Malik didn't even remember falling asleep. Again.
One moment he was sitting against the cave wall, trying to convince himself that everything was fine—that he could handle this—and the next, he was out cold.
When he woke up, it wasn't because of a peaceful sunrise or even his body deciding it was rested.
Nope, it was because Sinbad was shaking him, his small hands gripping his arm hard enough to bruise.
Sinbad's voice was high and shaky, like he'd been holding in his fear for hours.
"Big brother, wake up! Please wake up!"
Malik blinked blearily, his mind dragging itself out of the fog called exhaustion.
He mumbled, trying to sit up.
"What's wrong? Did I die?"
Sinbad sniffled, his wide eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I thought you did! You wouldn't wake up!"
A faint smile tugged at Malik's lips, feeling déjà vu.
He didn't mean to say that last part out loud, but oh well.
"Nah, still kicking. Promise."
Malik reached out, ruffling Sinbad's hair.
"Good job waking me up, though. What's going on?"
Sinbad pointed toward the cave's depths, his finger trembling.
"Monsters. I've been hearing them for a while, but now they're really close. I didn't know what to do."
Malik perked up when a familiar screech echoed as if to support the boy's words.
They were distant but unmistakably getting closer.
"You did great, kid. Really."
"Let's get outta here before they decide we're dinner."
He pushed himself to his feet and tried to scoop up Huda, thinking that he had gained enough strength to do so, but failed, somehow even worse than last time.
Immediately understanding his plight, Sinbad lowered himself and picked her up on his back.
She was still burning sick but visibly more at ease now that she'd had some water.
"Thanks. Now stick close, and don't make a sound, got it?"
Sinbad nodded, his face pale but determined.
Together, they slipped out of the cave and into the cool night air.
The grass glowed faintly under the reflection of the distant lighthouse.
If not for that light, the night would've been suffocatingly dark.
But Malik didn't have time to appreciate the eerie beauty of it.
The screeches were louder now, closer, and the thought of running wasn't something he entertained.
He scanned the area and spotted a suitable tree nearby.
Its low-hanging branches and thick mud offered the perfect hiding spot.
Malik whispered, and Sinbad went ahead, setting Huda down gently.
When Malik got there, he pointed at some wet mud and helped Sinbad smear it over his body.
The boy didn't complain one bit, only grimaced at the cold texture, and helped Malik do the same to himself.
"Lay flat. Don't move. Don't breathe too loud. We wait 'til they're gone."
Sinbad nodded again, his small body trembling as he pressed himself against the ground.
Malik adjusted Huda, covering her mouth lightly with his hand to make sure a repeat of last time didn't happen.
The monsters appeared not long after, their grotesque forms lurching into view like nightmares made flesh, faintly illuminated by the distant lighthouse beam.
Their movements were wrong—so wrong—jerky and stiff one second, then bizarrely smooth the next, as if their bodies couldn't decide whether they were dead or alive.
They sniffed at the air with these disgusting, wet snorts, their guttural clicks echoing in the silence like a broken metronome.
Malik didn't dare blink.
His entire body went rigid as one of them—biggest of the bunch, claws like rusted scythes—stopped dead in its tracks.
Its glowing eyes swept the area, and Malik could swear they locked onto him for half a second.
His breath snagged in his throat and he tightened his grip over Huda's mouth, careful not to press too hard but praying she didn't make a sound.
He could feel her tiny breath, hot and rapid against his palm, while his other arm held Sinbad so close he might as well have been trying to merge them into one person.
The kid was trembling even worse now, and Malik couldn't tell if it was from fear or the freezing mud they were caked in.
The monster shifted closer.
One step. Then another.
Each movement sent a shiver through the ground.
Malik could feel it in his chest like a second heartbeat.
Its claws scraped against the earth with this sickening shhhhick, like nails on glass, just feet away.
The sound was unbearable, drilling straight into his skull, but even then, he remained absolutely still.
He fought every primal urge screaming at him to run.
It just wasn't an option. Moving wasn't an option.
Hell, existing barely felt like an option right now.
'But... the fuck do I do if it finds us?'
Huda wouldn't stand a chance. Sinbad? Maybe a few seconds before he was ripped apart.
And Malik? No more than his little brother, probably less even.
The thought twisted his stomach, but he pushed it down.
The thing sniffed the air again, its head tilting unnaturally, almost like it was listening.
Malik squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to stay still, to stay silent, even as his lungs started to scream for air.
He was sure this was it—that any second now, those glowing eyes would lock onto him, and those claws would tear through him like paper.
But then, like some cruel joke, it turned.
It jerked back toward the others, letting out a low, guttural snarl, and stalked off, disappearing into the darkness.
Malik stayed frozen, counting each shaky beat of his heart, waiting for another sound, another clue that they might come back.
Yet all he heard was the faint rustling of the wind.
He exhaled, the breath escaping in a trembling rush he couldn't control.
His hand fell from Huda's mouth as he pushed Sinbad away and flopped onto his back, sucking in air like it was the first time he'd ever breathed.
"Holy shit... holy fucking shit."
Malik's whisper to himself was barely audible over the thundering in his ears.
His body was just that taut.
Turning to his Sinbad, he slowly asked:
"...Alright... let's move."
He helped Sinbad to his feet and pushed Huda back up on the boy's back.
They hurried back into the cave, not saying another word.
Each step echoed louder than it should've in the silence while Malik's mind raced with thoughts of his failure.
'I should've been the one that woke him up.'
'...Not the other way around...'
But those thoughts quickly disappeared as they went deeper into the cave, intent on reaching the water source while those nightmares were out.
And it wasn't long before they did.
It felt like stepping into a dream.
The cool, clear pool shimmered faintly in the dim light, the sound of water dripping from the ceiling almost soothing.
Sinbad didn't hesitate—he practically dove in with Huda still on her back, splashing water everywhere.
Malik couldn't blame him.
He knelt at the edge, cupping the water in his hands and drinking deeply.
It was cold, crisp, and impossibly refreshing.
"This..." Malik said between gulps, "is the best damn water I've ever had."
Sinbad laughed, the sound light and genuine for the first time in what felt like forever.
"It's like a cold paradise!"
Malik grinned, joining him and forcing Huda to drink more even as she mumbled in protest. "C'mon, kid. Drink up! You'll thank me later."
Once they'd all had their fill—and then some—Malik leaned back, his legs sprawled out as he let the cold seep into his bones.
He glanced at Sinbad, who was grinning like a fool.
"Hey, you wanna check out this cave later? See what else is hiding in here?"
Sinbad's eyes widened, a mix of excitement and nervousness flashing across his face.
"Yeah. But only if you're up for it. What d'ya say?"