Chương 72: I Can’t Sleep

In the cabin below the deck, once all of the bones had been cleared out and thrown into the previously flawless sea, and once all of the bags and other equipment had been moved, we slept, huddled together like sardines in a tin. Although there was a ton of space on the lower level, Ben insisted that we should sleep with our sleeping bags pressed together like an array, and the excuse he gave was that we could gain warmth from each other's body temperature, which should aid our sleep.

It all sounded stupid, like a bunch of baloney, but somehow, the idea was approved by Cayman, leading to us becoming human sardines. It wasn't just that as well. Cayman had given strict orders about how we were going to look out for and spot enemies lurking around in the dead of night.

"There's about eight hours until the sun rises," he had explained.

"That's perfect, since there's eight of us. This means that we can each take an hour-long shift where we stand on the deck watching guard whilst the others sleep." On paper, that didn't seem like a terrible idea, but in practice, there's a whole host of other things that need to be considered. However, my oblivious friends didn't consider what would happen in reality, only what would happen in theory, which led to this idea being widely accepted as well.

"That's fair," Ben had said in response to Cayman's seemingly amazing plan.

"This means that whoever spots enemies coming should alert the others and wake them up. Is that your plan?" Cayman nodded subtly.

"Well then, who's going first?"

"Nose goes." In response to Maya's question, Ben hastily placed his finger on his nose, followed by me, then Ellie, then Maya, then Theo, then Daniel. Cayman and Devon, not getting the memo, were late to react.

"You're first, Cayman," Ben said to Cayman, who was the last to place his finger on his nose.

"Stand outside, buddy. You're in for a long ride." Grunting, Cayman, slouched and looking despondently at the ground, trudged up the stairs and onto the deck. Surprisingly, no rant ensued, nor did Cayman say he wanted to beat Ben to a pulp. He just silently agreed, proving this with his facial expressions.

"Looks like Devon's next," Ben continued, "followed by Daniel, then Theo. Alright guys, I'm off to sleep now." And with no further words shared between our group of Night Hoppers, the time had come to lay down our sleeping bags and get a good night's sleep, ready for the premonition that there would be a multitude of adversaries waiting for us in the morning. However- Suddenly, I opened my eyes. I thought I was having a dream, but I couldn't remember what I had been dreaming about.

They say that some people remember their dreams very vividly whilst others don't remember their dreams at all; I guess I fall into the latter category. I had expected it to be morning when I awoke, and I had also expected there to be a deluge of discordant snores clashing with each other like percussion instruments in an orchestra, tired, dishevelled looks and wails about wanting more sleep. But I only got one of those right.

The room was still almost pitch-black when my eyes opened; the torches that had filled the room with glowing light had all been blown out, leaving the room shrouded in eternal darkness. Looking out of one of the windows told me that the sun was still far from rising. But that wasn't even the worst part. The incessant snoring filling the room with low bear growls was unbearable and annoying.

I cast a fleeting gaze at the others still sleeping in the bizarre grid formation that we had agreed upon a few hours prior, and the sight was harrowing. Theo, who was the main source of the endless snoring, had his mouth wide open, ready to let out another obnoxious growl. Ben was sprawled on the floor, unconscious, his sheets spread out on one side; he was sleeping without his sheets covering him, his feet resting on top of Theo's legs. How the hell could one sleep like that?

This was my first time sleeping in the same room as some of those people, and the sight to behold was something I wished I would never see again. I wanted to fall back asleep, but with all the snoring originating from various sources, it was almost impossible without earplugs. So for a while, with my body as flat as a ruler, I lay motionless, with my eyes wide open, staring at the dull ceiling which was made of nothing but wood. This is not working, I said to myself. I am not going to go back to sleep like this.

