Night's aftermatch

"...k u..."

"...ake u..."

"Wake up!"

Mathew pried his eyes open.

It wasn't the voice that forced him awake. Sure, it helped, but when compared with the violent shaking of his body, it was nothing.

"What? Where? How many?!" Mathew jumped out of his bed as soon as his consciousness returned.

He looked around with his arms raised and hands curled up into fists, searching for the enemy that would warrant such a wake-up call.

Yet, besides the usual members of his group... the room was completely empty. And even though the doors leading to it were open, there were no signs of panic or anything else which would indicate some sort of problem.

"Ouchie!" Leila moaned in pain, pressing her hands against the top of her forehead. "Couldn't you be any gentler?! I'm a girl, you know?!" she then screamed out in protest while throwing a teary look at Mathew's face.