"Ann! Pass it over here!" I call.
The Brazilian bacca standing a small distance away looks down at the makeshift ball in her hands and grins, tossing it towards me. It sails through the air and into my hands, continuing our game of catch.
The sun is still relatively high in the sky, meaning we have time to play before the monsters come out.
"Ann, do you want to go swinging?" I ask. She nods and we run to the swings that have been fashioned from thick, green vines.
Our fur rustles in the warm wind as we pump our legs back and forth, rising higher and higher into the air. Finally, laughing and out of breath, we slow to a halt and begin watching the sun set in silence.
"I never want to grow up, Jerome. If we grow up, then we stop doing this and start doing the same things the adult baccas do. I don't want to do that stuff," Ann whispers, breaking the still quiet that had fallen over us.
I look over at her, my head cocked to the side. "But we can't stop growing up."
"I know that. All the stuff we do as kids will stop, but the people we do it with won't."
She pumps her legs lightly, the swing rocking her back and forth.
"What could she be thinking?" I wonder.
"Let's be best friends forever, even when we're adult baccas," Ann finishes. I grin and we fist-bump.
"Forever," I agree.
The sun dips below the horizon and we run back home together.
"Goodnight, Jerome," Ann says, hugging me.
"Goodnight Ann," I reply, hugging back.
We go in opposite directions, and I arrive at my house just as the first zombies start to appear.
"Jerome! You keep coming in later and later each day!" Mama exclaims as I shut the door behind me.
"Sorry! I was swinging with Ann!" I grab a snack from the kitchen and start heading to my room, but I feel a paw on my shoulder stop me.
"Your fur is completely tangled, dear."
I groan as Mama grabs my comb and begins running it through my thick fur. The knots and tangles snap apart as the teeth of the comb rip through them, making me wince.
"You need to take care of your fur," Mama scolds as she finishes.
"Yes, Mama," I reply.
Papa walks in through the door and smiles at his family. He hugs me and kisses Mama, making me wretch.
"Eww, parents," I moan. They chuckle and Mama kisses my forehead. Papa ruffles my fur and smiles down at me.
"Goodnight, Jerome. See you in the morning. I love you."
"Love you too, Mama and Papa," I reply.
As soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light.
YOU ARE READING
Together as One: The Story of the Teams
FanfictionEveryone has lost something. A toy, a family member, maybe a home. For these kids, it's no different. They lost their homes. They've dealt with the pain of losing their families or identities. Now they must team up in order to survive and s...
