Putz12 Plus One

FIVE | GLOW ALONE

Almost as if the opposite of the disorderly plants and tendrils fused against the trees from the forest above, it was like the reverse was here. Tall, copper walls intimidated the short squid. A huge waterfall sat from the middle, meaning that leading up to it would probably be a body of water. Flowers, only blue and purple, grew from the top of the walls and made their way down to the grass. The air smelled of a faint perfume, a hint of lavender. The glowing lights that speckled the bush now danced against the walls, flicking on and off interchangeably. If it were a dream, he didn't want to wake up.

From the corner of his eye he saw a figure, turning to reveal Iza in a white dress belted with a vine and flower crown. She had no shoes, and her muddy clothes were discarded by the corner of the room. To their right was a pool, which seemed to be heated up like a sauna. Steam rose from it, and above that, windows, revealing the undesirable forest they were below.

"Beautiful." He said with regret as Iza had centered his vision harmoniously. He turned, but his cheeks couldn't help but turn red anyway.

"Thanks. I made it."

"Not you." He scoffed. "This place."

"Oh. Sorry." She rolled her eyes, facing away and remembering her promise to herself. She was done with him. "Didn't expect a compliment to come from you, anyway. Ever."

"Oh shut up with that. Now that your frolicky crap is out of your system, can you tell me how the shell you ended up here?"

Her face turned red, any grace from her newfound beauty now muted by the fact. Her fists clenched and knuckles whitened. "You were supposed to be my guide! And you ran ahead! You lost me!"

"Who said I was your guide?" He sighed. "I shouldn't have expected anything more from a drooling octo twat without an education."

The green light emitting from the windows painted her face. It was hard to take her anger seriously when seemingly every light in existence would radiate, using her skin as a mirror.

"Don't talk to me."

He sharpened his eyebrows in a look of perplexity. "What do you mean? What do you mean by that?"

"I. Said. Don't. Talk to me!!!!!" She pranced her way to a bed in the corner of the room. The only bed, which was more longways than it was wide. Crossing her arms she turned and faced the window.

Putz scratched his head. Confrontation wasn't his best skill unless it was in a match, and even then the naysayers of his team would criticize him. He stormed up the small staircase leading to the bed.  "I did not! Just turn BACK for you, for you to treat me this way!"

But no replies from her. She was too focused on the deal she made with herself. And the pain from her legs was all the memory she needed to ignore his presence. She wished it was more anger. As angry as she looked, even. But inside her chest she felt a burden. Unexplained, but one which caused her to be silenced. Even if he apologized (a laughable expectation from him) she was sure the stagnation of her happiness wouldn't come to a halt any time soon.

"Say something! Please!" His stomach growled, and he became more impatient by the minute. He began to pace, trying to use the waterfall's noise as a meditation mantra. But it failed, and out came harsh words which stung like venom: "Of all things I had to encounter today! On the WORST day of my life, it had to be YOU! The worst... thing I've ever met!!"

Almost as if training to hold back tears, she held them back good, damn good, because if he could see her face all he would see is rage, not a trace of sorrow. Yet all she felt in the moment was her heart shatter.

"You're an airhead, you can't MOVE, you just stand there like a fucking TREE, and when you DO move it's always to do something STUPID! I can't stand being next to you! I don't want to spend another moment of my damn day with you! And instead of calling me for help, waiting for me, telling Buddy to go look for me, you decide it's time to play dress up! What in Cod's name is wrong with you?! Tell me! Tell me so I can be sure when I get up to MY world, to my NORMAL world full of NORMAL squids, I can do my best to stay as far away as possible from anyone who so much as possesses a single trait that you do!"