The Carriers

Chapter fifteen

Ashlynn

    I didn't slept well that night either, not after what had happened. I tried to convince Matthew to get some sleep, but he insisted that he was fine. Either way, I refused to sleep while he was awake.

I sat with him by the fire, after we made the announcement that construction on the wall would start in the morning. He kept telling me that he wasn't tired, but he was exhausted. His eyes were so red that they probably could have glowed in the dark, and the circles under them kept getting bigger and darker.

"Just go to sleep, Matt."

He shook his head. "Not while I can help it."

"Please, Matt. You can't survive without sleep."

"No." He said through a yawn. "I'm fine."

"No you're not." I glared at him. I knew he wasn't fine, his speech was slurred and he was barely keeping his eyes open. "It's a miracle that you got through today after staying up all night last night, but if you stay up tonight too you'll be as good as dead tomorrow."

He just sat still and said nothing.

"Matt!"

He looked, wide eyed, at me. "What?"

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"Yes. Sorry." He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "I just-" Then he trailed off.

After a moment of waiting for him to finish his sentence. "Matt?"

"Yes?"

"If I sleep will you sleep too?"

"You'll just be watching me- to make sure I fall asleep." His words were slurred and quiet.

"No I won't, I promise." Obviously I didn't mean that. Of course I would watch to make sure that he sleeps.

He sat silently again. His eyes were closed so I could tell he was drifting off.

"Come on, Matt." I whispered.

His head fell down and he jolted to consciousness again.

    "Okay. That's it." I told him.

    "Hmm?"

    I wrapped my arms around him as gently as I could. Then, I put one hand behind his head and began to slowly lower him onto the mat; luckily, he was halfway unconscious, otherwise I know that he wouldn't have let me lay him down.

    Once I had gotten him completely down on the mat, I sat down next to him. He was completely relaxed; it was comforting to see him so peaceful after all that had happened today. I didn't want to move; after all, this was the first time I had seen him since I met him where he was so perfectly calm. Even when I first met him, his lighthearted demeanor was a cover for his frustration and fear, but now there he laid, undisturbed by the whole world around him.

    For a while I just sat and watched him. It was my turn to watch over him while he got some rest. I didn't want to sleep, not after everything that had happened that day, so I decided I would stay up as long as I could.

After a few minutes, I stood up. As I was walking away I heard Matthew's voice behind me. "Liv?"

I turned around to see his eyes barely opened. From the little crack between his eyelids, I could tell he was looking at me.

"Yeah, Matt?"

"Stay here for a while." He said in a soft voice.

I nodded. "Okay." I walked softly back to the mat and laid down next to him. "Go to sleep okay?"