SPASE

SPASE: CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Reynolds sits in between the tall sunflowers, waiting for Maddie to fully become present. Maddie comes to and sits up.

"Well, I'll be damned," Maddie states, "he might actually give a shit after all."

Language, Reynolds relays. You saw your daddy, didn't you?

"Frank seems to be doing just fine," Maddie says as they stand up, brushing off their yellow dress. "Jesus, how the hell am I so freaking dirty?"

You keep comin' and goin', love, Reynolds states.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Maddie shrugs.

Reynolds's ear perks up and he turns around, alert. He knows someone else is there, and he has a pretty good idea who it is too.

Nick walks among the sunflowers stalking Maddie and Reynolds like prey. He doesn't see them yet, but the warmth and static in the air make him sense that they are close. He takes careful steps to not be heard. He wants to get closer. He doesn't want to be noticed, even though Reynolds already knows he's there. The hunter never alerts his prey to his whereabouts. He must be patient, move with caution, and wait.

Nick wants the truth; is Maddie "The Guide" or what? How and why are they "the chosen one?"

To Nick, it doesn't make any sense. To Nick, there's no way someone as normal as Maddie could be someone so powerful, even if they are in Spase.

Nick sees Maddie and Reynolds fade from light and appear in the slightly open area between the fields.

"Why do they keep coming back here?" Nick wonders.

But Maddie and Reynold know. It is their meeting place. A place that they always transport to and from. It is their safe place; it is their home in Spase.

Nick stares as they begin to sit on the lone bench available. Maddie is silent, speaks out loud, and turns silent again as if they are talking to each other on the telephone. Nick thinks that this part is made up, but just a fictional story they told themselves to cope with the fact that they are alone here. Nick is in denial about everything in general. They want to believe that they are as grand and special as Big Burly Betsy, their superhero comic. But that is what it is... a comic. A made-up character of everything Maddie wishes that they were. Nick wonders when Maddie is going to understand that is not them. Nick doesn't understand why they don't just reach out to him. He's alone here too.

Maddie strokes Reynolds' front paws as he groans in ecstasy. They have traveled a long way. Letting out a large yawn, Reynolds lets out a large yawn and curls up next to Maddie.

Nick tries to get closer, carefully stepping between the flowers as to not jerk them around. Still, he does not want to be seen. Unbeknownst to him, they already know he's there. Nick is waiting for the "magic" to happen. He is not sure what the "magic" really entails, but he figures he would know it when he sees it.

Quickly, Maddie stands up.

"I'm fading, Reyn. It's pulling —-!" Maddie panics.

And Maddie is gone. Again, even though they just came back.

Nick sits between the flowers. It looks like it's going to be a longer wait than he thought.

With one eye open, Reynolds watches Nick.