1
Click. Click. Click. This was unbearably boring. Even the internet could not entertain him. Honestly, he could just stare at a wall at this point. Then again, his family might notice him acting all sad if he just stared at a wall. Gregor thought about it for a moment. Was sad a good enough word? He really did not want to admit depressed, but sad really did not cut it. He sighed, laying on the couch, and flicked through channels again.
How long had it been since his last trip to the Underland? Almost two years. He forced himself to not count the days, thinking this would make him get over it faster, but it did not help. The images of war haunted his dreams. The dead lying on the ground. The feel of cutting a body with his sword. The yelling and screaming. The smell of blood. When it was not war, then it was the knowledge he may never see his Underland friends again. Howard. Ripred. Vikus. Luxa. Gregor sighed, rolled onto his back, and gave up on the TV.
In his family's defense, they did try to help him get back to normal. It took a lot of effort, but his family finally convinced his mother to stay with his cousin, Wynnora, even though there was an entrance to the Underland out back. He just had to promise never to go near it. Maybe knowing there was an entrance so close made it so difficult to get over the Underland this time.
Gregor and his sisters went back to school, his mother found a job, and his father started teaching. His cousin was working on her own education and future career. Still, Gregor just felt like it was all frivolous. He had helped in wars and diplomatic missions. How was he supposed to take a track meet seriously now? "I was my queen's personal guard, and now I'm back in school?" Gregor thought to himself. "A queen's personal guard. Not my queen."
He heard someone enter the house, and knew it was Wynnora. His parents and sisters would be gone for the weekend for a wedding and sleep overs respectively. His cousin plopped down in a chair, and started to go off about something interesting she read today. Gregor let her rant, like he did with his father now, but ignored her. After a few minutes she trailed off.
"Gregor? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." His tone clearly gave away his mood. He did not want to talk. She took the hint.
"Want to order out tonight?" she asked.
"Sure. Why not?"
She ordered for them, then sat in silence with him. Gregor felt bad now. She went through a lot too. In fact she had lost a lot more than he had when she went to the Underland with him. He still did not want to talk, but figured watching a movie with her would help make up for snapping at her. They ended up spending the evening slouched on the couch, their feet on the coffee table, eating Chinese and watching bad movies. It cheered him up a little.
"You go to orientation yet?" Wynnora asked.
"Yeah, and registered for classes."
"And graduation is Wednesday, right?"
"Yep."
"Aw. They grow up so fast," she said, and messed up his thick brown hair. Then they both jumped. There was a sound from the kitchen. "Uh. You go check on it," she said.
Gregor got up and walked over to the kitchen. There was more clatter, like some kind of animal was in the cabinet. Gregor carefully opened the cabinet door, then gasped.
"What is it?" his cousin called from the living room.
"A mouse," he replied. "Well actually. A nibbler."