Behind the Mask
The sun had finally risen yet with the night unforgotten. Their first morning as outcasts had officially begun. Their present threats had been snuffed and a new frontier visible than before. Death made their fates so much more visible apparently. Every drop of blood seemed to make their path smoother yet their souls more vengeful and hurt.but that humanistic trait that rested within every one of them would feed off of this. The sick feeling of survival was what kept them walking and that is when the sun becomes an enemy. The sun means another days tragedy and another day to cry and curse, another day to break down like an eroded rock until one is just another grain of sand on a huge beach.
It was no surprise to anyone that emotions were amplified on this special occasion. Despite their happiness to be together.alive that is.only hours ago, grief had taken its toll on them as it always had. That is what set them apart from their enemies. They had found themselves wondering subconsciously, their guises still intact, shielding them from the cruel world that stood against them.
They were in some outskirts of the city, far away from the crater that they left behind in a once beautiful forest. Where they were now was more of a woodland, powerful and thick trees scattered abundantly with thousands upon thousands of leaves covering the dirt ground. Besides the crackling of leaves and the snapping of idol branches however, there was an awkward silence among all of them. There really was not much to talk about at this point. Everything was either too random, too insignificant, or too depressing or secreted to talk about so they just walked until they found themselves split into smaller bunches.
Cole had unintentionally walked off with Matt, both several feet apart from the other, Drake seemed to be moving through the same path as David, and then Andrew at the very end of the others just wandered off alone in some strange circular path that he seemed to be making himself.
Slouching lazily, Drake finally settled down on one of the trees and closed his eyes peacefully.
"Tired, are we?", David joked dryly. Drake glared without amusement.
"And you aren't?", Drake asked bluntly, really not even wanting an answer.
"Of course I'm not. I don't get tired easily.", he replied in-a- matter-of-fact tone.
"Oh give me a damn break!", Drake yelled in his aggravation. "Why do you have be such a goddamn smart-ass sometimes? Do you like to be disliked so much?", he groaned.
"When those people are stupid cheerleaders for some sorry person and leader! Of coarse I do! It isn't my fault I am the only one who can see right through your god---"
"Look!", Drake said fiercely "I don't know what you have against Cole, but he is a hell of a better leader than you could ever be!"
David flinched as if the words were piercing his skin. "You want to know why I really don't like Cole!? It is because I don't trust him! I really cant believe a single word he says most of the time. He is a liar and a fraud. This whole good guy act is just to get buffoons like the rest of you to."
He stopped in the middle of his sentence. Drake stood in front of him with an anger in his eyes and punched David in the face aggressively.
David moaned for a few moments, couching on his knees and holding his jaw tightly.
"I wish I could say you didn't deserve that one, David.", Drake said coolly, sitting back down against the tree.
David remained on the leaves, his back to Drake. He made several strange sniffling sounds and an extended groan. "He killed Tony."
Drake opened his eyes casually. "What?"
"He killed Tony! I know.he did.", he bellowed, breathing irregularly.
"What the hell are you talking about? Tony was killed in battle, where did you ever get a screwed up idea like that?", Drake said skeptically.
David slowly turned to Drake, his face covered with smeared tears. "Tony was my best friend! He wouldn't just 'be abducted'! I knew him better than that, he would have fought until the end!", he quivered. "I know with all of my heart that Cole had something to do with it! And when he killed Uranus, I just knew it! All of my dreams had unfolded in seconds! He killed Uranus because he was the only one that probably knew his filthy little secret! THAT is why I don't like Cole! Don't you see!?", Drake just stared emptily without response. "WELL DON'T YOU!?" *~*~*~*~*~*~*
"They don't like me very much do they?", Andrew said softly to one of the trees, giving it a slight pause for response. "Really? I don't think so either. I really like them all. They are such nice people.but I always feel separate from them.
Do you ever feel that way?", a small wind shook one of the tree's branches. "They all have this little thing. I cannot really describe it. Some bond that only a bystander can point out. They have all of these memories together.", he frowned.
"And I feel so left out sometimes. I've been with them for a little over a year now, but I still feel like the new guy, ya know? I am always so afraid of what they think about me, especially when I get.frozen at some points. I don't mean to.", he said reassuringly ".but I just don't have the experience to cope with the demanding job of.saving the world.
