Revenge
Chapter 4: Dilemma
Marion turned around in her bed and could feel the gentle morning sun shining on her face. She smiled softly and got up slowly enjoying the silence of the Earth Farm.
"BAM!"
She jumped as she heard something large slam into her door. She stood there with a slight frown on her face until she heard a familiar honk. Smiling she crossed to her door and opened it.
An excited 26 barged into room honking loudly. Marion laughed softly as 26 almost sent her sprawling as she jumped up to lick her face.
"What are you doing?" she murmured, "Where's Karl?"
26 honked into her face and suddenly leapt off her and raced out into the hallway. Marion heard a startled shout and sound of things falling. She quickly dashed outside and looked around. A young girl around the same age as her was bending down trying to pick up a tray as 26 ran all over the mess she had caused.
"Come here 26," Marion called, trying to sound stern but could barely hide her laughter.
26 honked and ran back to Marion.
"Here let me help you..."
"Long time, no see," the girl replied with a soft smile.
Marion almost dropped the tray again when she saw the girl's face.
"Lily!" Marion cried hugging the girl.
"Marion," Lily said softly hugging her tightly.
Marion stood back and stared at her black-haired, blue-eyed childhood friend.
"You've changed! I haven't seen you for at least... "
"Two years," Lily replied, "You went off to Waterfall City last year, remember?"
"How could I forget?" Marion laughed softly, "Sorry, things got a bit confusing."
Lily nodded gently with a faintest trace of a smile on her face.
"What is it?" Marion asked seeing her smile.
Lily blushed shyly and began speaking.
"It's just that everybody... umm... knows... about your..." Lily searched desperately for a word, "Dilemma."
Marion flushed.
"Wha... wha... what?" she stammered feeling her face go hot.
"There you are 26," Karl's tired voice filled the silent hallway, "Come on! You want breakfast?"
26 immediately sprinted back to her human friend. David emerged from his room nearby and joined his brother. The two young men plus the over-energetic dinosaur headed off to the dining hall.
"Morning, Marion," David called over his shoulder.
Lily looked at the floor as David caught her eye. Marion quickly made the connection.
"My dilemma? You don't mean my..."
The shy girl didn't answer but nodded slightly.
Marion tried to cover up her blush without success.
"What about them... an... and me?" she choked.
"Only what I've heard."
"There's nothing going on!" Marion protested.
Lily nodded but even Marion could see the faint smile on her face.
"But... ther..."
"I've got to go," Lily said cutting her off, smiling at Marion's stunned look.
With a final smile in Marion's direction Lily left. Marion stood in the hallway confused. Did some many people know about her... dilemma? She hoped not. Marion shook her head.
I'll worry about it later when I hear more people talking... if I hear more people talking.
With that she walked off to the dining hall to join David and Karl.
She's just heard something. It's just rumours, nobody knows. DON'T WORRY IT'S NOTHING!
Marion sighed. She was talking to herself again. She half-listened to what Zippo was saying and continued to argue with herself. Marion had no idea her problem was so obvious. Her father knew about it, the brother's father probably did too and her mother as well. Zippo? Probably but could someone else know?
She glanced at David who was the only person in the room listening to what Zippo was saying. Karl was busy trying to wrestle a piece of fabric away from 26's jaw. Zippo either didn't notice only one person was paying attention or he didn't care.
Marion began listening again.
'... it was the first time in our history that humans visited the World Ben...'
She wondered briefly if Zippo was a bit too obsessed with the World Beneath. She stopped listening again and continued to worry about her own problems.
"That's it! Tell me what you know! How do you know?" Marion demanded.
It was towards evening time and Marion and Lily were taking a stroll around the Earth Farm.
"What are you going on about?" Lily said startled by her friend's outburst.
"Karl and David."
"Oh that," Lily smiled shyly, "I heard everybody talking about how much time you spent with them."
"I was helping them get use to Dinotopia," Marion said defensively.
Lily smiled as if to say she knew her friend was lying.
Marion flushed.
"And when they were off to the World Beneath you followed..."
"I didn't actually go there."
