If You Ain't In It- A Skuma Story (On Hold)

🌊Chapter Two🌊

Zuma could see the shock in her eyes. Those beautiful, beautiful magenta eyes. So sad, yet so full of life.

She deserved only the best. If only he was still alive. But he didn't regret his decision. Saving Rubble was his choice.

Skye's jaw dropped. "Are you...real?" Skye asked breathlessly.

Even breathless she was still stunning. Dead or alive, Zuma would always feel that certain beat in his heart that told him of his love for her.

Is that why I'm a ghost? He inquired. Or is this some ironic dream I'm having of my fear?

"Zuma...I-You're dead!" Skye exclaimed with tears forming in her soft magenta eyes, lighting ablaze with passion.

Zuma smiled sadly, a pit forming in his stomach. "Yeah," he remarked without breath. "I'm sorry about that. I think I've become a ghost?" He tried to shrug nonchalantly but knew he just appeared more confused and fearful.

What was happening while he was gone? Everything felt so...dark. He could himself shiver. Yet he was the ghost here.

"Yeah. Duh, Zuma," she sassily remarked before her expression changed back to this sad passion of hers. "Gosh. It's just so unreal," she sighed, staring at him with a frown.

"What?" Zuma implored, tipping his head at her probing continuance.

"That you're here. Even though you're dead, you're still technically here: Your spirit." Skye clarified, still shocked from the suddenness of Zuma's appearance.

Zuma was just glad someone could see him. He tried many times to see if Ryder or Rubble could see him, but neither of them seemed to pay attention. Then again, Ryder was working on his ATV and Rubble was busy watching Apollo.

"I know; It feels unreal to me. I remember so much, and I was so confused when I woke up after being hit by Mr. Hudson's train. Everything was different and...gloomy even," Zuma describes as he looks at the cute cockapoo in front of him.

Even she was different to him. She seemed...remorseful? It wasn't her fault he died. Or was it something else?

They had always been close to each other, so his death...he would understand if she at least felt somewhat remorseful for letting it happen.

But really, wasn't it Chase who was the closest? He was their leader, after all. He was the quiets of them.  If anyone had the chance to help Rubble it was Chase, and yet...it was still Zuma who sacrificed himself for Rubble's sake.

Zuma wasn't blaming the German shepherd for what happened in the past, but it was true. Chase had the chance to be speedy about it.

Could all of this have been stopped if Chase saved Rubble himself? Would Zuma still laugh and play with everyone else?

He remembered his friend had frozen. That was when he took action. Everyone was shocked at the sight of the speeding train, coming far closer than it should to their poor construction worker.

Everyone had a look of horror on their face as they realized they were about to lose a member of their team to tragedy.

But it never came to him.

Zuma remember barreling into his friend with such aggression, he could be confused for Chase with his own brown pelt. He saw his life flash before his eyes before he accepted his fate, allowing the train to grind and flatten him like a pancake.

He choose death that day. He allowed himself to take the ultimate sacrifice so they wouldn't lose Rubble. He couldn't allow himself to let anyone else do it as the only other one who would've done it was frozen with fear, frozen with panic.