They can be so kind though. Always saying to not worry.and 'you'll learn', or 'you will get the hang of it'.but I always do worry, I haven't learned, and I am still getting the hang of it. This really gets to me sometimes.", he said, leaning on the tree instinctively. ".Oh. I'm sorry.", he said, standing up straight.
"You want to know a secret?". The tree swayed gently. "This is my first real mission. I am serious. Things were so peaceful when I was recruited, but now with all of these horrible deaths, I feel so badly, because the team is falling apart and I feel like its all my fault. I'm sure they were much happier when that Tony guy or whoever was there. Its like I bring this dark cloud over my associates.", the tree swayed several times, bringing more leaves to the ground. "It is not stupid and I really try, but no one understands me." Several leaves fell on his head.
"Not even, Cole. We get along pretty good, but I'm sure he is oblivious to our differences just as everyone else.", The leaves on the tree rustled quietly and it gave a single sway. "I really enjoyed your company as well.", he paused for its quiet response "Yeah.I wish people could be more like trees too."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Cole quietly observed his best friend who was sleeping peacefully underneath one of the trees. He always loved to watch Matt sleep, as strange as it sounded. Matt loved to talk in his sleep, and it was amusing when it seemed to be talking to him.
Matt abruptly turned on his side. Mumbling quietly to himself. Cole crawled closer to listen to what he was saying. Everything still was just one long word and mindless babble. Cole began to crawl away.
"Stop.", Matt mumbled eerily. A shiver went through Cole's spine. "No.why...I don't believe..Stop it. Be quiet! No..shut up..why are you saying that..Stop!", Matt's voice beginning to rise. "He would never!..dead....both.dead......roritat tobas tey horeoh!!", he chanted sadistically.
Cole hysterically grabbed Matt and shook him repeatedly into consciousness. "MATT, WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"
Matt opened his eyes, pushing his mad friend off of him. "What is your problem!?", he yelled "Where is the fire!?"
Cole shook uncontrollably, "I'm sorry.", he breathed heavily "You were talking..and seizing.I didn't know what to do."
"What are you talking about?", Matt asked uneasily.
"Wha-", he swallowed "What were you d-dreaming about?"
Matt turned away uncomfortably. "I-I dunno.stuff.I can't--I don't remember!", he glanced at Cole with more sympathy. "Cole.you have really been concerning me lately, what has been bothering you?"
Cole trembled slightly. "I don't know, I cant close my eyes anymore, Matt."
"What?"
"I-I always see her, and I don't want to see her.", he answered reluctantly.
"Who?"
"C-Christie.I have had this strange feeling building up inside for a long time.I.She.Matt.do you think.that she thinks.that I had anything to do.with--"
"Of coarse she doesn't!", Matt said reassuringly. "She would never believe what those idiots are saying! Never! And.And you better not either."
"I know!", he yelled. "I really do know! Its just that.I miss her so much.and there are just so many things that I wish I could have said to her.before any of this could have happened. What.what if she is angry at me for not telling her about.you know.what if she doesn't know that I didn't tell her for her own good."
"But she does!.", Matt said.
"But if she doesn't.I don't know what I would do.I never even really told her how I felt about.us.and it is eating at me every day.I wanted to tell her.but I wasn't sure , I was really scared."
Matt smiled slightly "She said she loved you didn't she?"
Cole's eyes enlarged. "Ho-How did you guess that?!"
"I could tell.", he smirked. "I am your best friend, remember? Not to mention clairvoyant. And I am also guessing you didn't say it back."
"What was I supposed to do!", Cole blushed. "Everyone I have every loved has gotten hurt somehow! I wasn't sure if I was ready to commit! It was a matter of safety--"
Matt interrupted. "Don't bullshit me, Cole.", he smiled. "You weren't sure if you would last and was afraid of rejection."
"Okay, Matt!", Cole yelled. "You made your point! Thank you for not only giving me advice about a month too late, but also embarrassing me in the process!"
"Cole.", Matt said seriously. "Do you want to know a little secret.just between you and me?"
Cole looked solemnly "What is it, Matt?"
Matt began to become slightly red. "I never really told anyone this.mainly for ego's sake.but I dated Christie almost 4 years.and she never told me that. Trust me Cole, she meant it. But the real question is.how do you feel about her?"
Cole squirmed uneasily.