Lily shrugged.
"Like I said it's just what I heard," Lily tried to ignore her friend's stare.
"And everybody knows you and David hugged yesterday," Lily stopped, "For a long time."
Marion's face went red.
"And than they were commenting on how Karl reacted to it..." Lily trailed off.
"Alright, alright!" Marion protested, half-scowling, half-laughing, "You know about my umm... dilemma... could you... umm... could you..."
"Help you?" Lily interrupted.
Marion nodded eagerly.
Lily shook her head.
"This is your problem. You have to solve it."
"Although I could help you," Lily added quickly seeing the disappointment in her friend's face, "But not now, I've got to go."
"See you later."
Lily nodded and strolled off leaving a frowning Marion behind.
"Who was that girl?" David asked.
Marion almost dropped her cup, as she was startled out of her thoughts.
"What?"
"Who was that girl?" David repeated.
"She's an old friend of mine," Marion replied absently.
"Are you awake?" Karl laughed, "You seem out of it."
"Out of it?" Marion repeated confused.
"You know? Distracted?"
Marion nodded.
"I suppose I have been."
Thinking about you two. She added silently. It depressed her a bit that someday she would have to choose. They were both good people in their own way, both with their good points and bad points. She sighed and set down her cup.
"Sorry, I have to go, I need to see Lily," Marion got up and left absently bumping into Zippo as he dashed past.
"Karl!" he scolded, "Get 26 out of my room!"
Karl sighed and followed the fussing dinosaur. David sat by himself. An idea formed in his head and he smiled to himself. He got up and left the dining hall.
"I think we should try to figure out who's better... umm... suited to you," Lily began hesitantly after Marion had told her everything, "Let's start with David... what are his good points?"
Marion thought for a while and answered.
"David... umm... he's... well... he's caring, responsible, brave, serious, dedicated, determined..."
"Karl?"
"Brave, good-natured, funny, caring towards most people, friendly, easy to talk to," Marion replied straight away.
Lily nodded absently.
"How did you just come up with that?"
Her friend flushed.
"I've thought about it," Marion admitted.
"Let's think about it, what would it be like if you were... mar... with Karl?"
"Let's see... let's pretend I love Karl more than David..." Marion began.
"... I love Karl more than David..."
David heard those words and could feel a deep pain in his heart. His vision clouded but he angrily rubbed his eyes.
Marion... his heart ached for her but now it was too late. What had he done wrong? What was it he did or did not do? What did Karl had that he didn't? He had been eavesdropping on Marion but now he wished he hadn't. Marion had chose Karl... over him... David narrowed his eyes.
'I've still got a chance!'
He repeated the phrase over and over to himself. Even to himself he sounded desperate. Silently blinded by his fury and despair, he slipped away.
"... I really can't imagine myself with either one of them," Marion groaned, "I wish this was simple!"
"Life is never simple," Lily said wisely.
Lily's face brightened.
"The Springtime Festival is coming up, right?"
"And?" Marion asked.
Lily smiled softly.
Marion caught on.
"I can't go with one of them. I'm not going!"
"And if one asks?"
Marion's face fell.
"I didn't think about it," she whispered.
Lily hugged her friend.
"Don't worry, it'll all be right in the end."
Karl yawned and rubbed his eyes. Slowly he got up and slowly moved his legs from beneath his saurian's friend's heavy body. He winced as he felt his legs go numb after being used as a pillow all night by 26. Absently he rubbed his leg trying to get rid of numbness.
"David?" he said sleepily seeing his brother standing in front of the door.
"Are you happy now? You won!" David snapped, barely hiding his rage.
"What?" Karl asked confused, "Are you okay?"
"No! I'm not," David growled.
26 woke up and honked sleepily.
"What are you going on about?" Karl asked trying to calm his brother down.
"Don't act as if you don't know," David snarled angrily.
Karl stared at him.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Congratulations. You've won!"
With that David whirled around and left slamming the door behind him. 26 honked questioningly.
"I don't know what's with him..." Karl replied.
26 hooted and went back to sleep as Karl puzzled over his brother's behaviour.