Unnaturals

1. Ready? Set?

    I laid in the grass staring at the starry night sky. The smell of the fish cooking was overwhelming. I never really had a thing for fish. Four of my friends laid around forming a circle with me included, our heads facing inward. Next to me was my friend Brittany. Her eyes were piercing grey and her hair was brown and always curly, whether tight curls or loose. Her skin was olive and smooth. She and I had been good friends for a long time. As she would say, "preschool babes". Next was our friend Mason. I didn't know much about him. Brittany introduced me to him a few weeks ago.
    As far as I knew, he was Brittany's first cousin who moved here from Nebraska. Nebraska to Kentucky isn't bad adjustment wise but the distance from friends must be emotionally deteriorating. He had brown hair and sharp blue eyes. He was really quiet as well. He loves to laugh though. That I can tell. Then there was my sister, Rebekah. She was that popular, cheerleading girl that every guy fell over, though she wasn't the stereotypical one. She was extremely smart and artistic, plus she hasn't had a boyfriend yet and she's only 17. Anyone who hears it is pretty shocked by that statement. She and I have been through a lot of bad situations together.
    Next to her was our cousin Lukas. He came along on the trip with his dad, my uncle. He was as athletic as Rebekah, if not more. He was also that guy who was the life of the party. He always had jokes and was a fun guy to be around. Then there's me, the smart, weird, clumsy, unattractive guy named Kaleb that was friends with everyone. Despite all the negative, more people know me than I know them.
     We went on a camping trip, of which we take every Spring Break. This was the first time Lukas and Mason came with us. "Dinner's ready!" Dad yelled from the campfire.
     "FOOD!" Brittany jumped up and raced back to the circle of tents. We all ended up following closely behind. Once we returned, we dug into the array of food we hunted and the food we had still packed up in the RV. You could say we are true nature lovers. Grocery Store nature lovers to be even more precise.
     "So, who's gonna start the story telling?" Uncle Krystian clapped his hands as he sat down.
     "I think Mason and Lukas should be first," Mom smiled. Masons face turned bright red and he laughed.  Rebekah looked like she could die happily. It was most likely because of his smile. She thought he was attractive from the start but had yet to see him smile.
     "Um, well what do I say? I don't really have a story to tell," he exclaimed.
     "Tell us about yourself then," Dad drank a little of his questionable juice.
     "Well, I'm 17, um I'm really into music. I am in love with track. Running gives me the ability to set aside emotions I don't want to feel," He paused and tried to come up with more things to say.
     "What did you run in track?" Dad asked.
     "The 100, 400, and the 4 by 4 relays," Mason replied.
     "Hey, that's what Kaleb does," Dad continued drinking.
     "I run the 4 by 8 instead of the 4 by 4 though," I added.
     "You like those video games and stuff?" Dad was becoming more and more distant.
     "Yes sir," Mason replied with a smile.
     "Look, you guys can continue. Your dad needs to take himself to bed, don't you agree honey?" Mom clenched her teeth with frustration but also tried to keep it hidden as she tugged on him.
     "I'm fine!" Dad exclaimed.
     "I will take everyone and everything and leave you out here with the animals to fend for yourself if you don't go to bed," Mom crossed her arms. Dad got up and quickly ran to his tent.
     "Goodnight kids. Krystian you need to go to bed too. Either that or put that drink down," Mom waved.
     "I think I'll just go to bed," uncle Krystian winked and smiled. Mom rolled her eyes and went to the tent dad just disappeared into.
     "Night kids. Don't stay up too late and make sure you put out the fire before you go to sleep," uncle Krystian disappeared into his own tent.
     "So Mason, why'd you come to Kentucky of all places?" Rebekah asked.
     "Um, it's not like I really had a choice. My parents were claimed unfit to take care of me," Mason laughed.
     "You seem pretty calm about it," Lukas said.
     "They were really distant. The only time I really had time with them was at dinner but even then it was like talking to strangers," Mason stared at the ground.
     "Do you miss them?" I asked.