The sun had finally risen yet with the night unforgotten. Their first morning as outcasts had officially begun. Their present threats had been snuffed and a new frontier visible than before. Death made their fates so much more visible apparently. Every drop of blood seemed to make their path smoother yet their souls more vengeful and hurt.but that humanistic trait that rested within every one of them would feed off of this. The sick feeling of survival was what kept them walking and that is when the sun becomes an enemy. The sun means another days tragedy and another day to cry and curse, another day to break down like an eroded rock until one is just another grain of sand on a huge beach.
It was no surprise to anyone that emotions were amplified on this special occasion. Despite their happiness to be together.alive that is.only hours ago, grief had taken its toll on them as it always had. That is what set them apart from their enemies. They had found themselves wondering subconsciously, their guises still intact, shielding them from the cruel world that stood against them.
They were in some outskirts of the city, far away from the crater that they left behind in a once beautiful forest. Where they were now was more of a woodland, powerful and thick trees scattered abundantly with thousands upon thousands of leaves covering the dirt ground. Besides the crackling of leaves and the snapping of idol branches however, there was an awkward silence among all of them. There really was not much to talk about at this point. Everything was either too random, too insignificant, or too depressing or secreted to talk about so they just walked until they found themselves split into smaller bunches.
Cole had unintentionally walked off with Matt, both several feet apart from the other, Drake seemed to be moving through the same path as David, and then Andrew at the very end of the others just wandered off alone in some strange circular path that he seemed to be making himself.
Slouching lazily, Drake finally settled down on one of the trees and closed his eyes peacefully.
"Tired, are we?", David joked dryly. Drake glared without amusement.
"And you aren't?", Drake asked bluntly, really not even wanting an answer.
"Of course I'm not. I don't get tired easily.", he replied in-a- matter-of-fact tone.
"Oh give me a damn break!", Drake yelled in his aggravation. "Why do you have be such a goddamn smart-ass sometimes? Do you like to be disliked so much?", he groaned.
"When those people are stupid cheerleaders for some sorry person and leader! Of coarse I do! It isn't my fault I am the only one who can see right through your god---"
"Look!", Drake said fiercely "I don't know what you have against Cole, but he is a hell of a better leader than you could ever be!"
David flinched as if the words were piercing his skin. "You want to know why I really don't like Cole!? It is because I don't trust him! I really cant believe a single word he says most of the time. He is a liar and a fraud. This whole good guy act is just to get buffoons like the rest of you to."
He stopped in the middle of his sentence. Drake stood in front of him with an anger in his eyes and punched David in the face aggressively.
David moaned for a few moments, couching on his knees and holding his jaw tightly.
"I wish I could say you didn't deserve that one, David.", Drake said coolly, sitting back down against the tree.
David remained on the leaves, his back to Drake. He made several strange sniffling sounds and an extended groan. "He killed Tony."
Drake opened his eyes casually. "What?"
"He killed Tony! I know.he did.", he bellowed, breathing irregularly.
"What the hell are you talking about? Tony was killed in battle, where did you ever get a screwed up idea like that?", Drake said skeptically.
David slowly turned to Drake, his face covered with smeared tears. "Tony was my best friend! He wouldn't just 'be abducted'! I knew him better than that, he would have fought until the end!", he quivered. "I know with all of my heart that Cole had something to do with it! And when he killed Uranus, I just knew it! All of my dreams had unfolded in seconds! He killed Uranus because he was the only one that probably knew his filthy little secret! THAT is why I don't like Cole! Don't you see!?", Drake just stared emptily without response. "WELL DON'T YOU!?" *~*~*~*~*~*~*
"They don't like me very much do they?", Andrew said softly to one of the trees, giving it a slight pause for response. "Really? I don't think so either. I really like them all. They are such nice people.but I always feel separate from them.
Do you ever feel that way?", a small wind shook one of the tree's branches. "They all have this little thing. I cannot really describe it. Some bond that only a bystander can point out. They have all of these memories together.", he frowned.
"And I feel so left out sometimes. I've been with them for a little over a year now, but I still feel like the new guy, ya know? I am always so afraid of what they think about me, especially when I get.frozen at some points. I don't mean to.", he said reassuringly ".but I just don't have the experience to cope with the demanding job of.saving the world.