It's practically impossible. They say that if you think about wanting to go to sleep when in your bed, ready to fall asleep, you will never fall asleep. It is harder to fall asleep when your brain is thinking about things, especially if whatever's on your mind is something that makes you feel uneasy, like an upcoming exam. That basically rendered all of my thinking useless and futile. I was not going to fall asleep if I was thinking about stuff related to falling asleep.

Defeated and feeling hopeless, I kicked my sheets away from me and stood up, stretching from side to side. With the absence of a mirror, I couldn't tell what I looked like, but I assumed I was the ugliest person in the universe. One of the worst feelings you can get is when someone tells you how you sleep every night. It's a feeling that irks me a lot.

So to avoid the feelings of helplessness inside of me stemming into a tall sunflower, and being as quiet as I could possibly be, I tip-toed my way out of the room, making my way onto the peaceful, tranquil deck. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. As soon as I reached the stairs, my heart rate experienced a sharp increase. The disconcerting thought of waking my friends up lingered in my brain, adamantly refusing to leave until I was on the deck.

I thought sweat was going to start dripping from my back if I didn't consider how much noise I made. Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop. My breathing was rough and long. One long deep breath was followed by another long deep breath. I didn't want to wake someone up who wasn't on their shift. Eventually, however, after an eternity of trying to be as discreet as possible, I reached the deck, and instantly, I realised that the arduous, treacherous journey to get to the deck wasn't fruitless at all. It was a sight to behold.

Nothing more, nothing less. The serenity of what I was seeing was unparalleled; all I could hear were the calm waves prompting the boat to bob up and down. I thought the salty aroma of the sea was going to waft straight into my nose. There were no animals in the distance, there were no mana beasts nor Hoppers, just me on a boat in the middle of the empty ocean.

Just looking at the sky was enough to fill every cell in my body with awe and astonishment; the navy blue sky, which was devoid of any clouds, looked peaceful, a work of art. Calling it a child's painting had become an understatement, since every aspect of this never-ending spectacle was intricately crafted, adorned with the most luxurious jewels this world has ever seen.

Instead, it would be more fitting to call it a work of art meant for one of the most famous art museums; every star was irrevocably alluring, shimmering in the dull sky, filling my vision with nothing but dots on a dark blue background. They seemed to call my name, beckoning for me to join their ranks. Below me, below the ship and below the dazzling work of art which stared at me with hawk's eyes, was the dark but flawless sea, reflecting the sheer beauty of the sight that was presented before my eyes.

Although there was a lack of light, I could still ascertain that the water was crystal-clear, with no dirty patches in sight. Just staring at it made me thirsty. I then turned around to gaze at the night sky from the other side of the deck. It was just as beautiful, with each shining star looking as elegant as jewels. One large dot at the far end of my vision presumably represented the moon.

Despite being on a different planet, I could still see a moon, shining in all its glory, staring back at me with wide eyes as if it was one of my friends. It would most likely be Ben if that was the case. And there, far, far away in the distance, was another ship. It was just an opaque silhouette, but I could still discern its shape, immediately deducing that it was a ship.

It wasn't an enemy ship, however; it was our own ship, the one we had built on the desert island, the one that had cost us a ton of blood, sweat and tears. There it was, abandoned all because of the thick, pungent odour of someone getting seasick, drifting further away from us in this vast, expansive ocean, never to be seen again.

The countless hours of being stuck on that desert island, working our butts off on such menial tasks just to get a ship to sail on water wasn't in vain, however, since without it, we would still be on that island, suffering from our death throes. It was because of that ship which was shrouded in a cloud of vomit and the unbearably strong stench of stomach acid that we were on the sea in the first place. And it was because of that ship that we could make it this far.

Because of that, we were eternally grateful to have built that thing.

