Red Spider Lilies [TPN]

Chapter 5

"You ever think about what you want to do in the future, you know, if things go well?" Ray asks.

I close my eyes and look around, the wind blowing and pushing my hair with it. There isn't a cloud in the sky today.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just go straight to work. Something simple like a tourist. You know? Like the ones that take kids on nature hikes."

"So you want to work first? I thought you would've wanted to go to college or something. Higher education."

I scrunch my eyebrows, I never really thought of going to college.

"I wouldn't mind going but for what exactly? Maybe I could be... a zoologist."

"A zoologist? I didn't expect you to say that." Ray shifts to his side, I turn my head to him. The grass feels nice against my face.

"Yeah, study zoology and become a zookeeper. Teach kids about giraffes and penguins, about all the animals I have in my care." I open my eyes. "What about you."

Ray shrugs. "I don't know. I want to go to college but for what?"

"... maybe photography?"

Ray rolls his eyes. "That's just a hobby, Emma, you know this."

"Did I? You love taking pictures and talking about all the different cameras. All the things that make this one better than the other. From its inside to the out."

"Yeah, a hobby."

I laugh. "I guess, but I cant think of anything else you may want to study. You do everything in means of learning. You read about history to philosophy, all the maths and sciences, cartoons to sculptures." 

"I do read about everything, dont I. But really non of those things are too interesting to spend 2-8 years studying... well maybe..."

I lean on the side, facing him completely. "Maybe what?"

Ray stares at me before pushing my face away.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

I giggle. "Yeah, I want to know." I giggle as he keeps pushing me away jokingly. I giggle so much that it turns to unworldly laughter and I lay on my side, it hurts from laughing so much.

---

"He's overreacting. The woods are safe, plus, I have a weapon and I'm super smart and athletic. What do they have?... well, they have guns..." I sit on a crate that's as hard as a rock letting out.

"Maybe, I am in the wrong..."

Ray told me that it wasn't safe to go outside and yet I still did it. But still, he might have gotten too angry, like he doesn't trust me out on my own.

"No, no way, Ray trusts me. He knows I can handle myself, pretty sure."

I get up and walk as I ponder the argument between us. That was just a simple argument, right? Yeah, this wasn't such a big thing as to turn into a full on fight. I sure hope not.

"Okay, Emma, chill. Ray was just worried about you... though it would help if he actually said he was worried about me." I stopped walking.

This thing was giving me a headache. Why am I stressing out over this? If this was bigger than just a little argument he would say so when we talked again. In reality this isn't a big deal, it's just... stressful.

I groan and sit down, I need to cool down before I go downstairs.

—-

"Good afternoon." Ray says as he stirs the pot above the fire. "You ready to eat the rest of this bird?"

I slide down the rest of the ladder and smile at him. "Of course."

He smiles as he serves me a bowl of the questionable, yet delicious, soup. It heats up my hands and I feel warm inside.

"Hey, Ray, I've been wondering something. Where did you get all of this? I don't remember these things being here before." I put the bowl of to my lips. Where he got them he sure as hell forgot spoons.

"Ah, well on my why here I raided a store. Before coming here I put some thought into what I would do here for food, which was: where should I cook it." He stopped to eat before continuing. "Though I remembered a ladle I didn't remember basic utensils, like a spoon."

"Oh, I was just thinking about that. But that's kinda funny, isn't it? You remember most things but spoons." I giggle and Ray pushed my shoulder, laughing with me.

"Haha, I get it, I'm the fool here for forgetting spoons." He nods. "Very amusing."

I stifle a laugh and he chuckles with, then we sit in a comfortable silence until we finish our food. We crack a few more jokes as the sky goes completely dark, leaving the fire as the only source of light.

"Night, Ray, don't let the bed bugs bite." I yawn and face away from him.

"Considering we're sleeping on hay and 2 blankets I would take that as an actual concern."

I chuckle and close my eyes. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. What happened earlier was just a little argument.

"Hey, Emma, I need to tell you something."

Or maybe not.

"And that would not be related to this morning?" I open my eyes. "Right?"

"Sorry to tell you that it is." He shifted further away from me, most likely on the very edge of the blankets he's set out. "To put it simply, just tell me when you're leaving. It's not a very safe time right now, you know this, so it's best to know what's going on with the people I know are still with me."

"... I know this is going to sound very childish of me but can you just say you were worried about me? Come on."

Ray groaned. "I was worried when I didn't see you I thought you might be in trouble. There I said it."

"And...?"

"And what?"

I chuckled. "3 words, 8 letters, say it and I'll leave you alone."

"I were to say it, that better be a promise for forever."

"Strong words for someone who just said they were worried about me." I roll over on my stomach and look at him, he's facing the ceiling. "Come on."

"Love you, now go to bed." He said quickly.

I rest my bed in my arms and close my eyes. "Thanks, Ray, good night to you too.