Stars [Memesfor1]

Unexpected

         Meme had been walking for a while now, but he didn't know the time and didn't really care anyway.

He was angry at Socks, but in a way where he still wanted to run back to him and apologize.

Meme was afraid if he stayed near him he would want to to just that, so he kept walking. In no particular direction, just trying to get away.

Why are we even friends? He asked himself again. Deep down, he didn't want to be friends, and not just because they were fighting.

He wanted to feel Socks near him, and knew he would always feel safe near the orange astronaut. Meme knew he had always felt that way somewhere deep down, beneath the layers of teasing, and just now admitted it to himself.

I love him.

Great time to figure that out, brain. He thought sarcastically.

Snow whirled around Meme, distracting him from his thoughts. He realized in his anger he had wandered too far away and was lost.

Don't panic, he told himself, though his heart was already racing. He began to walk faster, ignoring the bitter cold.

"Meme?" A voice called. "Is that you?"

Socks? "Yeah! It's me!"

"Over here!"

Meme gladly raced over to where the voice came from. He turned a corner around a large hill, expecting to see Socks waiting for him. But the crewmate there wasn't wearing an orange suit, but rather a red one.

"Tbh?" Meme said, warily taking a step back. He didn't know if he could trust this crewmate, as he hadn't spent much time with him.

"Yep," Tbh said. "Lost?"

"No." Meme said sarcastically. "Just running through a blizzard because I felt like it."

Tbh chuckled. "Fair enough. Come on, the camp is this way."

Meme eyed him warily. "How do I know I can trust you?" He asked.

"You don't." Tbh said, eyes glittering.

Meme weighed his options. He would definitely die if he stayed where he was, and even if he miraculously found his way back, it would no doubt take him much longer. Tbh might be infected, but Meme might not die choosing to trust him, while he would most likely die if he didn't.

And then, there was an aura about Tbh that made Meme want to trust him. He seemed like a person who would be honest about what he thought-a bit blunt, perhaps, but honest all the same-and Meme thought he could trust the red-suited crewmate.

"Fine, take me back to the camp." Meme said. I better not regret this.

"Okay." Tbh said. Meme followed him quite a ways in one direction, and began to worry. Why is this taking so long? Is he just leading me to the middle of nowhere to kill me?

No. I have to trust him.

Sure enough, after a while of walking Meme saw buildings on the horizon. He began to get excited and started sprinting toward them, but Tbh grabbed his shoulder first.

Meme backed away from his grip. "What?" He asked.

"You have to be careful. There's lava around here." Tbh said, eyes scanning the terrain warily.

Meme saw the pools of lava now, hidden by          heaps of snow. He shuddered, thinking about Joocie and his painful death. "Thanks."

When they entered the building, Tbh turned to Meme. "You can leave now," he said.

"Why?" Meme asked, confused.

Tbh narrowed his eyes. "You can't trust me. It would probably be safer if we're separate."

"Yeah, but the impostor might get us if we're not together," Meme reminded him. "And I don't think it's you."

Tbh smiled. "Thanks." he said. "Then let's go to the sleeping rooms." He suggested.

Meme nodded and followed him there. When they entered, Tbh immediately tossed his crumpled blanket to the side. "Sorry," he said. "I don't clean much."

It wasn't much worse than Meme's room was. "It's fine."

They sat down, each unsure of what to say or do. "So, any ideas on who the impostor is?" Meme asked.

Tbh shrugged. "I don't know." He looked down at his hands. Is he nervous? Meme wondered. I wonder if he's had any other real friends.

Maybe I can fix that.

"What if we made a deal?" Meme offered. Tbh looked up at him. "What kind of deal?"

"We should stick out for each other. I don't think it's you, you don't think it's me. We should make sure we're both safe."

Tbh considered that for a moment. "Makes sense," he said.

"Deal?" Meme offered his hand.

"Deal." Tbh shook it.

They talked for a while before Meme decided to go back to his room for the night. He felt confident for the first time since his fight with Socks, sure of what he would do.

When he returned to his room, Meme brought out his journal and began to scribble down an entry.

July 9

         I once again don't have much time, but I wanted to update.
         We're going to catch the impostor. I know it. Socks and I aren't on the best of terms right now, but I think we can work it out. We always do.
         And I think I just made a new friend.

-0-

Socks walked out into the frigid snow, determination blocking his other senses. He was going to stop the impostor.

No one else was going to die on his watch.

He had a plan, and he was going to use it.

-0-

911 words