Chapter Seven: Dwight

Having the option to abstain from The Entity's games removed a huge, soul-crushing weight off Dwight's shoulders. Maybe that was why The Entity let Jake build the cabin in the first place or why It let all of them make use of it. Always giving them hope just to take it away later.

Dwight didn't care.

He was making the most of his down time.

There were several more bunk beds in the cabin now. He, Ace, and David had helped pilfer them and other supplies. Now they were working on expanding the structure under Jake's careful guidance.

Others had filtered in now that the secret was out. Of course, Dwight had been the one to blow it wide open. He didn't want anyone feeling ostracized. In turn, the others trusted him to organize their campfire missions, even down to who would let themselves get sacrificed.

They had learned from Claudette and Sally's past mistakes. Besides, it was much easier to do now that they knew the human soul could be regenerated.

It was an incredible feeling having people put their faith in him. Dwight wasn't about to let them down.

Claudette focused a lot of her attention on Sally, but was still instrumental in the work they were doing.

Sally was doing a lot better. She wasn't quite ready to get back in the ring, but she was getting there. She watched Dwight as he chopped wood for their own personal fire and even cracked a watery smile.

Dwight gave her one right back. "Have you been down to the lake tonight?" There was no such thing as time in their shared nightmare, but Dwight was testing out an experimental sense of it. Claudette had fashioned a crude hourglass of sorts out of a can. They were going by it now, setting sleep schedules and campfire duties.

It actually helped a lot.

"No, not yet." Dwight thought he caught a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Oh, yeah?"

She nodded but didn't say anything. Dwight squinted his eyes at her and set the head of the axe on the ground. He already had a respectable pile behind him.

"What is it?"

"No, it's nothing," Sally said, but Dwight didn't believe her. He set the axe down by the wood and joined her where she sat on one of Jake's carved benches. Far better for the posterior.

"You can tell me."

Sally did laugh now. Not for long, but it still made him smile.

"You remind me of someone." Her gaze turned sad and with it Dwight's smile drooped.

"Herman?"

She nodded.

"Don't worry. We'll get him out too." He tried to sound reassuring, but he wasn't sure she bought it. Dwight did believe they would with all of his heart, but he was also a realist.

"I know," Sally said, and he wasn't sure if she was just humoring him.

"You're a kind person, Sally. I've actually never met anyone quite like you."

For some reason that brought tears to Sally's eyes.

"Whoa, no. I didn't mean to-" He stopped himself and began to just rub her back. She had been doing so well, too.

"It takes one to know one." Sally dried her eyes on her shirt and looked at him.

Dwight sputtered at the sudden turn around before he realized she was kidding him.

They both laughed.

"You know, I can still feel it crawling inside my skin." Sally stared at her hand, the one that held her power as The Nurse.

Dwight's smile froze on his face at the reminder. It softened again as he caught the look in her eyes.

"You mean…?" He didn't finish the question. It was too much to hope for that she still have her powers.

"Something like that." Sally rubbed her arm and Dwight could swear he saw a brief flicker in her palm. "I just don't know how to make it work now." Her arm dropped and she stared down.

"That's why I haven't said anything. I'm so useless." Tears slid down her cheeks again and Dwight pulled her into an embrace without thinking.

"You are not useless, Sally." He rubbed her back. "Don't ever say that."

Sally didn't say anything but nodded against his shoulder. He thought she understood. It didn't help her shaking. She was well and truly traumatized from the ordeal and nothing could change that. While it was true Sally was doing a lot better, she still had moments like this.

"You know what? Let's do something crazy."

Sally shifted to look at him, and that was when Dwight saw Claudette watching them from the treeline. His heart lurched in his chest and he suddenly felt guilty although he had done nothing wrong.

"Claudette, hey…" Sally turned her watery smile on her friend at the mention. Dwight cleared his throat and let her go. "We were just about to go swimming. Do you want to join us?" For some reason saying it aloud made him feel even more awkward. He caught something in Claudette's liquid gaze before she smiled.

"Wait. What do you mean, swimming?" Sally had shifted away and was now staring at him like he'd grown an extra head. "You didn't say anything about that."

"I said I had a crazy idea." Dwight rubbed the back of his neck, his eyebrows raised. He stopped doing that once he realized what an insecure gesture it was. Dwight might have felt that way but he was training himself not to show it. "Look, I think we could all use the break. And maybe we can even find something useful there?" He posed the last as a question. They had never been to the other side of the lake and he'd been meaning to suggest it.

As usual, Claudette understood what he was trying to say without him having to say it. "Alright."

