The Bender Games

Chapter Twenty

The Bender Games

Chapter 20: The Twins

Luna sits on top of a rock behind me. I am resting against a tree trunk, and Taylor is staring at me from his spot on a log across from me. I get the feeling he does not like me very much. He hasn't said two words to me the entire time I have been here.

Luna is doing her best to make me feel welcome, but the constant glares from Taylor are undoing that. Every time I try to make nice and start a conversation with Taylor, he only responds to me in as few syllables as possible. Luna makes it better, though. She'll go off on little spiels, drifting off into other topics that calm me down and briefly make me forget where I am.

I look up from my seat and see Taylor sharpening an end of a stick to use as a snare. He scrapes off another piece of the bark, and traces it down to the tip. I look back down and play with the zipper at the end of my jacket. I sigh.

"How are you two holding out so far?" I ask neither one in particular.

"Fine." Taylor answers. I look up to see him sharpening the snare even angrier than before. Luna jumps down from the rock and sits down next to me.

"We're doing alright." She says as she sits. "Taylor managed to grab some supplies at the Elementor, so we have some water, some blankets, a flashlight, some weapons in case we need them. The only thing we don't have is some food." I bite my lip. I have no food too. I was hoping they might have some.

"When was the last time you guys ate?" I ask Luna. Out of the corner of my eye I see her take a hold of her stomach.

"Before we came here." She says with a hint of desire in her voice. I know the feeling: I'm hungry too. At the thought of food, my stomach rumbles. I try to think of possible food items we could eat out here.

"We ran into your friend Axel." Luna adds.

I feel myself tense at the sound of Axel's name. Seeing him with that knife last night...I don't know how to feel about him anymore. I keep my cool and respond to Luna's comment with: "Oh?"

"He seemed like he was in a hurry. He had a knife in his hand. I think he's been tracking someone." Luna tells me.

"Do you know who?" Taylor asks me. His turquoise eyes find mine. I think this has been the first time he has directly looked at me all day. He stares at me with such intensity, it seems so intense.

"No." I tell him. I pause and look down at my hands. "I have no idea." I hear Taylor let out an exasperated sigh. He must think I am no help. I wring my wrists and take in a breath. I hear Luna's stomach grumble in sync with mine. I think it is time we go look for some food. "So do you guys want to eat some lunch soon? I can try to see if there's any fish by the river." I offer.

"I'll go get dinner. Bye." Taylor says as he stands with his snare in his hand. He grabs a knife and a few other things, then treks off. I watch him leave. He moves in between two trees and then disappears from sight. I turn to see Luna staring at the spot where her twin vanished.

"Luna," I say, interrupting any thoughts she may be having right now.

Luna turns her head and stares at me with her big turquoise eyes. "What?" She asks.

I turn my whole body around so I am completely facing her. I plant a hand on the ground and lean my weight against it. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what is it?"

I quickly glance at the spot where Taylor disappeared, and then back to Luna. I think about how I am going to say what I am going to say before it comes out of my mouth. I pause, then open my mouth. "Does your brother have something against me?" I ask as tentatively as possible.