The Fall of Hope

Chapter 9

            “How come I don't have a boy?” Blake asked Alex one day when they were ten.

            “What makes you think you don't?” Alex asked.

            “I don't hang out with anyone the way you and Nick do,” Blake said.

            Alex raised an eyebrow, “You don't?”

            Blake thought, “No. You and Nick hug and kiss. You guys sit on each other’s lap and you've got inside jokes and talk without talking.”

            Alex laughed, “What about a certain pretty blond boy named Chase?” she asked innocently.

            Blake blushed, “I don't act like that with him.”

            “You kissed him before he left,” Alex said.

            Blake's blush darkened, “He asked.”

            “That boy listens to whatever you say,” Alex said with a laugh. “And he's always following you around.”

            Blake shrugged, “We're friends,” he said. “And I'm his tech.”

            Alex covered her face with her hands and sighed, “He's your boy and you're his.”

            Blake blushed and smiled at Alex, “Do you really think that?” he asked.

            Alex reached over and messed up Blake's hair, “I know that,” she said.

            Blake laughed, “Then I believe you.”

* * *

            “Blake,” Alex said, running into the clearing they were staying in. “You're going to want to see this.”

            Blake looked up at Alex, her face was flushed and her hair was messed up, she looked like she was running. “Is it far?” he asked.

            Alex turned pinker, “No... I wrestling with Nick,” she said, fixing her hair.

            “Is it starting?” Chase asked, getting up and looking around.

            Alex nodded, “It's about to.”

            Chase grinned and held a hand out to Blake and when he took it, Chase pulled him up. “You'll like this,” he said, wrapping an arm around Blake's shoulders.

            “Is something going to blow up?” Blake asked with a grin.

            Chase laughed. “Nope, better.”

            “Better than something blowing up? What's better than something blowing up?” Blake asked.

            “Nothing, it's impossible,” Alex said, “except maybe blowing stuff up. But it's not that either.”

            Chase laughed and followed Alex. “You'll like this,” he said to Blake.

            Alex led Blake and Chase to a clearing, where Nick and Caleb were sitting on a cluster of rocks. When they got closer, Caleb held his pinky out expectantly and they watched as Nick stared at Caleb's finger for a moment before nodding and wrapping his finger around Caleb's.

            “Do us all a favor and say something before something happens to one of you,” Caleb said. “Please.”

            “Maybe,” Nick said, shrugging.

            “Maybe what?” Alex asked, sitting on the rock, next to Nick.

            “Nothing,” Caleb said.

            Alex rolled her eyes, “Whatever.”

            “Why are we out here?” Blake asked.

            Alex pulled Blake down next to her. “Sit, they're coming.”

            Blake's eyes widened and asked, “Who?”

            “Don't worry, it's not bad,” Chase said, sitting down next to Blake.

            Chase messed up Blake's hair as Caleb sat on Alex's lap.

            “Why are we here?” Caleb asked, leaning back on Alex.

            Alex looked over at Caleb and pressed a finger to her lips, “Shh.”

            Caleb zipped his lips and Alex pointed out into the clearing.

            When Blake saw them, he gasped, “They... they glow,” he whispered, excitedly.

            Alex grinned and leaned against Nick, “Yeah.”

            Nick smiled and wrapped an arm around Alex.

            “What are they?” Caleb asked.

            Alex shrugged, “Bugs...” she said. “At least that's what they look like when they get close. Denzel said they're harmless.”

            Caleb and Blake smiled as the bugs moved and their green lights flickered.

            “This is amazing,” Caleb whispered.

            Blake nodded in agreement before whispering to Alex, “At least some good things survived.”