"Robert?" I didn't want to turn around; I was too busy revelling in the allure of a flawless night sky to want to engage in social interaction. I was too busy reminiscing about the past and reflecting on what we had done on this planet to turn around and answer. The main purpose of my trip to the deck was to find some solace by myself because I couldn't sleep. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

I was finally alone, enjoying the peace and quiet of a life in solitude. I could finally enjoy myself in the absence of a phone, which was something I thought was never possible until only a month ago. I was finally reaping the benefits of being alone, but unfortunately, it had to meet its untimely end. Just like everything, from journeys, to holidays, to Hopper expeditions, to even life. Everything has to come to an end someday. And the end of my precious time alone had unfortunately arrived.

"Robert." It was a soft voice, one that lacked any hostility or resentment, one that was sweet and so carefree. I turned around. And there, standing in front of me with a beaming smile on her flawless face, was Maya.

"Maya?"

"Yes, it's me." All I could say was that one word. I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know how to start the conversation. I was entranced; everything around me, from the ship to the sea to the charming night sky to even Maya, captivated me and filled my body with amazement. Because just like the stars glimmering effortlessly in the night sky, the golden crown on Maya's head seemed to emit its own light, shimmering weakly whilst being cushioned by Maya's silky, luscious hair.

Unconsciously, and whilst still staring at the peripheral details, I opened my mouth to speak.

"A-Are you on your shift?" I stuttered, my voice raspy and deep. Maya nodded, not letting the smile on her face fade away. She was like a light shining in a perpetually dark room. From what I could remember, since Maya was supposed to be one of the last people to keep watch on the deck, I could deduce that there were only a handful of hours left until dawn.

"Robert. Why are you out here? You should be sleeping soundly on your nice, comfortable sleeping bag."

"I can't sleep," I replied bluntly.

"I just can't fall asleep."

"Aww. Why not?" I sighed, hanging my head low. When I raised my head, I opened my mouth to speak again.

"Too much snoring," I said, my voice as quiet as a whisper.

"I think that woke me up." In response, Maya giggled lightly, staring at the capacious ocean that stretched for thousands of miles.

"Some people are like that," she said.

"They snore loudly, which keeps everyone else awake throughout the night. On paper, the idea that Ben suggested works, but when put into practice, cracks begin to form on his seemingly perfect plan, and little flaws begin to show, like this one." It was my turn to nod. I was about to say that Theo's snoring was the worst out of everyone on the boat, but Maya opened her mouth again before I got the chance to speak.

"Especially Theo and Cayman. They're the worst. Devon snores as well, but his snoring isn't as loud and obnoxious. I'm surprised that Ben doesn't snore. I was heavily expecting him to annoy the whole room with his unbearable snoring." Again, I smiled. My heart rate, previously at a level where I thought it was going to burst, gradually eased and my sweating stopped. Maya spoke amicably; her voice was music to my ears.

In this relaxed state, I could finally ask the question that had been bugging me since before we started defeating the mana beasts.

"H-How's your sickness?" I asked, still showing visible signs of my social ineptitude.

"I know it's been a few hours, but how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing good," Maya replied with brazen zeal laced in her voice despite the fact that it was pitch-black outside and she should be tired.

"I think the fight against the mana beasts helped a lot to quell the sickness inside of me. I feel a lot better now than I did before we fought the beasts." I nodded, feeling grateful internally. Soon, once I ran out of things to say, an unsettling silence broke out, where Maya and I just stood side by side gazing at the sky, pointing at stars and the moon without the exchange of words. After a while, I turned around and faced Maya again, pointing at something that seemed to be in her hair.

"You've got sand in your hair," I said lifelessly and hurriedly, pointing at the glowing white specks of sand near where her crown sat. It was akin to glitter that had spread sporadically, landing lightly on her thin tresses of hair.

"Huh?" Instantly, Maya flinched, almost letting out a squeal.

"H-How long has that been there?"

"I'm not sure, but it could've been from when you were sulking on the desert island and you had to pick up your crown from the sand."