"Great. You round up the others and we'll meet you there." Dwight having Claudette talk to people was part of his overall strategy to ease her social anxieties. He knew Claudette understood this because she sighed.

"Okay, Dwight. I...will." Dwight was so proud of her. He didn't say it, only smiled.

"Hey. Don't I get a say in this?" Sally cut in and he stared at her. Claudette was already gone.

"I-no, of course not." Sally looked shocked for a second, then she swatted him. She was smiling again and that was all that mattered.

"You're doing a great job with her," Sally said as they both stood up.

Dwight felt himself blushing and thanked the gods they lived in perpetual night. "Yeah? I uh...well, it's really Claudette doing all the work."

"Now don't be bashful, handsome." Sally patted his shoulder.

Dwight felt his flush go into overdrive. "I'm not...really!"

"Yes, you are." Sally held him by the elbow now, her hand curling around his arm. "You're a great influence on her." Dwight felt like he could fry an egg on his face at this point. "And an even better leader."

"Another thing," Sally continued while Dwight sputtered for words. "Part of what's eating at me is that I remember everything. But that means I've seen you grow...young man."

Dwight stopped in his tracks. His mind fought itself over what expression to make and what even to say. There were so many emotions coursing through him that he couldn't seem to settle on any one. Sorrow, for Sally's trauma. Horror for his own situation, his past. Shame, and pride, and finally-

Joy.

"Hey, now," he managed, through the film of tears she could no doubt see. "You aren't that much older."

Sally laughed and it was without weight. Dwight's heart soared along with hers. They got to the lake too soon after that, but nobody was there yet.

"Shall we, madame?" Dwight said, sending them both into another fit of laughter. They stripped to their undergarments and got into the water.

"This...actually isn't bad," Dwight said, as he treaded water. It did feel good, actually kind of warm. Odd that water from this lake could be cool and refreshing to drink but warm and relaxing to swim in.

"No, it isn't." There was something in Sally's tone that made his eyes snap to her.

"Sally?"

She just shook her head and smiled. Then she splashed him.

It was on after that.

And soon the others appeared and it turned into an all out war.

David, Meg, Ace, Nea, Laurie, Quentin, even Jake. Only Claudette and Feng remained on the shore. And then it was just Feng and Claudette was in the mix and Claudette was laughing too. Claudette with her hand on his arm. Claudette trying and failing to dunk him.

Not even Feng's yelled insults and jeers could take away from the moment Claudette's eyes met his amid the ruckus. There was something tangible there. Dwight almost…

But then Feng joined in and she seemed hell bent on getting him wet before she noticed Jake not too far off. By then it was too late and the moment was gone.

No one was left on shore to turn the hourglass but Dwight felt sure the battle continued for at least an hour. By the time it was over everyone had retreated to the shore to wallow on the beach.

"Can't...breathe…" He heard Meg say.

"You got lucky this time," Ace followed.

"I won, I did," David chimed in. He was grinning wide enough and Dwight wasn't about to disagree. They had all been dunked by him at least once.

"The hell you did," Feng said, when she recovered her breath. Dwight was not about to get in the middle of that one. He pushed himself into a sitting position as those two moved off to the side to argue. More fierce splashing ensued. Feng, Dwight decided, was pretty agile.

He looked over and saw Claudette staring at him and that was what made him realize he'd been focusing on Feng and she was in her underwear and-

Dwight lit up like a tomato.

"Well." He cleared his throat. "Should we um, try swimming to the other shore?"

Claudette looked away and Dwight tried not to let that feel like a rejection. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it.

"I'll do it." Claudette's gaze found his again. "Alone."

"No," Dwight said, using his best firm tone. "Together."

"It might be dangerous, Dwight. We can't afford to lose you."

Dwight pivoted to look at her more directly. "And what makes you think we can afford to lose you?" He stared at her long enough that she fidgeted and then he looked away. He had made his point.

"I'll go," Sally said, and they both turned to her. "It's the least I can do. Besides, if something does happen you know how to get me back."

"Sally…" Dwight started.

"No, Dwight. I think I need to do this. There's something familiar about this place and I think it's from before." She didn't need to elaborate.

"I don't like the idea of you going alone. Please let me come." Sally didn't miss a beat. She leaned in and pinched Dwight's cheek.

"You're so cute, but no. Some things a woman has to do alone." Sally patted his stinging cheek and turned to Claudette. "You take care of Dwight now, okay?"

She was gone before that ominous proclamation could really sink in and all Claudette and Dwight could do was stare at each other. Meanwhile, the others splashed and played and laughed.