Young Writers Society

Tarrion

I cringed inwardly, setting Naz back down carefully. Domi was awake? I turned slowly and offered a half-hearted smile. "Look who's back?" I asked quietly, taking a few steps closer and offering my hand. If she refused me now, I think I'd have to cry. Maybe.

Domi hesitated. "I-I think I should say here," she muttered. "I'm not feeling so good."

I sighed and walked back over to Naz, resting a hand on her forehead. No fever. Which was good wasn't it? Did you get fevers after going into a coma? My medical knowledge hit its limit when it came to feeding.

"How do you feel?" I asked softly, removing my hand from her forehead and letting it hang limply at my side. My mind trailed back to Domi, but I forced it to remain here. I had to focus on Naz, figure out how she was feeling, and then go flip out to everybody else. No need to swarm her in camp if she wasn't feeling up to it, even if I did want to.

Ryder

"Come on Ry, no one is even out there, they are all off somewhere else. I am pretty sure that Duncan has stormed off somewhere, and Domi and Tarr in the other tent, and buy the sounds of things they are bust enough. We can make a safe getaway. I promise. What do you say?"

For a second all I could do was stare at Gemma. Did I dare leave early? In broad daylight? When my gut was telling me I'd regret not waiting? Did I dare say no to Gemma?

I sighed and offered a crooked smile. No, I definately did not dare say no to Gemma. "Alright, fine, we split now. It'll give us time to find somewhere decent to camp out before it gets too dark."

She grinned, my heart flipped.

I covered it with a gentle laugh and kissed her forehead. "You're so lucky I love you, Gemma, you know that?" I didn't wait for an answer. Instead, I stepped over to the tent flap, pulling my bag tightly around my shoulder. "I think I have everything. You ready to go?"

Maiara:

Walking with Duncan wasn't as scary as I thought...but keeping Domi's secret was going to kill me. How could she not tell Tarrion? How could she? He should know, he is father. I shook my head, trying to focus on what Duncan was saying, and the forest around us.

"What did you say?" I asked quietly, not looking at him. I was still scared, but I was getting better. I stretched my arms over my head, glancing into the trees.

Suddenly Duncan's voice trailed off. Somehow, I knew he was staring at me. I turned to look at him but he put a hand on my shoulder, holding my still. I almost panicked when he laid his hand against my lower back.

"How did you get these?" he asked.

I held my breath, counted to five and let it out. "I don't know."

Domi

I wanted to tell him. But I was afraid. Afraid he didn't want a child. Afraid he wouldn't love me anymore. Afraid the child would die at birth. Afraid the child would get sick. What if I died giving child birth? Then Tarrion would have to take care of the child. What if he didn't want the child? Who would watch him? Her? it?

I stopped thinking about it, almost as if I was afraid he'd hear my thoughts. My hands wrapped around the bottom of my stomach, as I stared blankly into a corner of the tent. I couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Naz, and the attention Tarrion was giving her. What if... no. I couldn't make assumptions. But... could it be?

GEMMA

"I think I have everything. You ready to go?" asked Ryder.

I nodded and he grinned, the lopsided one that still makes my heart jump though my heart. As he peeked out of the tent I heaved my bag up over my shoulder, it was heavier than I thought, but I didn't have time to re-think my packing, Ryder was motioning for me to follow.

As we snuck out of the tent I could feel a rush of adrenaline come over me, it felt great.Nothing vould be better than this. I thought.

DUNCAN

I don't know what made me do it but suddenly my hand was on Maiara's shoulder, tracing its way along a line of scars down her back. 'how did you get these?" I asked.

It took her a moment but she finally spoke, "I don't know."

"What?" I said, not removing my hand, "How does that work out?"

Ryder

I laughed when we broke through the trees, still not fully believing what I had just done. Had I really just ditched all of camp and my little brother? I shook my head and grabbed Gemma's hand, trying to slow myself down a bit.

"I can't believe we just did that," I muttered between pants, glancing over my shoulder. Camp was completely invisible now. A grin tugged at the corners of my lips.

Gemma laughed. "Well, we did!"

My grin broadened. "It's a good thing, too." I turned and wrapped my arms around Gemma's waist and gave her a kiss on the lips. A real kiss. One that wouldn't be interupted by an older, over-protective brother ready to put a slug in the side of my head.

