CHAPTER 4:

2 days later

The world blurrily came into view as Lok opened his eyes for the first time since he saw Sophie and the others in the clearing. There was a face above him, a face that he

recognized. She had her eyes closed; and she looked like she had been crying.

'Sophie?' he whispered. No response.

'Sophie.' he said again, louder this time, in case she hadn't heard him. This time Sophie opened her eyes and let out a small scream when she saw that his eyes were open and that he was smiling.

Dante, Zhalia, Cherit, Metz, Lok's Mom, Sandra, and sister, Cathy, came running in the room.

'What is it?' Dante gasped; he got in the room first.

'It's Lok,' she whispered staring at Lok.

'What! What's wrong with my boy!' Sandra cried; she was next in.

'Hi, Mom.' Lok said, his voice stronger now.

Lok's Mom gave a small scream when she heard him, and everyone stared at him in shock.

'What's everyone looking at?' Lok asked in confusion.

Sophie moved out of the way so that Sandra and Lok's sister could talk to him, although his Mom was more strangling him with her hug, rather than talking to him. Cathy was just staring at him with tears in her eyes. Sophie shooed everyone else out, and shut the door behind her so they could have some time together, even though it hurt her not to be in there with him.

It was the best idea. She could spend time with him later, when he was less tired and when Sandra had done talking. After all, family came first, especially with Lok's Dad being missing after all.

'Sophie…' said Zhalia, slowly, 'are you okay? It's all right if you're not, you know.'

Sophie smiled. At first, her and Zhalia had hated each other, but now they were almost sisters.

'I'm okay. I'm just glad Lok's awake that's all.' Her voice was slightly muffled by the tears in her eyes, and the choking feeling in her throat. '

I'm going to my room for a bit. I'll catch up with you guy's later.' Sophie ran to her room, and just got onto her bed before her tears overwhelmed her and she fell down, sobbing into her pillow.

Zhalia was listening at the door. She had come upstairs to comfort Sophie, but hearing that, she realized that Sophie needed to be alone and went back downstairs to join the others.

Sophie eventually came downstairs, her eyes dry, and pretending to be happy. Zhalia had told everyone about it, so no-one mentioned it. They sat there in silence, waiting for news of Lok. Eventually, his Mom came out and said that he was asleep. Sophie gave Sandra her room, and went to join Cathy by Lok's bed, staring at Lok's sleeping face, having painful memories of that time in the clearing come back to her.

Memories of the pain on Lok's face, of him being hit by the Augerfrosts, of him falling to the ground, and the most painful of them all, of Lok putting up no resistance to Rasemov as he ran to the plane with Lok, and, without consciously knowing it, she started to silently cry. Cathy saw her, pulled Sophie over, and they sat there, crying into each other silently, for who knows how long.