"Huh? It's been there for that long?" I didn't reply. I simply ran my hands through Maya's soft, silky hair, carefully removing all the little grains of sand that had wanted to make their home there. Maya's face was rosy-red; she was visibly flustered, but I paid it no heed and continued my duty. After a while, once I had finished shaking all of the wild grains of sand off Maya's crown, I placed the crown back on Maya's head and said, "It's all gone now."

"T-Thank you!" Maya stuttered, almost screaming.

"I can't believe I had sand in my hair for hours. Thanks for pointing it out."

"No problem," I whispered in response. That was all I could muster up. I had expected silence to ensue, crashing down on us and zipping our mouths firmly shut. However, the opposite happened, since Maya seemed to be in the mood for a chat.

"Robert," she said, her sweet, youthful voice containing more vitality than before.

"I don't think I've told you this before, but I really am truly grateful for what you did that day at school. I don't know how I can ever repay you." Maya then let her head drop to a level where I thought her crown was going to fall and make everyone wake up. Reflexively, I grabbed the crown and held it firmly in my hands. That day? Was she talking about that day when I helped her after she had been bullied by her friends? But that was a month ago already. The past is the past; it remains unchanged.

So why was she still thinking about that moment like it was nostalgia for her?

"I-It's OK," I replied, stuttering and trying my best to muster up a reasonable response.

"Really. We were in the same predicament. I had been bullied by Theo and Ben, and you had been bullied by your friends. It's the right thing to do to help someone in need." Maya's head looked like it was about to bow down even lower. At this rate, it looked like she might even end up prostrating herself in front of me. She had taken her eyes off the sea, but luckily, there seemed to be no signs of looming adversaries.

I scanned her hair again just in case I missed a few loose grains of sand, but luckily, I couldn't find any.

"You truly helped me," Maya said with her head still lowered.

"I owe you with my life."

"O-OK. Yes, I know. But I think this is too much. I was just doing the right thing…"

"No. You saved me. You saved a damsel in distress."

"What?" I flinched. What did she just say? Damsel in distress? It's still so early to think about that…

"Lift your head," I said lightly. I didn't want to give out orders, but at the same time, seeing someone bow their head in front of me gave me the chills. Abruptly, without warning, Maya threw her head back, making her hair fly wildly behind her. I sheepishly placed the golden crown back on her head. Maya was smiling. She was genuinely smiling despite showing a look of self-reproach.

"Honestly, without you, I don't think I would be here right now. I don't think I would've met you guys, and I think my suffering would never have ended. That's why I was so grateful for your help, Robert. That's why I'm showing you all this gratitude." I smiled lightly, not saying anything. After all, speaking was truly not my forte.

"I don't even want to think about where I would be if I hadn't met you. I don't even want to think about all the trouble I would go through just to prove my worth as a skill user. I might've just ended up as a useless nobody who constantly gets bullied at school." I couldn't muster a response.

"When I awakened, and when I first saw the system in front of me, I thought I was special. I thought I was special in a bad way. I thought I was the only one seeing the system, and I thought I was going berserk. But then I met you, and I realised that I'm not the only one."

"Everyone's special in their own way," I blurted out, thinking I had just cut off Maya's monologue.

"E-Everyone has their own traits which makes them unique. J-Just like how I'm quite socially awkward and Theo has unparalleled strength. It's these traits that make us who we are, and it's these traits that make us stand out in the world." Maya stood still in front of me, listening intently as I spat out every thought circulating in my brain at that moment. I felt emboldened by Maya's words to speak, to create a speech or a monologue and to just speak about what was in my brain.

Because to me, Maya was someone who I could easily talk to, someone so easy to approach, someone who would happily talk about anything. Someone who a seemingly reticent person like me could talk to and share my thoughts and feelings with.

"And that is why we're friends," Maya said softly.

"That is why I'm friends with you. Deep inside, you're a really good person. Even with the yellow eyes that make you berserk, you seem to be able to discern who is your friend and who is your foe." I didn't reply. Maya's words were impossible to refute. Being called a good person by someone else apart from my mother made me feel worthy and proud of myself.

