~ Chapter Eight - Season II ~

My head quickly turned to the voice’s direction. To my joy, it was Laura, by the door.

She ran to me as I stood up, hugging me as soon as she reached me. “Thank the heavens you’re all right,” she remarked, her embrace getting tighter by the second.

“I’m all right,” I lightly tapped her back, struggling to talk and breathe. “However, can you loosen up a bit? I can’t breathe.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she quickly pulled away. “I was just so worried about you,” she continued as I gasped for air. “You didn’t even write more--”

“Oh!” I shouted as she jokingly poked my chest where my wound was. I turned away from her, curling into a bow in pain.

“Oh, I’m sorry again!” she quickly held onto my arm in concern. “Are you all right?”

I let out a deep breath after holding it in, trying to ignore the pain. “It’s okay. It’s just a wound, nothing else.”

“A wound?!” she screamed in horror. “You went on a voyage and you returned wounded?!”

“Calm down, Laura,” I held onto her arms which sh