Riley's POV
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I sucked in a cold breath, Mei and I had both spent the last four hours crying and searching around the smooth Ohio land. Though it isn't as if we had to do much more than use binoculars, the landscape in this area was barren, not much more than dirt, a road, and the radioactive power plant.
Mei, Marko, and I, are in the van, nothing more to do right now, you can't see in the nine-o-clock darkness. I sighed and looked to the sleeping Mei, she was laying next to Marko, who for once wasn't being a douche bag. He was busy scrolling through whatever footage he had gotten from today.
"Anything usable?" I asked Marko.
He looked in my direction and back to his camera. "Not really. Just when you guys all jumped out, then everything goes snowy, the producers won't accept that." He looked at me again, with a pained expression on his face. "Uh, so, anyway..Are you okay?"
I scoffed rudely. "Yeah I'm totally fine, my best friend was snatched away by a giant spider who probably has eaten her, best day ever." I said sarcastically.
Marko rolled his flashing green eyes. "I think you'll need this more than me." From his large brown knapsack he produced a large bottle of red wine. "I picked this up before we left NYC, I thought it would, um," Marko coughed, "come in handy." For what? I don't know and never want to.
I took the bottle from his hand and pushed the cork from the bottle. Surprisingly enough the loud pop had no affect on the sleeping Mei. I put the green-tinted bottle to my lips and took a large swig. I felt the tangy sweet liquid flow down my throat. As I pulled the cold glass away I gasped, before I had known it I had guzzled half the bottle, yet I wasn't drunk. "Shit's not strong enough." I sighed to Marko.
Marko laughed. "Save some for the rest of us will you?" He tore the bottle from my hand, much to my discontent, and took a small swig himself. Such a damn chick. "Well! I'm gonna' go to sleep, don't drink my wine!"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm going to go get some air." I opened the back of the van and jumped out. "If I don't come back, keep Mei safe." I turned around to face Marko again. "But not too safe, if you get my drift. And if you rape her while I'm dead, I swear to god I will haunt you for the rest of your natural born life."
"So your saying if I rape her before you die you won't haunt me?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Don't count on it." I turned away from him and shut the van's door. I looked out at the landscape. Ohio looked so barren, boring, and so, so emptily lonely. Perfect. I took in a deep breath and started to walk forward. If I' gonna die soon, shouldn't I at least spend it in a bit of happiness?
I walked up a small hill and realized that I could no longer see the van. I sighed and sat on the dirt. I wonder if Mara is still alive. Is she safe? Is she scared? No, Mara wouldn't be afraid. At least she wouldn't show it.
I stood up again and continued to walk, just because I couldn't see the van doesn't mean I'm far enough.
I found a large stick and dragged it against the dirt, listening to the scratching it made. I heard the cry of crickets, and the howling of a far off wolf. I knew at that point, I was far enough.
I took in a long, slow breath. And screamed. I screamed as loud as my voice would let me. I screamed until my throat felt raw. Then I took another breath, and screamed a loud, long scream again.
"Goddamn, why do you keep screaming?" I heard Mei shout at me. "I came all the way over here cause you woke me up with your screams! Wow she's a ball of sunshine when woken up at this time of night.
"I was," I passed to think of an excuse. When I couldn't come up with one I said, "was bored."
Mei gave me a 'oh seriously that's what your going with?' look. "Yeah.. I'm sure that's what you were doing out here at," Mei looked at her watch that was giving off a slightly green-ish glow, "one in the dang morning."
I smiled brightly at her. "Exactly! I'm oh so very happy that you understand! Now, what's say you and I go back to the van so Marko doesn't get eaten cause we left him there alone." I walked past Mei, making my way toward the hill that separated the van and us.
Mei caught up to me and continued walking next to me. "Think Mara's okay?" she asked. "I mean I know she can handle herself and such but..." she paused with this look on her face that made it seem like she was unsure if see even wanted to say anything. "Their spiders, and their humans.. And their dangerous.."
I sighed. "Mei, she's okay, I know she is." I gave Mei a reassuring smile. Although I doubt she was convinced. "She's Mara, do you think she would give up as easy as, well, Marko?"
Mei laughed. "Oh yeah, right, like that could ever happen!"
As we approached the van Marko jumped out of the back screaming, "Hey, hey, hey!!!" He looked frantic, clutching his large black industrial camera. "I found something! Not only is it awesome footage, I know where they took Lemara to!"
Mei and I looked to each other then booked it toward the van. "What?" Mei shouted happily.
We climbed in to the van as Marko explained his fighting. "Well, as you can see, everything is rattling around when that giant spider attacked us, but when it jumped off the van everything was still, so I had a clear picture of it changing to some chick dragging her off."
"To?" I asked
"The, uh, power plant.."
We were all silent. "The plant?" I broke the silence. Marko nodded at me. I looked at Mei as she gave me a very hopeful look. "No." I spoke out before she said anything.
"Oh c'mon!" she complained. "Riley this out our chance to get Mara back!! We can't just blow it off! And this is mine and Marko's chance to get great footage! Riley I know you dont want to b-but you need to suck it up and go in!"
I stared at Mei with a blank look. What was I supposed to say to that? She goes and is all demanding for once and I'm supposed to say no? No way! "Fine, but your going in first, and we are leaving now. IO want to get it over with.
Mei smiled at me. "Awesome! Okay so Marko get you cameras ready and we will leave in five."
"Wait wait!" Marko shouted at us. "Don't I get a say in this?"
"No." Mei and I spoke at the same time. "If you want to get paid all that extra cash there is no way in hell you couldn't go through with this." I told Marko.
"Fine, but if I get killed your to blame!"
"Mei Lee is the one who said we should go!!" I complained.
"Hey hey, don't drag me in to this!"
"Your the one who mentioned it.." I mumbled to myself."
"Whatever! Is everyone ready?" Marko asked impatiently.
Mei and I nodded and we all jumped out of the van, heading toward the radiated power plant. It was dark but the plant was illuminating. It was just bright enough for us to see a man walking in to the power plant, that man was not Marko.
