Unreal Happenings

Leaving

P: As I exit the tent, the dewy grass soaks my bare feet. I lead Beth to the campfire and we sit down on the log. The heat covers my body and I sigh, last night was cold and seriously bad. I listen to the conversations that converse between Beth and Maggie. Maggie asking where Beth was and Beth trying to answer the best she could. But Maggie still didn’t believe her and thought she had hit her head. Suddenly I stood up and pointed my index finger at her.

“Don’t believe her but she isn’t lying, why would she. She has no reason to and what kind of friend are you to think she is in her own world. Just listen to me going on about it. You must think I'm mentally ill, but believe me. I ain’t and neither is this little innocent girl, she has seen worse than you ever will see and she is better than you will ever be.”

I lowered my hand, smoothed out my pants and walked back to the tent, my chest suddenly feeling a lot lighter.

I hear a voice from behind me.

“You are mental and I can’t believe Beth was stupid to stick with you in the wilderness. I could even call the police saying you kidnapped her.”

“Once Beth is sorted, I am getting out of here with the rest of my friends. Leaving you with Beth, no wonder Beth ran away.”

I zipped the tent open and dived in, zipping it behind me and closing my eyes, to the yelling of Maggie and shushing of Beth. Before I fall asleep I hear a smack and yelling of, “Shut up BETH!”

 

E: When I wake up again it’s early morning. Beth seems happy enough now, so I decide it’s time to leave Beth. It’s hard letting go of a friend, but it’s the right thing to do. I get Jacki and Ray and we collect all our things. We say goodbye to everyone, including Beth. After I hug Beth, I see a look of desperation in her eyes. I’m starting to think she doesn’t like it here. But what am I supposed to do? Ray, Jacki and I leave the camp and head north. We have no idea where we’re going but we hope it’s somewhere that just the three of us can live. We stop for a while to have lunch and we have a quick swim in a river that we find. I wouldn’t mind having a life here in the jungle. Because we all know how to hunt and live off the land, so hunger wouldn’t be a problem. And maybe one day, we might come across a village that would kindly let us in. Or maybe I will somehow, one day, go back to my real home. Either way I am happy. And as we finish our lunch and start walking again, I feel lucky to have my two best friends right beside me, the whole way.

Hopefully.