Chapter 65: Whatever it takes
Amari jolted awake, his body snapping upright as a cold sweat clung to his skin. His chest heaved, each breath ragged and uneven as his wide, panicked eyes darted around the dark room. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was—the nightmare still clung to him like a heavy fog, the echoes of terror making his heart pound.
The faint outlines of the other boys sleeping in the room came into focus, and slowly, reality settled in. He exhaled shakily, running a trembling hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself down. It had just been a dream. It wasn’t real. He repeated the words in his head, over and over, willing his heart to slow.
The sudden movement had stirred the others. One by one, they lifted their heads groggily, squinting at Amari in the dim light.
"You good?" Johnny mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.
Amari hesitated, his voice rasping when he finally responded. "Yeah. I’m fine."
"Bad dream?" Kenneth muttered, his tone casual as he buried himself under his blanket. "Don’t worry, those fade away eventually."
"Yeah," Maverick chimed in from the corner. "Everyone’s had their share of nightmares around here."
The others grumbled in agreement before settling back down, their breathing evening out as they drifted back to sleep. But Amari couldn’t. He lay back, tossing and turning as the dream’s images played on repeat in his head.
Finally, with a frustrated sigh, he gave up. Quietly, he slipped out of bed, careful not to wake the others, and made his way outside.
The cool night air greeted him as he climbed to the rooftop. The world felt still, almost peaceful, as the first hints of dawn began to creep over the horizon. Amari perched on the edge of the roof, his knees tucked to his chest as he stared at the streaks of orange and pink breaking through the darkness.
The sound of footsteps behind him made him glance back. Kenneth appeared, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he sat down beside Amari. For a while, neither of them said anything. They just watched the sky lighten, the quiet stretching between them.
"I still have them too," Kenneth said finally, breaking the silence.