I open my sore eyes and stare ahead at the wall, washed down with pale golden light. Hot tears roll down from the corner of my eyes and drip onto the pillow, but I made no sound.

It was just a dream.

Just a simple dream, I remind myself, before taking a deep breath in, before letting out all the fear, despair and panic that built up in my chest, choking me in inside, in one long exhale. I think about the boy holding me in his arms, his soft snores and his gentle breathing. He makes me feel safe and the fear inside of me melts away. Warmth fills me as I become aware of his body against mine, his warmth radiating and protecting me.

It was just a dream.

A lie.

It never happened.

I knew what happened that one day, when my life changed for ever, but sometimes, when I'm dreaming, it's hard to tell what was real and what is just me. My mind gives me false memories. I see terrors I never witnessed, and feel the victims I never met. It tortures me. It frightens me.

I snuggle further down into the soft bed and find one of Tintin's hands, and just hold it. I close my eyes, trying to find peace, sleep even, resting until everyone else finally awakes.

...

After setting sail, Haddock, Tintin and I gather to investigate the crime of the missing Whisky. We start by ruling out innocent suspects.

"Well, we can't accuse Snowy anymore. Some biscuits, even a chicken perhaps...but not a bottle of whisky, surely." I state, clearing Snowy's name. Haddock and Tintin agreed.

As we continued our discussion, we make our way along the deck, the sea lapping at the sides of the boat, keeping me on alert mode, and around the corner ahead of us was Snowy.

Snowy appeared to be dancing around clumsily, heading in all directions but straight and as we neared, he eventually fell over and looked up at us, cocking his head to the side, looking at us helplessly.

"Oh dear..." I say.

"Great snakes!...He...he...why, he's drunk!" Tintin stops and picks him up. Snowy licks him and I laugh. "Snowy, what have you done? Ugh! Your breath smells of whisky!"

I could smell it from here. "Surely he didn't steal the Captains whisky?" I ask, not believing it to be true.

Tintin sets Snowy down and orders him to show us where he got it. We follow the dog as he sways around another corner and stumbles over to a wall dripping with whisky. I look up.

"See, the bottle must have smashed up there. Let's investigate." Says Tintin.

I lead the way, climbing a series of ladders towards the lifeboats. On the edge of the platform, shards of broken whisky bottles and a puddle of the foul liquid pooled, half dripping down the wall. "There." I point out to the others who were just reaching the top.

"Blistering Barnacles! If I ever catch him!" the Captain stomps over.

"Sh!...Listen..." Tintin points over at one of the lifeboats.

I edge closer to Tintin and hear a faint wheezing sort of snoring sound. I look at Tintin alarm. "Someone is asleep in this lifeboat!" I mouth quietly.

"Impossible: the lashings are secure...at least..." The Captain makes his way around the other side of the boat. "Blistering barnacle! The lashings are free on this side! There's someone in this lifeboat!"

I start to undo the lashings on this side and Tintin helps lift the top.

"Thundering typhoons!"