracking. “I heard you talking to Teran’s Mom…My parents didn’t die like you said they did…It was bombs, wasn’t it?”

     The heavy realization begins to seep into his rugged features, and he rubs his forehead, massaging the skin. “I’m sorry, Sera; If I had known this was what this had been about…I thought you had been asleep then.”

     “Well, I wasn’t…”

     “I can see…"

     "So that’s the truth then?”

     “Yes,” he answers, catching her broken stare with an equally hurting glance. In the firelight, his face his deeply shadowed, and his eyes gleam of tears too. So she isn’t the only one. “That is the truth,” he says at last.