They can be so kind though. Always saying to not worry.and 'you'll learn', or 'you will get the hang of it'.but I always do worry, I haven't learned, and I am still getting the hang of it. This really gets to me sometimes.", he said, leaning on the tree instinctively. ".Oh. I'm sorry.", he said, standing up straight.
"You want to know a secret?". The tree swayed gently. "This is my first real mission. I am serious. Things were so peaceful when I was recruited, but now with all of these horrible deaths, I feel so badly, because the team is falling apart and I feel like its all my fault. I'm sure they were much happier when that Tony guy or whoever was there. Its like I bring this dark cloud over my associates.", the tree swayed several times, bringing more leaves to the ground. "It is not stupid and I really try, but no one understands me." Several leaves fell on his head.
"Not even, Cole. We get along pretty good, but I'm sure he is oblivious to our differences just as everyone else.", The leaves on the tree rustled quietly and it gave a single sway. "I really enjoyed your company as well.", he paused for its quiet response "Yeah.I wish people could be more like trees too."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Cole quietly observed his best friend who was sleeping peacefully underneath one of the trees. He always loved to watch Matt sleep, as strange as it sounded. Matt loved to talk in his sleep, and it was amusing when it seemed to be talking to him.
Matt abruptly turned on his side. Mumbling quietly to himself. Cole crawled closer to listen to what he was saying. Everything still was just one long word and mindless babble. Cole began to crawl away.
"Stop.", Matt mumbled eerily. A shiver went through Cole's spine. "No.why...I don't believe..Stop it. Be quiet! No..shut up..why are you saying that..Stop!", Matt's voice beginning to rise. "He would never!..dead....both.dead......roritat tobas tey horeoh!!", he chanted sadistically.
Cole hysterically grabbed Matt and shook him repeatedly into consciousness. "MATT, WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"
Matt opened his eyes, pushing his mad friend off of him. "What is your problem!?", he yelled "Where is the fire!?"
Cole shook uncontrollably, "I'm sorry.", he breathed heavily "You were talking..and seizing.I didn't know what to do."
"What are you talking about?", Matt asked uneasily.
"Wha-", he swallowed "What were you d-dreaming about?"
Matt turned away uncomfortably. "I-I dunno.stuff.I can't--I don't remember!", he glanced at Cole with more sympathy. "Cole.you have really been concerning me lately, what has been bothering you?"
Cole trembled slightly. "I don't know, I cant close my eyes anymore, Matt."
"What?"
"I-I always see her, and I don't want to see her.", he answered reluctantly.
"Who?"
"C-Christie.I have had this strange feeling building up inside for a long time.I.She.Matt.do you think.that she thinks.that I had anything to do.with--"
"Of coarse she doesn't!", Matt said reassuringly. "She would never believe what those idiots are saying! Never! And.And you better not either."
"I know!", he yelled. "I really do know! Its just that.I miss her so much.and there are just so many things that I wish I could have said to her.before any of this could have happened. What.what if she is angry at me for not telling her about.you know.what if she doesn't know that I didn't tell her for her own good."
"But she does!.", Matt said.
"But if she doesn't.I don't know what I would do.I never even really told her how I felt about.us.and it is eating at me every day.I wanted to tell her.but I wasn't sure , I was really scared."
Matt smiled slightly "She said she loved you didn't she?"
Cole's eyes enlarged. "Ho-How did you guess that?!"
"I could tell.", he smirked. "I am your best friend, remember? Not to mention clairvoyant. And I am also guessing you didn't say it back."
"What was I supposed to do!", Cole blushed. "Everyone I have every loved has gotten hurt somehow! I wasn't sure if I was ready to commit! It was a matter of safety--"
Matt interrupted. "Don't bullshit me, Cole.", he smiled. "You weren't sure if you would last and was afraid of rejection."
"Okay, Matt!", Cole yelled. "You made your point! Thank you for not only giving me advice about a month too late, but also embarrassing me in the process!"
"Cole.", Matt said seriously. "Do you want to know a little secret.just between you and me?"
Cole looked solemnly "What is it, Matt?"
Matt began to become slightly red. "I never really told anyone this.mainly for ego's sake.but I dated Christie almost 4 years.and she never told me that. Trust me Cole, she meant it. But the real question is.how do you feel about her?"
Cole squirmed uneasily.
