Chapter 12
Through the Glass Door
Topaz's constant looks towards me with her purposefully shy flirty smile were not appreciated. Bristol kept giving me mocking looks which I had no problem rebutting with my own snarky face.
"Topaz, see any kills?" Charlene asked rubbing the area around her shoulder making sure not to actually touch any of the blisters.
"I committed one," Topaz said with a flip of her hair, "Some purple boy."
"What did you do? Sleep with him and give him AIDS?" Lois asked. Bristol and D'Artagnan turned away clearly to hide their laughter. Charlene was not that considerate and burst into a shriek of laughter. Luckily I was able to control myself and keep a straight face. I had to hand it to Lois, it was probably the best thing I had heard all day. It kinda reminded me of something Johanna would say and it was kind of a turn on. This was weird for me. Lois had become temporarily sexually appealing. She did have a killer body. This was now extremely weird for me.
Charlene slipped Lois a small low five. Topaz stood there unsure of what to say or do, "should we press on?" I suggested gesturing ahead of us.
"Yes," Topaz said looking at me blushing, "I didn't sleep with him," she whispered in my ear before taking lead again, "but it doesn't mean I'm not willing to with someone else." Ok awkward. I gave her an awkward quick smile and turned away, my eyes widening in disbelief that she had actually gone there. I peeked at Bristol but she hadn't heard, thank god. I would never hear the end of that one if she had.
"Watch there not be magic healing herbs in the garden," Lois groaned, "is it starting to sting more for either of you?" Lois asked turning to Charlene and Migquel.
"It hurts like hell," Charlene said agreeing. Migquel nodded silently.
"If not I'm sure Johanna will send us something, I'm sure we have followers. I bet Johanna got us quite a few sponsors," I said smiling. Johanna, now there's a girl I'd get in bed with.
"Congrads Cedric," Bristol said raising her eyebrows, "you've managed to go this long without mentioning her. Is that a new record?"
"She is hot," D'Artagnan admitted.
"Thank you!" I responded whacking him on the back. I liked that guy. We'd bonded over the week and I would definitely call him my best friend in the game. Well other than Bristol of course. He understood the games. He clearly didn't know all the nitty gritty details like I did, but he came into this as prepared as he possibly could be.
He had a little sister and brother at home and worried for them just like I worried for Bristol. Of course he didn't have to worry about them dying, but he worried about dying and leaving them behind. His parents weren't involved and if he didn't come back home he had no idea what would happen to them. He was brave, humble, and very poised and had accepted his likely death honorably. His only regret would be his siblings, his life truly meant nothing to him.
"Johanna," Topaz hmphed, "nothing that great about her."
At this point I wanted to punch her, but due to the unwritten law of boys not being able to hit girls I held back my desires to do so. I wanted to keep my dignity intact, plus no one at home wants to see me punching a girl. Maybe I could get Bristol to slap her later. A cat fight would get good attention. Plus cat fights are generally hot and boys at home would get their parents to sponsor us. Bristol could use some practice at hands on combat anyways.
"Ok right here," Topaz leaded us to a giant glass door. The knob was much higher than any of us could reach. Flashes of Alice in Wonderland came to my mind. I couldn't really get into that story, Bristol liked it though. Just a little to bazaar for my taste. Then again The Metamorphosis was about a man who turned into a giant bug and I loved that.
"Do you have a cake?" Bristol whispered to me. I knew she was thinking like Lewis Carroll as well as I.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Lois said staring up at the door, "is there any other door out?"
"If there is it would mean we'd have to find it, and you know how good we are at finding things," Charlene said raising an eyebrow at Lois.
"There has to be a way to get out otherwise there would be no point in the door," D'Artagnan said looking it up and down trying to figure out exactly what we had to do to get on the other side.
"It's glass, maybe we have to break through it?" Charlene suggested now pulling faces due to the pain in her shoulder.
"Then what is the point of the knob?" D'Artagnan pointed out.
"Bristol, see if you get on my shoulders you can reach it," I suggested.
"Oh don't say that word!" Charlene cringed.
"What? Shoulder?" I said seeing how far I could push Charlene's limits.
"I hate you!"
"Wow hurtful," I said light heartedly.
Charlene, I could tell, struggled to not say what she was thinking, "just get Bristol up there," She finally said.
"Is that ok with you Bristol?" I asked looking at my sister. She shrugged. I knelt down and she got on. She wrapped her feet around my neck obviously fearful of falling. D'Artagnan reached his arms up with his fingers pressed against her back so she knew that he was there to catch her if needed. She glanced down on him clearly feeling awkward. She nodded with thanks anyways.
