Alien Safari

Chapter 2

This asshole is too slow. I can't believe I'm thinking this, but I wish I brought the kid.

Peter withheld the third glare that he wished he could turn around and level at Arthur. Douglas kept up well enough. The boy moved faster than you think someone with a head injury would. Not like Arthur. The man, red-faced and huffing, stumbled along behind both of them, and it was past slowing them down.

Now he's just holding us back, Peter thought, frowning. He sucked his teeth.

He'd worked with Arthur for a time, but he'd never really enjoyed the man's company. He wasn't a child, though: that just meant you set aside your differences with the other person, and put more effort towards the project that you were both just a smaller part of. Arthur's work itself he could respect. The man had been hardworking and dedicated himself to the project.

Peter pushed aside a few leaves and ducked under the branch. Douglas slipped under it like a ghost and followed him without complaint.

"Wa-Wait," Arthur said. He made it to the tree, and then sat down at the trunk. He wiped sweat away from his face and took several quick breaths.

In the lab, where math and science mattered, where Arthur's ability to sit behind a computer for fourteen hours a day with a cup of coffee and go over numbers over and over mattered, he was useful.

Out here, he was less than worthless. He was a liability. He was a detriment.

They were just plodding along, at this point.

Even that Travis kid was smart enough to at least listen to what I had to say and try to help. Arthur's just... waddling around like a waste.

Peter shook his head.

At the same time it's a little unfair to write him off so early. He'll find a way to help.

"Arthur," Peter spoke up, at once. "Maybe we should just group up and leave you with Travis. I think you'd be better over there. We're not done here and we're probably not going to be for a while. I don't think you can hack it," Peter told him. In the middle of his speech, he'd turned around and addressed Arthur right to his face. There was no point in beating around the bush. Douglas stopped and waited on Peter.

I told no one to split up, but, those are just general rules. We're not that far away. He'll be fine, Peter thought. He bit his lip when he thought about it.

"You think so?" Arthur asked. The man was standing again. He'd caught his breath after thirty seconds. He was frowning now, though. "I want to help," Arthur said.

"You can. Just go help Travis and Larry. Douglas and I can finish up on our own," Peter said. The man stared up at the sky. It was getting noticeably darker.

Then he heard the sharp, shrill cry.

Ugh. Really? I really have to do this. Ridiculous. He slowed us down enough for it to get to this point. Alright, here we go.

"In fact, you know what: we're done here. I don't want to experience a night on this planet without all five of us being together. We're going to have to hope that Travis and Larry found something, because we didn't find squat besides some vines."

Peter glared at the grass and the trees the whole way walking back.

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"So you found a place," Peter said, with a grin on his face. He ran a hand through his gray hair. "This is... a little tight, but I think we can make it work. We're not going to be able to make hammocks or do anything like that tonight. I found some vines, but we're going to need more." Peter took a breath and stared at the inside of the copse.