"I don't ever want to lose this connection," Maya continued dreamily.

"I don't ever want to lose the new friends that I've made. Even though Theo and Ben used to be bullies, they've changed. They say it's possible for anyone to turn over a new leaf, to start anew, and they've embodied that value to perfection. That's what I like about them." Still, I didn't reply. Listening to Maya's soothing, serene voice with no disturbances was something I thought I would never experience again.

"We rarely get this much alone time," Maya added.

"We barely get time to talk. Just the two of us. Now that we've got this time to talk as just the two of us, I feel very grateful. You might be my favourite person ever in this universe, Robert. My saviour. My benefactor. I don't ever want to lose you. I don't ever want to think about what would happen if I did lose you." Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever had a one-to-one conversation with Maya since I saw her laying on the ground at school, writhing in pain and tainted with her own blood.

It had been that long ago since we talked like this, and it was the first time we could have a conversation as wholesome as this, where none of us were injured and on the brink of crying a waterfall of sad tears. Regardless, I continued speaking fluently and coherently.

"Carry on. Don't worry, I'm listening."

"Sometimes I worry about whether we can make it out of missions alive. Sometimes I worry about the safety of you, Theo, Ben and my brother, and it's because I care about you all. I don't want to lose anybody, especially the people I love, because they all mean a lot to me." I smiled, placing a hand on Maya's shoulder.

"It's OK," I whispered, staring deep into Maya's dark pupils.

"We won't die. We're here to uphold a duty, and we're here to serve it to perfection. We care about our own lives as well. After all, life is not something to carelessly throw away. Life is something to cherish, to embrace with warm arms. Something to be grateful for because we have been bestowed with this magical opportunity to explore the world with our own two eyes." Tears were welling up in Maya's eyes, but Maya didn't let them fall.

She also stared straight into my pupils, making this an informal staring competition.

"Hoppers are always risking their lives to defeat mana beasts. They always risk their lives to earn money. It's inevitable. That's how it's always been. We, as mere Hoppers following this tradition, cannot change this fact. It's something we unfortunately have to live with. But Hoppers still live their lives to the fullest. They still cherish their lives like ordinary people. Because in the end, they're just humans. On the surface, they're no different from ordinary people." Maya nodded.

Her eyes were becoming more watery by the second, ready to burst like a broken bottle.

"I know, and that's why I'm on my shift right now. If I'm not on my shift, then there's a chance that we might all die from a sudden ambush." Again, I didn't want to reply. All of my thoughts and feelings had just erupted from my capacious brain, a brain secretly brimming with a whole host of ideas and knowledge. Maya was trying her hardest to suppress the tears in her eyes to prevent them from falling and trickling down her face like a stream.

"Speaking of shifts, my shift is over now. It's unfortunate, but it was nice talking to you. I'm heading off to sleep now." Clack, clack, clack. As she turned around, the sound of her footsteps moving further and further away from me was prominent. Before Maya disappeared into the cabin, she waved at me and shouted, "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight," I replied hastily, ignoring my voice crack. Slam. And then, she was gone. I swore I saw a single tear fall from her flawless face before she closed the door, but I guess I would never truly know. I was finally alone on the deck, but I wasn't going to be alone for long, since it still wasn't time for my shift yet. I turned around, ready to gaze at the other side of the clear night sky when I was ambushed by someone who I truly believed had no presence. Someone as silent as a spectre. Ellie.

I flinched, visually taken aback. I couldn't remember if it was time for her shift, since I hadn't memorised the order. However, that wasn't important. The most important thing was that I wasn't alone anymore. But I couldn't even think about that for long, since I was in for a truly shocking surprise. Something that I had never expected to happen ever, something that had never happened in any of the 570 chapters of Night Hoppers, something that I thought was not possible, happened. I thought I was going to faint.

"Robert."