I wondered what exactly happened between the two of them. There had to be some back story because they did have tense awkward vibes coming off of each other. However, at the same time there was always a form of subtle strange fondness or attraction. Something probably only I had picked up on. I would make sure to figure that out later. Bristol wouldn't talk about it if there was anything, she'd be embarrassed. She was always weird around boys in general. Me and D'Artagnan had enough heart to hearts during our training week after the girls had gone to bed for me to feel comfortable enough to ask him.
"Got it Bristol?" I asked.
"Yeah I think so," she stretched her back bone as much as she could as she extended her fingers and arms up. she dropped it a moment to catch her balance and then tried for it again.
"Ok any day now!" Lois said impatiently.
"I can do it," Topaz said touching my lower bicep. I looked at her a moment not entirely sure what to say.
"Let's let Bristol try it a bit more," I said. I was hoping this would encourage Bristol to get a move on because I really didn't want to have to give Topaz a turn on my shoulders.
Bristol grabbed it and turned it. She laughed in her victory, "I got it guys!" she almost sang. I was happy for her, I had a feeling she had felt pretty useless up until this point. I decided to experiment a bit and leaned her back for D'Artagnan to catch and help down. She shrieked a moment not knowing what I was doing. D'Artagnan's reflexes took her immediately. They exchanged another awkward glance.
"Ok not cool Ced," she said looking at me. I laughed. Migquel slipped his good hand in the crack that was now open and pushed it wide for all of us to get through.
"Glad I could get you all here," Topaz said.
"Glad Bristol could open the door," I said making sure Topaz did not get all the glory. Topaz gave a nervous laugh and moved outside.
"Ok, where is the freakin' garden," Lois said. Her eyes were a little bit watery now. I looked at her arm and it was definitely worse now. Soon I found my eyes, unexpectedly, moving up towards the cleavage that was now showing from the tank top. I paused there for a moment enjoying the sight until I remembered it was Lois and how much I hated her.
"Someone should stay by the door and keep it open," Bristol said, "I'm not getting on anyone's shoulders again to open that stupid door."
"Ok enough with that word!" Charlene said clearly in great pain at this point.
"I will," D'Artagnan responded, "I can take down anyone who might come this way and I don't need any burn herbs."
"Good idea," I said to him and Bristol.
We walked out in the yard and I was glad to take it all in for a moment. The hedge maze was impressive but I knew it was a good place to hide, there were a lot of good places to hide here. I didn't know if anyone had even gone outside yet but I didn't want to take any chances. I made sure that D'Artagnan was always in my line of vision just in case he needed reinforcement.
The garden was not far out and I immediately began searching. I sighed in relief when the herbs were right in the middle all beautifully waiting for me to pick.
"What are you waiting for!" Charlene yelled.
"It's too easy," I said.
"Oh come on sometimes things are that easy! Just pick it!" Charlene looked about ready to kill someone. I knew taking risks were part of this game, so I looked around and plucked a handful. I waited a moment in anticipation but nothing happened.
"Ok, you need to tie this onto the burns, do you guys have anything?" I asked.
"I have some scarves in my pockets. Can someone else get them? It hurts to move."
Bristol took initiative and dug her hand into Charlene's pocket and grabbed them. She only had two and we needed three. Bristol then also pulled out a clock's minute hand and ripped one scarf in half. I was impressed with my sister and smiled. Yup that one is mine, so proud, oh so proud. She then continued to tie them around the burns tightly.
"Oh god!" Lois said when the herbs touched her arm.
"Sorry," Bristol said.
"Usually when it stings it means it's working," I said.
"Or it's going to get infected," she said angrily.
"It won't it's the right plant," Bristol said, "right Cedric?"
I nodded. I was certain it was. I looked up at the sky, I figured it was passed noon by the sun's placement, but I really couldn't say for sure. I just knew that when I went tanning you wanted the sun not so far over, so it had to be past prime bronzing time. I noticed there were some vegetables growing as well. I picked some of them and handed them out.
"I recall you all being hungry?"
"Eww, it's still got dirt on it," Lois said sticking her tongue out.
"Could be worse," Charlene said shrugging. Bristol shoved the big tomato into her mouth immediately. The rest of us followed. It did taste like ground but I wasn't sure if we would be finding the kitchen today or not. We headed back to D'Artagnan. I handed him a large carrot.
"Thanks man," he said taking it without any complaints.
"You're turn to lead," Topaz said to me suggestively. Taking lead did sound satisfying, but boy did I not want Topaz following behind.
