ALONE WITH THEM

This story is strongly related to the story "So Quiet." It is a different-universe version of the same concept.

            Robinson and West conversed comfortably around the campfire in low tones, out of deference for an already sleeping Smith.

            Presently, Smith began to twitch fitfully. He grimaced and moaned, and his head rolled back and forth unsteadily. Then, the murmuring began.

            "No...No!...Don't!"

            "He's having a nightmare," mumbled Robinson.

            "Plea...!" Undoubtedly an abbreviated "please" in his gasping breathlessness. "No! Maj...! No!"

            West groaned, recognizing his shortened title. "About me. Should we wake him?"

            "Profess...! No! No!!! Don't hurt...! Don't!!"

            Robinson groaned at his own inclusion. "About us. I guess so," he agreed. He was just beginning to rise, to go do so, when Smith screamed and sat up abruptly, and then gasped dramatically. Next, he obviously, suddenly remembered where he was, turned stricken eyes to Robinson and West, and gasped again, followed by a hushed, "I'm sorry! Did I wake you??!"

            "No," Robinson told him gently, sadly. "We weren't asleep."

            "Are you all right?" asked West

            Still breathless, Smith gasped, "Uh huh," while nodding. Then, clearly worn out, he rested his head and arms on his quickly-raised knees, and sat groaning.

            "Smith." Robinson said carefully, "Don't be afraid. We're coming over." They did so.

            Smith lay back down, as the two younger men pretended not to notice that Smith did so from intimidation at their approach.

             Robinson sat down to Smith's right, and West to his left. The former prompted gently, "Do you know what you were dreaming?"

            Smith nodded, and then something in Robinson's demeanor made him suspicious, and his eyes widened. "Do you know what I was dreaming??"

            "Oh yes," answered Robinson solemnly.

            West provided, "You talked in your sleep."

            Smith was horrified. "Oh, I'm so embarrassed!" He closed his eyes tightly in anguish, as if to hide from the men.

            Robinson squeezed his right hand. "We're the ones who should be embarrassed. After all, we did this to you."

            Smith's eyes flew open in shock.

            Robinson quickly corrected, "I mean, we're the ones who put you in this state."

            "Whew! For a moment, I thought you meant that it wasn't a nightmare, that it had really happened! In which case, I have completely lost my sanity!" He hesitated. "Not to mention, my uninjured, intact self."

            West took his left hand and squeezed it.

            Smith's gaze turned to him, and the older man said wonderingly, "I would've thought that you would be laughing at me."

            "There's nothing funny about this."

            Smith blinked at him. "You are...being kind, Major. I have misjudged you. I had thought that you were...sadistic toward me. I'm glad I was wrong."

            "Well, I agree with John. It's clear that we have terrorized you far more than we ever meant to."

            Insightfully, Robinson asked, "You've had nightmares about us before, haven't you?"

            Smith nodded timidly.

            "Often?" wondered West.

            Another nod.

            "Oh, I'm sorry."

            "Thank you." Smith's tone was hushed; he was again impressed. "And to think that I was terrified to be alone out here with you two like this."

            "Is that why you wanted us to leave you behind with the others?" Robinson guessed.

            He nodded again.

            "Did you dream what it was that had made us so angry?"

            "No. I generally don't. It usually begins with you looking at me so angrily. You both have dark eyes, and in the nightmares, there is always such rage in them! Such fury! Of course, I have seen that same rage in both of you in reality, aimed at me, so it's no wonder that I see it in my bad dreams."

            "Is that what makes you panic and scream and wake yourself?" West wondered.

            Smith looked uncomfortable. "Umm, no. It's usually when you both...umm, aim at me. You know." He uneasily and feebly demonstrated aiming a half-hearted fist. "That generally does it." He winced fearfully and self-consciously.

            Robinson and West both frowned sympathetically.

            "Have we ever actually hit you, in your nightmares, before you wake up?" West asked gently.

            "Only once." He eyed them. "It was horrible!" He turned to Robinson, and drew his hand over to his own midsection. "You hit me here."

            Robinson nodded. "Well, that's a standard target."

            Smith cringed. "It felt like I was cut in half." Then, he shifted his gaze to West. "And you...got me here." He drew that hand to his face. "I can't be more specific. But it felt like my whole face was on fire!" Smith shuddered.

            West gave another sympathetic frown. "Well, that's really not a very accurate description of how it feels, to get hit in the face."

            "I wouldn't know." Then, Smith eyed them in sudden trepidation. "And I don't want to know! Please! Not ever!"

            "I know," soothed Robinson. "Take it easy."

            West insisted, "You're imagining it worse than it is. You have an unwarranted amount of fear. Think how much better you'd feel if you knew how much milder it is than you've imagined."

            Smith knew what West was suggesting. And he was horrified. "No no no no no!!!"

            West reassured him, "I'm not forcing you; I'm just recommending."

            Smith's eyes fled from West to Robinson. "Do you agree with this idea?!"

            "Yes, I do. Turn the unknown into the known. You'll still be scared, but realistically, not exaggeratedly."

            "No!!! Please don't!!!" Smith was beginning to cry.

            "Hey, take it easy! We're trying to help you decrease your fear, not increase it! Like Don said, we're not forcing you. And we're not rushing you. Just think about it," Robinson finished with a reassuring smile.