Fear

"Reporting!" Mikhail said to Samuel while saluting by the campfire in the brightly lit night as the moonlight overpowered the campfire light. "We are 100 miles away from our destination!" He had a thick Russian accent. "And this is our 10th stop, Sir!" 

Samuel didn't reply. He didn't know what to say. Mikhail sat next to Samuel on the log. 

"May I overstep and ask you something, Sir?" Mikhail asked. 

Samuel still chose not to reply. Mikhail took it as a 'yes'. 

"Why do you not share your troubles?" Mikhail asked. 

Samuel looked into Mikhail's eyes for the first time. He had dark brown eyes. The child stared into his eyes lifelessly for a while before he looked back down. 

"I do not own any," Samuel replied. "And even if I did, it should not matter to you." 

The cold reply from Samuel didn't put much expression on Mikhail's face, as if he had expected such a reply from the very beginning.