Through out the day, Mantha had refused to let Thatch help with anything. She didn't let him set up the camp fire, she didn't let him go gather food, and she didn't let him go get water. If they'd had a tent, she probably wouldn't let him set that up either. She was treating him like he was the worst person to walk the earth really. And Casper and Ra hadn't said anything, but they were truly disgusted with her behavior. True they didn't like Thatch much either, but at least they weren't making his life miserable. Surely she'd at least noticed something was wrong with the vamp...
Night had fallen. The children were all curled up in their sleeping bags and sleeping around the campfire. Casper had a pale blue bag, Ra had a dark blue one with golden beetle patterns, Mantha had a forest green one with white flower patterns, and Thatch had a black one with red bat patterns. They were sleeping soundly around the fire, each once smiling as the warm light covered their features, each one happily in their safe little dreams. And they remained in this state of mind for a few hours as well. That is... until midnight came...
Mantha moaned a bit, slowly awakening from her peaceful slumber. What had awoken her? A voice...
Turning to her left, she found Casper and Ra still fast asleep, but Thatch wasn't in his sleeping bag. She narrowed her eyes and used her elbows to lift herself up a bit, looking forward and finding Thatch on his bat phone, pacing back and forth. And normally she wouldn't care about what he did, but this time was different. This time... he had tears streaming down his face.
" I-I know mum... "
She heard him whisper. He was talking to his parents? Mantha grew curious... she tried to see if she could hear his mother on the other end of the line. She seemed to be yelling about something... something about... being not scary?
" I-I'm sorry, I... I'll try harder, I... "
It didn't seem like the woman was impresses with his answer, and was saying she'd put Thatch's father on. Thatch seemed panicked by this, his pale features actually becoming paler.
" N-no please I-! "
A man could be heard shouting from the other end, and Mantha could see Thatch visibly tensen upon hearing the harsh voice through the ear piece. It was to the point Mantha could hear every word the man said. He was saying something like Thatch was worthless, and he couldn't do anything right. He kept messing up, and this campout would be a disaster.
Thatch bit his lip, as if trying to prevent himself from crying out, slowly falling to the ground in a criss cross position.
Mantha couldn't believe all this... was she hearing wrong? How could his own father be talking to him that way? How was Thatch able to contain himself so well in this sad moment? Finally all was quiet on the other end, Thatch taking a deep breath before whispering.
" Yeah... yeah ok dad... "
The vampire flipped his phone shut, ending the call. Slowly he let out a sigh, shoving his phone into his pocket and trying to dry his eyes. Mantha bit her lip, contemplating wether or not to go and comfort him, when he turned into a bat and flew up into the nearest tree, sitting and detransforming on one of the highest branches.
The zombie bit her lip again, unsure about what to make of all this. She wanted to know more, but it was late, and there was no way Thatch would talk to her. Tomorrow, she'd have Casper talk to him. Maybe then he'd open up a little...