Chapter 10
Skipper didn't know how long hed been asleep for it was still dark outside, he yawned as he stretched of his aching muscles and looking around it was quiet and didn't look like Marlene was back yet sighing as he leaned back into his chair. Skipper was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a shuffling in the next room
"Private" he whispered "is that you" at that moment Private materialized in the door. "Why arent you in bed" Skipper whispered. "I" Private said shyly "I had a nightmare" Skipper could see that he had barely slept and he was rubbing his eyes and sounded exhausted. Skipper smiled gently before extending a flipper indicating for the young penguin to sit next to him. Private sat down next to him as Skipper folded his flipper round pulling him into a comforting embrace. "it helps to talk about it you know" Private nodded.
Privates nightmare
"It felt so real, i woke up in my bunk as normal and something didn't feel right", he said. "I got up and heard voices coming from the main room, I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked in and saw Skipper and Rico at the table laughing. "Morning Private", Skipper said. I just stood there with a look of disbelief. "impossible", I whispered. I turned when I heard the door to the lab open and my eyes where as wide as saucers. I watched Kowalski walking out "Good Morning Private". he sounded his cheery self and he was fine walking like the rest of us as he went and took a seat opposite Rico "Private are you just gonna stand there all day" I heard Skipper say but my gaze didn't leave the two penguins. before i could stop myself the words already came out "your supposed to be dead".
As I said this, I turned away closing my eyes trying to keep my breathing under control, thinking to myself that my eyes were decieving me. I opened my eyes turning back round to face them what I saw frightened me to death. Skipper had completely dissapeared from the picture. "Kowalski". Kowalski was stood there with a evil smirk on his face his beak was black his flippers were burned and had blood dripping of them that echoed through the whole room as it hit the floor and the smell was so real it could easily be mistaken for real blood. I turned when I saw another figure I gasped "Rico". Rico was standing in a pool of his own blood mirroring the same smirk that Kowalski had and stared right into my eyes. I couldn't look away. Ricos body once blown to bits had been stitched back together scars covering every inch of his body and the burn mark visible on his throat. i willed myself not to gag at the grotesque sight in front of me. They just laughed. I took a step back as they started to approach me. "You can't get away Private" Kowalski said a smirk plastered on his face. I gasped as i turned and ran to find an exit. It was a full on chase as I shouted and screamed for someone to help me, i tried almost every exit with no luck. I ran over to the hatch and climbed up the ladder i couldn't get out the fishbowl was jammed "HELP!" i shouted banging on the hatch in hopes that it would move but no such luck and came to the realisation that noone was coming. i felt a pull on my leg and I came crashing down to the floor they backed me into a corner i was covered in their blood as they closed in on me. I screamed as the room went out of focus.
End nightmare
Skipper had tears in his eyes as he listened to Privates story "what happened next" "All I remember after that was waking up in my bunk as I screamed scrambling to the corner of my bunk looking around to find that it was just a dream. I couldn't sleep after that and came to find you, you were asleep so i didn't want to bother you and just let you sleep". Private felt the embrace tighten and returned it gladly "oh Private, you shouldn't have to go through this, im so sorry" Private could hear his voice breaking and looked to see tears down his face. he was about to wipe them away when Private stopped him "it's okay, it's okay to cry" Skipper gently smiled as they both embraced eachother crying into eachothers shoulders. a few minutes had passed when Skipper broke the embrace "wait there for a minute" he did what he was told. A minute later Skipper reappeared with a blanket, he sat down and pulled Private close, feeling the exhaustion he put his head on Skippers chest listening to the steady rythm of his heartbeat letting it soothe him. Skipper pulled the blanket over the two of them and whispered "hey, why don't we do something tomorrow" "like what" Private whispered . Skipper responded i don't know whatever you like "why don't we invite Marlene over for breakfast in the morning, then let it go from there". Skipper smiled "sounds like a plan" sounding enthusiastic, he looking down he noticed how tired Private was as he just about fell into a deep sleep."get some sleep son" he gently whispered rubbing his back and stopped as he heard Private faintly whisper "you too father". he smiled as he adjusted the blanket and fell asleep himself.