My Stream of Consciousness - 1

United at Last (random drabble bullshit)

I kick a pebble down the sidewalk and watch it bounce four times and roll to a stop on the road. I  watch a magpie swoop down and land next to the pebble to inspect it, then spread its wings and take off again when it realized the small rock wasn't food.

Looking back down at my phone, I read over the last texts me and my closest friend, Dustin, exchanged.

So there's this place in your city called Hollow Park, right?

                              Yeah, it's got loads of climbing trees and shit and I've got my own special spot by the picnic area under this big maple tree

Sounds brilliant.

                                                                         I'm heading there tomorrow actually, I'll take pics for you

Thanks :) take the best fucking pictures ever

                                                                                                                                                                                      I will! :)

Sighing, I tuck my phone into the pocket of my ripped jeans and continue walking. A leaf drifts across the sidewalk and I hop on top of it, smiling as a satisfying crunch issues from beneath my sneakers.

After a few minutes I reach Hollow Park, and the familiar sound of birds and crickets chirping makes my heart flutter. I trace the familiar path to the towering maple tree where I had spent countless hours playing Pokémon on my 3DS and sit down against the trunk. The feeling of the smooth bark against my back is soothing, and I smile unintentionally before tugging my backpack off of my shoulder and pulling my Pokémon game out of it. Booting up the system, I smile at the nostalgia-enducing theme song that plays.

For what feels like hours I play, levelling up my Umbreon to level 47 and evolving my Growlithe into an Arcanine.

Suddenly I hear someone whisper, "hey!"

I turn to see an unfamiliar face peering through the bushes. It's a male who looks like a young adult, maybe 20, and he's holding a phone. My heart leaps for a reason I can't explain, and I stand, shoving my game back into my bag.

"Who are you?" I ask the stranger, but he merely hushes me.

"You'll know in time. Come with me, please."

His accent is very familiar: Russian. Very Russian.

I blink in surprise but I'm positive I can trust this man, so I nod and he begins to walk away. I follow cautiously. 

"Where are we going?" I say, but the man doesn't answer. Instead, he stops. I do too, and when he steps aside I see a figure I never expected to see.

Standing in front of me is the only friend who stuck by me in hard times, who talked to me and laughed with me for years.

My eyes widen and I feel tears welling in them.

"Hey, bear," he says, opening his arms.

"Dustin!"

Without hesitation I throw myself at him, and he cries out in surprise as we tumble to the ground. I'm laughing and crying at the same time and hugging my long-distance friend of five years.

"Take it easy, tiger," Dustin jokes, embracing me. "It's amazing to see you in person."

"I never expected!..." I gasp, clinging to him like a life force.

After a few minutes of just laying on the grass, he pushes me off and gets up. I do the same, unable to keep the huge grin on my face away.

"So I guess I have some shit to explain," Dustin says with a chuckle. "Abby and Ruskiy and I planned this for months, and we flew here yesterday. It was the greatest coincidence when you told me about Hollow Park, so we searched the park for the biggest maple tree in it and found you."

"You brought Ruskiy and Abby?" I gush. "Where are they?"

Dustin points at the tall stranger who had escorted me to this place. "That's Ruskiy."

I embrace said Russian, and he grins and hugs back.

"Nice to finally meet you, bear," he says, his voice thick with that Russian accent that I had heard so many times over Skype calls.

"Me too," I reply, pulling away and looking up at him.

Suddenly I'm hugged from behind and I yelp and laugh as a female about my height clings to me, laughing.

"And that's Abby," Dustin finishes, grinning almost as widely as I am.

"I can't believe I'm finally seeing you guys!" I exclaim, grinning brightly. The others are beaming too, and I can feel the joy radiating from their familiar smiles.

Dustin laughs and hugs me tightly. Ruskiy quickly joins the hug, and Abby follows. I hug as many of them as I can at once, tears still streaming down my face.

"You guys are the best," I tell them affectionately.

"We know," Ruskiy says, making me giggle.

"I know that you know."

"And we know that you know that we know," Dustin puts in cheekily, and I snort.

Warmth bubbles in my chest as I stare into the faces of my three closest friends.

"You're all amazing, and I wouldn't trade you for the world."

I was feeling sappy so have this bullshit 😂