The Tragedy of Mark's Van

Truth or Truth

"It's only going to be one night," Mark said.

Flora grinned. "It's been ages since we've been on a team mission."

Mark reached over and put his arm around her. "I know. I've missed having you on my missions." He kissed her cheek, and she laughed before pretending to push him away. One second later she was back in his arms.

"Wow, they really do miss each other," Erin said, grinning.

"Romeo, Romeo!" Leah sighed, grabbing Res' hand and fluttering her eyelashes. "Wherefore art thou, Romeo?"

He laughed. "Amour éternel, my sweet. Coupe de foudre. My dearest darling Leah. Ma lumière." Melissa snickered.

Mark and Flora turned red and let go of each other. Leah made a big smooching noise at them and promptly got chased by Flora.

"So what exactly is the mission?" Melissa asked while Leah shrieked in the background.

"We're going on a curfew mission," Mark explained. "Apparently there've been some people breaking curfew in the outskirts of Griffae, so there have been shifts trying to catch the rule breakers. The team that had tonight's shift had some emergency meeting, so I volunteered us."

"That's Mark for you," said Res, elbowing him. "Always trying to get into the boss's good books."

Leah shrieked again from the back of the room. She was being beaten with a pillow by Flora. Mark cleared his throat. "Ahem. We're going to keep watch from one of the buildings. They say they have everything laid out- food, water, sleeping bags, whatever. We just need two-people groups to take turns watching out the window." Erin and Melissa exchanged disappointed glances. They loved in-person action.

Res nodded. "We need to head out soon, then. Melissa, you are not driving." Melissa pouted and so he mocked her, sticking out his bottom lip and dragging his feet. "I'm Melissa and I like to drive cars across train tracks right before the train comes. But now no one will let me drive. I wonder why."

"That was so funny; we should totally do it again," Erin said, laughing.

"No! That's exactly why she can't drive!" Res said hysterically.

"It was only fun for you guys!" Mark protested. "That was my van that faced total annihilation!"

Flora stopped in her attempt to smother Leah and called, "She's always welcome to do some more crazy car weaving on the highway!"

"My van," Mark moaned.

"Ah, nobody cares about your van, Mark," Flora said, and went back to smothering Leah.

"Okay, you little possum, you better shut up right now..."

"Nobody cares about you either, now that I think about it-"

"Okay, that's it," he said, stomping over there. She squealed and ran to the other side of the room. Leah emerged from the pile of pillows, gasping for air and laughing.

Mark caught up to Flora and grabbed her around the waist before hauling her over his shoulder. "No!" she shrieked, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Leah jumped onto Res' back. "Come at me, Flora!" she crowed. Mark swung Flora up and they started having a chicken fight without water.

"Can you hold me?" Melissa asked Erin with a devilish grin.

"Of course," she said, and soon enough all six of them were wrestling and laughing.

Someone in one of the offices next door banged on the wall. "Quiet down in there!"