A Friend

Carefully making her way through the quiet night, gun held to her hip, Lara nervously glanced around her. She was really quite impressed with herself, considering how the last 24 hours had treated her she was coping quite well, but her lack of sleep combined with altogether too much adrenalin was starting to catch up with her. Flickering shapes would appear in the shadows of the forest, in the corners of her eyes, and she jumped at every rustle in the bushes. Her exhaustion fueled hallucinations aside, whatever ate that man was probably still around, she just hoped it was full. Her blood froze-What if it had gotten to Roth? Or the others? What if it was stalking her right now?

She focussed on the light, if she could just get to it maybe she could find a safe place to sleep. She didn't expect to find anyone friendly, her luck wasn't that good, but maybe she could hide in some bushes? ...Or in their beds? Her wishful thinking brought her to a campfire, from her position in the woods she could see two figures sitting around it. Peering warily from behind a tree she tried to make her eyes focus properly. Was that a woman? The two were talking and the girl laughed. Sam's laugh.

"Sam?!" Lara stumbled out of her hiding place, slipping the gun into her belt behind her back.

"Lara!" Sam rushed to her, nearly bowling over the exhausted archaeologist. Sam was, as always, adorable. She wasn't terribly short, just small and energetic. She was quite fair, even after the last few weeks of seafaring, and her short black hair (currently engulfing Lara's face) looked none the worse for ware. Lara's knees almost gave out with how happy she was to see a friend in this terrible place.

"Oh, I'm so happy you're alright! Roth said he didn't see you make it-"

"Roth?" Lara looked over her friends shoulder at the figure by the fire but it wasn't her mentor.

Sam spun with a smile, "Oh! Lara, this is Mathias. He's a teacher who got stranded here just like us!" Sam's energy was proving a bit much for Lara, who swayed on her feet from the lack of support.

The man stood. He wore a heavy patchwork cloak and leaned heavily on a wood staff. His hair was short, salt and pepper but the deep lines on his face made him look far older. He smiled warmly but Lara noticed that he did not have laugh lines and the expression looked strained, "A pleasure to meet you Lara. I hope the island hasn't roughed you up too badly." He offered his hand. After considering him wearily, Lara shook it. Sam helped her down next to the fire, "Your friend here was just telling me a story about her family history."

Mathias... She'd heard that name just recently... Since she got to the island? His friendly tone seemed a little off to Lara. There was something almost predatory about the way he looked at Sam and her, it was unnerving. Sam's bubbly personality and friendly demeanor made her gullible and quick to trust, Lara had had to step in on several occasions to stop her from getting into real trouble. Had they been out on the town back at the university Lara would have expected him to try and offer them spiked drinks or follow till one of them was alone.

There was no way she'd even consider sleeping without a locked door between herself and this man... when did the fire get so close? "Whoa! Lara, watch out!" Sam grabbed her before she could fall in, "You're exhausted Lara, just sleep. Here, I can be your pillow." She carefully laid Lara's head in her lap.

"Have to watch, can't... sleep..." as sleep overtook her, her last thought was how uncomfortable, and reassuring, the cold metal of the gun was against her back.