13
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Twigs and sharp rocks cut Arnold's bare feet in the dirt, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was to get away. Get away from her. How could I have trusted her? He thought as he ran even farther and faster. I thought she…she said…I just had to believe that she could change. That there was more to Helga G. Pataki than meets the eye! I was so stupid!
The stitch in his side would no longer allow him to run and he stopped to catch his breath, leaning against a tree. "Arnold!" Echoed behind him.
"Oh no." He groaned. The taller blonde caught up.
"Arnold, let me explain…" Helga reached out to touch his shoulder. He pulled away violently. "Look at me!"
"Haven't you done enough?" His voice had a jagged edge to it. "So my parents are dead are they? Is that what you believe?"
"Come off it, Football Head!" She snapped back, then took hold of her tone. "That wasn't what I meant."
"Just leave me alone." Arnold's voice held a cold bitterness as he stalked back towards camp.
"Hey!" Helga called after him. "You said we're friends!"
"We were friends!" Arnold called back angrily. He didn't know it, but he might as well just gutted her with a knife.
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Quietly in the bushes, two figures, silent and swift, watched the scene unfold. To each other they nodded, then moved on.
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Helga slumped against the tree Arnold had just been leaning against and quietly began to sob into her hands. "Well, you've done it this time, Helga Old Girl. You and your big mouth have lost Arnold forever. And I fear this time there is no reversing this brutal mistake! Oh curse my fast paced, unthinking ways!" Reaching into her pajama top, she pulled out her locket. "It's really over this time." Slowly, the heart shaped memento slipped out of her hand and down into the dirt. "Well fine!" She snapped. "Who needs him anyway? Not me!" She gave the locket a sharp kick and it flew into the brush. "Stupid Football Head! Stupid, stupid, Football Head!"
There was a crackle of branches. Helga froze. "Who's there?" She demanded. Another noise broke the still of the night. It was as gentle as the cool breath of a moth, but Helga heard it just the same. "Brainy, is that you? I'm not in the mood, Brainy." She paused. "I'm said, I'm not in the mood, Brainy!"
The trees parted. Helga felt the urge to scream but no sound came to her throat. She could see that whoever lay beyond the brush was no classmate of hers.
"Help." She finally managed, then ran as fast her legs would take her.