Ven: Part 2

Ch. 8 The roads ahead

The morning sun brings with it a tension that's even heavier than I am.

Marney has done nothing but glare at me over her breakfast.

Jacob refuses to meet my eyes.

They were listening.

Surely not.

Although.

"Why were you up so late last night?" I break the heavy silence.

"Someone had to keep watch," her voice seethes out of her mouth, "while you two were canoodling in that tree."

Tasma's group catcall at that, earning themselves a stern look from Tasma.

"It seemed like there was something on your mind when you came up last night," I say evenly. "Seemed like you were ready to fight."

"We heard everything." She spits.

"You had no right to eavesdrop on us." I say quietly, rage boiling my insides. My hand tightens on the metal plate of toasted bread and berries, denting it.

"But SHE has the right!?" She explodes. "We've been with you for months! We've asked and asked and asked and you've given us nothing! She bats her eyelashes at you, and you tell her everything!?"

"I didn't bat my eyelashes at anyone..." Tasma fires up.

I raise my hand and silence falls.

"You don't get a say in what I tell and to whom." My voice is quiet and steady. "I'm sure now that you've heard it you can understand why I didn't tell you. This is exactly why. You're too caught up in yourself to really hear what happened." I glare at her. "You heard what happened to me and you've made it about yourself. I..." My voice catches in my throat.

I throw the small metal plate with my breakfast on it.

It slices through a tree before embedding itself in another tree behind it.

Several gasps fill the air.

I clear my throat.

"I want to be left alone." I stand up.

"Oh, I'm sure you do!" Marney drops her plate and advances towards me. "And yet here we are, chasing after your goals! Living for your dream!"

"Say that again." I say through my teeth.

"You heard me." She spits.

I take the last few steps between us and rise to my full height to tower over her.

"You made the decision to stay," my voice rises in volume with each word, "you decided to come along. You decided to stand and fight! You wanted everyone to fight! You're so wrapped up in what you want that you're forgetting everything you've done to get here! I..." I stop myself.

Keep going! Break her!

I take several deep breaths.

It's not worth it.

"What does it matter anyway," I sigh, "leave, stay, I don't care. Do what you want to do."

I walk away from the camp and climb back up the tree.

When I settle on the branch Marney has disappeared into her tent.

The rest of the group doesn't seem to know what to do.

Jacob slowly rises up to my branch on the trunk of a eucalypt sprouting from the ground.

"So... that... happened..." he says slowly.