The piercing shriek ripped through the quiet of the night, echoing through the makeshift shelter. 

"No! Mom! Dad! Please!" 

The words, raw and agonizing, tore from Scarla's throat. Images flashed through her mind: a blinding light on the horizon, a sudden breeze that rapidly escalated into violent gusts. Her head throbbed, vision blurring as her parents receded, their loving farewells swallowed by the immense, thick door that slowly, inexorably, closed on the blinding horizon. The thud of its closure reverberated through her bones, followed by the distant roar of winds, like an endless tornado, outside. It was loud. So very loud.

Everyone jolted awake, scrambling in the sudden, jarring noise. Cassie was the first to reach Scarla, who lay convulsing, tears streaming down her face. 

"Shh. It's alright. You are okay," Cassie whispered, her voice a soothing balm. 

Scarla buried her face in Cassie's chest, her small body wracked with sobs and tremors. The dream had been chillingly real, a brutal return to that horrific day. Cassie continued to stroke Scarla's hair, her hand a comforting weight, as Deckland approached.

"What seems to be the problem? I was having the most wonderful dream, y'know," Deckland grumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Cassie shot him a withering look. "This is not the time for you to be an idiot, go away." 

Deckland scurried back, while Jack watched quietly from a distance. Cassie gently lifted Scarla's head, wiping away her tears. She held up several fingers.

"Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding?" Cassie asked gently.

"T-three," Scarla stammered, her voice still wavering.

"Good girl. Do you know where you are?" Cassie continued.

"Um…" Scarla muttered, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"You are with Cassie and Deckland and Jack and, of course, Curt. Remember how you tumbled into our group yesterday?" Cassie reminded her, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"Oh, y-yeah," Scarla replied, a weak laugh escaping her.

"It was pretty funny watching you roll on in," Cassie said, her smile widening.

"Yeah, I guess it was," Scarla conceded, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.

Cassie released her, giving her a final wipe of tears, then rose to fetch some food, allowing Scarla a moment to compose herself. Taking a deep breath, Scarla watched Cassie return with a small bowl of soup and a surprising addition: a small, ornate box.

"I have something you can borrow. It's not much, but a little can go a long way," Cassie said, extending the box. 

Scarla took it, her eyes widening in disbelief as she opened it. Makeup! A thrill ran through her; it had been an eternity since she'd had the luxury of making herself feel pretty. The various shades and accessories almost made her squeal with delight.

"Yeah, I figured as much. There's a small mirror by my bed. Go ahead and take your time," Cassie said, gesturing towards her meager belongings. 

Scarla scurried off, clutching the box. Cassie walked over to Jack, settling beside him as they both gazed into the flickering fire.

"You treat her like she's your own," Jack observed, his voice low.

"She reminds me of someone I knew. I suppose she's taking that place for me," Cassie replied, a melancholic note in her voice.

"Don't get too attached. You know what happened to…him," Jack trailed off, a lump forming in his throat. He turned away, swallowing his emotions. "She's just as much a stranger as we are."

Cassie nodded, just as Deckland joined them, ripping open a bag of questionable marshmallows. He poked one with a stick, ready to toast it.

"Hey, numbskull! We were saving those!" Cassie exclaimed, but Jack interjected, "It's alright. Let him have a few."

Scarla, finishing her makeup, closed the box. As she stood to return it to Cassie, a body blocked her path. When she recognized Curt, her cheeks flushed a soft pink, even beneath her fresh makeup. He looked at her, then offered a sweet smile, his arms clasped behind his back.

"That looks good on you. I take it you're very good with that stuff," Curt said, his voice gentle.

"Oh, uh, t-thanks," Scarla stammered, feeling herself almost crumble.

Before he could say more, she scurried past him, avoiding his gaze. Scarla handed the box to Cassie and joined the group around the fire.

"So, what's our plan of action?" she asked, looking from face to face.

"We need to make sure you're up to the task first," Jack said pointedly. "Deckland, would you do the honors?"

"Yes! Okay, tomorrow morning it's you and me, baby! I'm gonna give you a challenge that will test your skills, so be ready." Deckland announced, a grin spreading across his face.

The rest of the day melted away in shared stories, laughter, and camaraderie. As dusk settled, Deckland and Cassie, a bit tipsy from their drinks, sang songs, swaying together to avoid falling.

"Tell me, squirt. How did you survive so long on your own?" Jack asked Scarla, his expression unreadable.

"Oh, well, I guess I'm just pretty resourceful," Scarla replied, shrugging.

"It takes more than that to make your way through that jungle out there. You need wit, quick thinking, a proper understanding of the area, and, most importantly, a means to live on. I hope Deckland's test tomorrow will show favorable results," Jack stated, his words holding a veiled warning.

Scarla nodded, taking a sip from her now-empty cup. She stood, bid them goodnight, and walked to her bed. A bucket of water sat waiting for her to wash her face, and a warm blanket lay invitingly on her cot. She removed her boots and coat, washed up, and sat on the bed, beginning to wrap herself in the blanket when Curt approached, startling her.

"Hi. Is that blanket warm enough?" he asked softly.

She was so startled that she could only manage a nod and a shy smile. Curt stood at the end of her bed, looking at her.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice. “You seem avoidant.”

She immediately shook her head. "N-no! I-I mean I'm fine." she stumbled over her words, her face burning with embarrassment.

"Okay? Is it about yesterday?" he said, confused.

“I just saw someone in need of help so I helped. Um, thank you for the water ” She said as she looked at the floor.

“Of course. It's the least I could do since you practically saved my life.” He said before leaving.

As soon as he was out of sight, she rolled over, pulling the blanket tight, squirming with embarrassment.

"Knock, knock," a voice whispered from beyond the blanket.

"Yes?" Scarla mumbled, freezing.

"It's Cassie. I just figured maybe you'd want a change of clothes so you don't have to sleep in your skirt and everything," Cassie said, her voice gentle.

"Oh, well thank you but actually I think I'll keep these clothes on, they make me feel safe, but you can leave them here if you want," Scarla replied, her voice muffled. 

Cassie dropped the clothes next to Scarla's belongings and left. Scarla peeked out, looking at the fresh clothes. They're cute, but my clothes are comfortable, she thought, rubbing her hand along her tights. She smiled to herself, drifting off, hoping for the first time in a long while that nightmares wouldn't plague her. She couldn't remember a time they hadn't, but it didn't matter now. These people were welcoming, and Cassie, especially, reminded her of her mother. As she dozed off, positive thoughts, a rare commodity, filled her mind.