Comet

This sucks

It had been a few days since the last attack. Ivy was beginning to calm down and be happier. Richard finally decided to actually get more sleep. Everything oddly seemed fine. Marcus and Emma were in the woods together. They were exploring.

"Hey, Marcus," Emma said. Marcus was looking down at a stream below them, "What?" he said, turning around to face Emma. Marcus saw a spider the size of Emma's palm in her hand. "Why are you carrying that?! Throw it away!"

"But it's cute," Emma smiled, letting the spider crawl on her shoulder, "See?"

Marcus stared at the spider's hairy and long legs that clung on to Emma's blue shirt. He considered what Emma said for a moment. "Well, I guess so. I like frogs more, though. Don't frogs and spiders get along? I heard about it in an animal book before."

"Oh, you nerd," Emma snickered.

Marcus frowned, "You were just talking about Pronghorns. You're a bigger nerd than me," Marcus leaped over the stream with ease, "C'mon, you said you'd show me something cool."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Emma said, leaping over the stream. She began to sprint after landing, "Let's race over there!"

"What?!" Marcus blurted, "No fair, you cheater!"

Marcus summoned a grapple chain and grappled himself to a tree beside Emma, "I don't even know where it is anyways, you're just putting me at a total disadvantage," Marcus whined.

The spider crawled on Emma's long black hair and sat on top of her head, "Are you mad that Jerry and I are going to win? Stop whining and start running!"

"Jerry!? You named it Jerry!? Well, whatever, I don't need my chains to beat you. Not ever!"

"Uh huh, sure, keep telling yourself that."

Marcus hopped off the tree and began to run behind Emma. She was a lot faster than him, and the gap between them was getting longer with each second that passed.

Jerry turned around, waving its long creepy arm at Marcus. Marcus gave it a crazy look, unable to comprehend the fact that a spider is taunting him. Emma was doing parkour on the terrain, leaping over rocks and swinging on tree branches above her, which Marcus couldn't replicate. Marcus got desperate, shamelessly using his chain, it wrapped around a tree branch. He jumped, swinging in the air, making him close the gap with Emma and surpass her.

Emma looked above her, "Cheater!" she said.

Marcus kept swinging on the tree branches above him, and now Emma was the one left behind.

"Hey!" Emma shouted, "Wrong way!'

Marcus turned around, seeing Emma turn to the right and trek up a hill.

"Oh, c'mon!" Marcus grappled to the ground and followed her. Marcus saw her reach the top of the hill. He raced up the hill without using his chains and just his legs. She steadily walked down the hill.

Marcus was beginning to get tired, the hill wasn't steep, but it required more energy to reach the top of it than to run. When he finally got to the top, he was too tired to continue, he had his hands on his knees and was breathing heavily. "Don't tell me you're tired already! Only a few more steps!" Emma shouted.

Marcus looked at Emma who was not too far away, sitting in a plain. There was only grass and tiny hills surrounding her. Marcus walked down the hill, going towards Emma. Emma was sitting with her legs crossed and her hands planted to the ground support herself. Marcus looked around the scenery which had light green grass, flowers and some trees. He sat beside her, imitating her sitting position.

The gently breeze welcomed them as they stared at the light blue sky with the occasional cloud.

"This sucks," Emma said. Marcus was confused, he looked at her face which had a frown. Her sad eyes made Marcus feel like he had to comfort her.

"Why?" he uttered. "Killing, and some more killing. We're gone from our homes, missing out on school, and who knows who else is getting killed out there because of this?" Emma replied.

Marcus looked at the grass dance with the wind, like a crowd of people waving their hands in the air.

"Yeah," Marcus agreed, picking up a piece of grass.

"I am happy to be able to somewhat breathe under all this pressure. We're here right now looking up at this blue sky," Emma smiled, "If we ever get saved, or they give up on attacking us, I'll be able to see this sky as many times as I want. No worries, no pain, no death."

Marcus just listened.

"My cousin used to be such a nerd, talking about geckos and Pronghorns because they were his favorite animals. I listened along and remember everything he said. I can't wait to head home where I can gleefully tell him about a spider I befriended. He has enclosures and he keeps his spiders and tarantulas in them. I used to be scared of spiders, but he helped me see them as cutesy little things. I guess there's something to say about that. Maybe being all pouty about what I believe to be sucky and terrible, how about I change it and make it into something beautiful? That cloud up there looks like a confused grandpa trying to remember what he was supposed to do. You might have never even assumed anything from that cloud."

Marcus looked up at the cloud, he tried to fit Emma's description into it, but he could only see something different, "Looks like an apple to me."

"Huh!?" Emma looked at Marcus, and he flinched. She began to laugh, "I guess I can't blame you. We'll never be the same. What do you think about this hectic nightmare we're living in?"

Marcus avoided eye contact, and looked at the grass in front of him, "I've been feeling sucky and terrible about things a lot. I used to be negative, angry and annoying. I know that doesn't relate to what you're talking about, but maybe if I make myself into something beautiful, maybe it will apply to things around me. That doesn't make sense, I'm sorry. It also does relate to what you said, I'm being stupid."

"No, I think you said that perfectly. I didn't think about it that way. I'd love to have fun here, have fun with you, even with this situation. Marcus, you're incredible and awesome. I want you to know that."

Marcus smiled and looked away, "Thanks."

His cheeks turned red.

"So, you're just going to show the back of your head? C'mon, don't be shy."

"You're too wholesome. I can't handle it."

Emma giggled, "Thank you, Marcus."

Emma laid her back on the soft grass and stared at the sky. Marcus turned his red face to look at her. She was frowning again.

"But even then, will things even go back to normal?" Emma questioned.

Marcus frowned, looking up at the sky, too, "Don't know."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. Marcus was drowning his mind into thoughts about the times he was happy and sad. He cringed at his harsh attitude, and wish he could have erased those moments from reality. He felt something quickly crawl up his left arm, distracting him.

He looked at his arm to see Jerry crawling up his arm, he wiggled his arm around while screaming. He got up and jumped over Emma, "What the hell, Jerry!" Marcus shrieked.

Emma laughed as Jerry crawled over her arms and stomach, coming closer to Marcus. He debated with himself on whether to run or stay. Surprisingly, he didn't run. He bent forward, allowing Jerry to crawl onto his hands. Marcus felt his fuzzy body tickle his fingers.

Marcus stared at his multiple eyes that stared back at him. He smiled, "Hey, this ain't so bad. I like Jerry."

"Oh, really?" Emma said, "I'm happy to hear that."

Jerry lifted his two arms up, and jumped off Marcus' hands. He crawled away as Emma and Marcus watched. "Seems like he wants to go home now," Emma said.

Marcus smiled, "He isn't the only one. But this new life ain't so bad."