    "Of course, I mean they are my parents," his eyes moved from the ground to the fire. I also gazed at it as it danced, flickering and crackling.
     "I don't really have a story either. I'm just here because I was with my dad this spring break. Plus, who wouldn't wanna come out and hang with family?" Lukas asked.
     "You're right!" Brittany shouted. We all shushed her and she realized she had become extra loud.
     "I'm so tired," Lukas laid on the grass and closed his eyes.
     "Go to bed then," Brittany stood up and kicked him gently in his side, "I'm going too. Night guys".
     "I guess it's lights out then," I laughed. The others laughed as well and we all made our way to our tents. I laid onto my blanket bed and checked my phone. I turned it off to save battery while we were here. I had a few messages, mostly from my friend Alexis. She was just checking on me to see how the trip was going. She also asked when I was coming back. The trip was only a night, which is why we came early this morning. Mom and Dad had to work so we couldn't stay an extra night or two like normal.
     I laid in my tent tossing and turning for what seemed to be a few hours. I finally dozed off once I got truly comfortable. After a while I heard the sound of grass bending under someone's weight. I shot up and quietly looked outside. I saw Mason jogging towards the stream. He crossed it and then continued running deep into the woods.
     I turned to go back to sleep but soon after found myself tip toeing through the woods. I ended up catching up with Mason and I followed closely and quietly behind him. He came to an opening and just stood there staring at the sky. I looked to see what exactly it was he was looking at but I saw nothing but stars. I tried backing up but I stepped on a twig. Mason snapped around to see me standing there.
    "Kaleb? Why are you up?" He asked.
    "I could ask you the same thing," I stepped from out of the bushes.
    "Meteor shower, what's your excuse?" He laughed.
    "Heightened concern," I laughed as well.
    "Well yeah, tonight a certain meteor shower is supposed to come through and I find it very fascinating," he looked back at the sky.
    "I've never seen one," I looked as well.
    "Well since you're here," he plopped down but didn't take his eyes off the sky. I sat down as well and gazed at the night sky. For a few moments it seemed as though nothing was going to happen and I wished this were merely a dream.
    "I'm gonna go to bed," I stretched as I stood up.
   "LOOK!" He shouted and pointed to the sky. I looked up and saw a flash of light. There were a few. They look as though there were harbingers. I smiled and waited for the others to come into view. Suddenly hundreds of light flashes appeared across the sky. Then they all began to disappear the same way they came, slowly and then all at once.
     "That was amazing," I murmured.
     "It was definitely worth it. Thanks for the company man," Mason stood up and dusted himself off. We both turned and began walking back to the camp. We reached the edge of the forest and spotted the camp. Suddenly there was a harsh vibrating motion and a loud sound. I looked around but saw nothing.
     Mason grabbed my shoulder and pointed me towards the incoming meteor. "RUN"! He screamed. We both bolted for the camp trying to outrun the reach of the meteor. Then it hit. Everything was silent and blurry. I could only hear myself breathing. I looked around and saw everything blackened and burning. I saw something out the corner of my eye and I moved to try and see what it was.
     Mason laid there. His body was burned to a crisp and he was staring at me. The pain finally emerged and so did all the sounds. In the distance I heard sirens but I knew it was too late. I could feel my heart slowing. I began choking and then everything disappeared into an everlasting world of white. I looked around but no one was there. My feet began to sink into the ground. I tried screaming but nothing was working. I spun around trying to get out but nothing was working.
    It was as though I were trapped in quick sand. I saw a figure standing off in the distance. I couldn't tell if it was male or female or something else. I still screamed at it to help me but it didn't move. Nothing was working. My head began to sink and then darkness. I was breathing. I tried moving but I was enclosed in something. I pushed hard on the top but nothing worked. The air in here wasn't even breathable. How was I alive at that matter? Am I even alive? I pushed harder and then I felt something in my body shift. My body itself began floating and I hit the top of the enclosure I was in.
     My body began to disintegrate and then reformed on the surface. I looked around and saw nothing but tombstones and a light post at the far end of what was obviously a cemetery.