In The Dark

The next day.

Rhett woke up first. He stared at Sabrina's face that was tucked deliciously below his chin, her breath fanning his chest. Her right arm was draped around his waist and he likes it. He's feeling warm, happy, and ravenous inside.

But he can't stay in this glorious moment forever. Soon... she will wake up and she will feel horrified that she was hugging him. To avoid upsetting her early in the morning, he disengaged himself from her embrace, careful not to awaken her.

He got up from the bed and left the chamber. He walked towards the entrance and looked outside. It was a gloomy day, the rain was pouring outside in torrents. The wind was howling and the branches of the trees were swaying in rapid motion.

Based on what he observed at the current situation outside, it looks like there's a typhoon ravaging this part of the forest.

If Grandma Azere can't come today to bring them food, he will just boil the sweet potato that Grandma had brought to the cave a week ago. It was intended as an emergency food that he can cook any time, just in case she can't come to the cave for many days.

He went back to the chamber to begin cooking the sweet potato. He wants the food ready before Sabrina wakes up.

Half an hour later.

Sabrina finally woke up. She was alone in the bed again. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, recalling in her mind that nothing happened last night between her and Rhett, which is good!

She got up from the bed, wanting to go to the toilet. When she exited the chamber, she saw Rhett cooking something on the makeshift stove made of stones in a clearing located a few meters away from the chamber. She walked past him.

Rhett raised his head and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Toilet," she answered.

Rhett stood up and followed Sabrina into the part of the cave where the toilet was located.

A few minutes later, they're back in the chamber.

"What are you cooking?" Sabrina inquired.

"I'm boiling sweet potato for our breakfast. There is a typhoon today, Grandma Azere might not be able to bring us any food this morning unless the weather improves..." he replied.

"Ah, okay..." Sabrina said, walking away from him, going to the entrance of the cave.

"Where are you going?" Rhett asked.

"To the entrance of the cave," she replied.

Rhett stood up and said, "I'll come with you."

"No need... just continue what you're doing," she said and walked away.

"Don't try to leave the cave again!" he warned her.

"I know," Sabrina responded without looking back at him.

Walking briskly, she reached the mouth of the cave in no time. She looked outside, the surrounding around the cave is dim, and the rain was falling in torrents creating puddles on the ground.

She looked behind her, Rhett was nowhere near her.

Time to escape!

She wants to go home!

Without thinking about the consequences, she bolted outside the entrance of the cave and sprinted into the rain.

She didn't get that far though, she stood on the ground amidst the pouring rain, clutching her chest. She had difficulty breathing... she fell to the ground as darkness enveloped her mind and body.

Rhett just arrived at the entrance of the cave and saw Sabrina lying on the ground. In lightning speed, he rushed to her side and lifted her body from the ground, then he went back to the cave in the blink of an eye.

He carried Sabrina's unconscious body into the chamber and put her in the bed. He removed her clothes that were soaked with rainwater and mud. Done drying her wet body with a piece of garment, he donned clean clothes on her slim frame.

Sighing, he stared at her chest, moving up and down, she's finally breathing normally. Huge relief washed over him. He then covered Sabrina's body with the blanket.

He left the chamber and went to the clearing. He removed the cooked sweet potato from the pot and transferred them into the plates made of clay. He returned to the chamber and put the plate on the wooden table. The food is ready to eat waiting for Sabrina to wake up.

He sat on the corner, staring at her face. He should have known that she will attempt again in escaping the cave today, good thing he went after her. His heart died after he saw her unconscious body lying on the ground.

He went to bed and lay his body down, closing his eyes for a few minutes to relax his tense nerves.

A few minutes later.

Sabrina's eyelids fluttered, her eyes open wide. She looked at the ceiling of the cave and glanced at the person lying beside her. Her mind recalled instantly what happened earlier, she remembered that she tried leaving the cave but suffered the same fate just like her first attempt.

She failed again!

Then she noticed that she was already wearing dry clothes. Dang! He removed her clothes!

Should she feel angry at him for doing so? When he's the one who save her life twice already?

Nah, she's too tired to fight or argue with him.

Next time, to prevent this thing from happening... she should never attempt to leave the cave again!

Fresh tears emerged in her eyes due to despair and helplessness.

Once again, the cave had proven to her that only through her death she can be freed from the cave. Her heart was filled with despair as hopelessness began to sink into her consciousnesses.

Rhett noticed that Sabrina was already awake, he left the bed, went to the table, and picked up the plate. He served the boiled sweet potato to Sabrina. "Beauty, start eating now while the sweet potato is still warm," he said.

Sabrina stared at the boiled potato for few a minutes then her hand move on its own accord, she picked up one piece and began munching on it. She remembered that she was the one who harvested the potato from the garden last week and Grandma Azere put it in the basket and bring it to the cave.

She looked at Rhett and asked, "I was wondering why Grandma Azere kept coming back here in the cave everyday, supplying you food for the last ten years. Why?"

A frown appeared on Rhett's forehead. "Grandma Azere didn't tell you anything?" he asked, confused.

Sabrina shook her head and replied, "She tell me nothing. She brought you food through the years. Yet, every time I asked her why, she won't tell me anything. So, I stop asking her why..."

Rhett breathed deeply. It seemed Sabrina is the only innocent player in this saga, the only one who is oblivious to everything. She's a collateral damage waiting to happen. No one told her everything, including the person closest to her. Should he tell her everything now? Or keep her in the dark forever?