I shivered, refusing to let go until my bag slipped from my shoulder to my elbow. "Because if we didn't," I started breathlessly, "I would have been shot for doing that."


Tarrion

I sighed, somehow unable to smile. Naz was awake, I should be grinning my fool head off... but there was something wrong here. I glanced over at Domi quickly and sighed again.

"I'm... going to go tell everybody that you're awake," I muttered, trying to sound happy. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled that Naz had woken up, but there was something about being in the tent at that moment that unsettled me. It probably had to do something with the fact that Domi was still sick, and she seemed to be scared of me...

I shook my head and stepped around Domi and her basin, ducking out of the tent flap. "Of course, everybody chooses now to ditch camp and take a walk," I muttered to myself, eyeing the nearly-empty fire side.

"Annie, Amy!" I called, plastering on a wild grin.

They both looked up. Amy arched an eyebrow.

"Naz is awake!" I hollared, followed by a laugh. Now I was actually happy again. Amy and Annie exchanged glances before rushing over to the tent. I ducked back in and stood somewhat over Domi. The tent was small, and she didn't need to get trampled.

While those two were distracted, I sat down next to Domi. "Can you come talk with me?" I asked softly, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She tensed slightly and glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "Tarr..."

"No, I need to talk to you." I stood up, checking to be sure the girls were well-distracted. They were. I scooped Domi into my arms, basin and all, ignoring her protests and slipped out of the tent. "Puke all over me if you want, I want to know why you're so... distant," I whispered, giving her a reassuring kiss on the head. To the edge of the forest it was.

Domi

My gut twisted in worry and fear. He would want to know. I suppose he deserved to know. I breathed deeply trying to keep what belonged in my stomach, in my stomach. I didn't want to throw up on Tarrion. How's that for romantic? Throwing up on the love of your life.
"Tarrion, I should be laying down. A-an..." I started. Tarrion put his finger on my lips and shushing me.

"Domi, something's wrong. I don't like seeing you like this. I'm worried." He whispered, moving my hair from my face and staring into my eyes.

I bit my lip and looked away; placing a hand on my stomach.
"I... think I'm pregnant." I mumbled under my breath, tears springing to my eyes. I quickly wiped them away. He lifted my chin and kissed my forehead.
"What was that?" He asked, jumping slightly to get a better grip so he wouldn't drop me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
"I think I'm pregnant," I started, emotionless. Inside I felt a mix of emotions. Relief, worry, love, hate, compassion. I put my forehead against Tarrion's shoulder, then a gut twisting feeling over washed me. I pulled back, heaving out another load of hot gut juice.

Tarrion

I almost dropped Domi then and there. "You're what?!" If I had sounded angry, I really hadn't meant to. But then, maybe I was a little angry. At who or what, I couldn't quite tell. It didn't matter much, though. Domi flinched and a new feeling settled over me. Dread.

The smell of the vomit made it to my nose, and I gagged myself. Gagged and almost puked all over her, in return. I swallowed hard and shook my head, easing Domi to the ground. My arms had decided they couldn't hold her weight for much longer.

"Are you... you can't be..." I turned around to stare down at her, eyes wide. I sat down quietly, trembling, and stared at the trees. Part of me wanted to absolutely lose it. Scream into a pillow or shoot a tree... to vent. Then there was that little bit of me that wanted to curl ito a tight ball and worry and fret. What if I lost Domi? What if she died in child-birth because there was some sort of complication? What if she got really sick and died before the baby was born? That happened... didn't it? I wasn't quite sure. Didn't care.

And then the rest of me wanted to cling to Domi for dear life- tell her that it was okay and that I still loved her. I groaned and rested my head in my hands, snapping back when that disgusting smell made it back. Numbly, I removed my shirt... and then put my head in my hands and groaned again.

I don't know how long I sat like that, but tears eventually came. Quietly, but they were still tears. I looked up to see Domi staring at me. She looked like she was about ready to start sobbing, too.

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her carefully onto my lap.

"We... do you... should we tell the others?" I stammered, trying to drown out my fear. I pulled Domi close and swallowed hard.

"I... not yet," she answered quietly.

I nodded. I didn't want to tell anybody anyways. Getting things cleared out in my head would be difficult enough as it was without the others streaming in with question after question.

"I can't believe it," I muttered under my breath. "God, I'm an idiot."