So, today had been a weird day for me, and i dont feel much like talking.
Just to say a few things: 1, i'm still doing this fic and reaching it to its conclussion. 2, i got hooked up with amphibia, for which i'm also writing fics, so this one fic might take longer to update. 3, i kinda rushed this chapter, so i'm sorry if there are gramatical or syntax mistakes.
Anyway, another chapter from Soledad's POV.
If she had to be honest with herself, yes; Soledad sometimes drank a little too much. It was undisputable that she didn't have the best decision making skills while drunk. She had a Star tattoo barely over her groin as permanent reminder. But she never forgot stuff. Unfortunately. She remembered every embarrassing thing she'd said or done while under influence. So the huge white void in her brain where the memories should be was, to her, as impossible as the flying pigs, Hell freezing over, and the narwhals.
As she held onto Rain's back, the Triumph danced around the river bent, skillfully dodging rocks and pools of water in a zigzag motion that would make a drunken snake feel very ill. Steven and Peeps walked in front of them at a safe distance, with Steven guiding them back to the car. The bike's provided the only light in the dark night.
Everything came to her in fragmented pieces. She remembered being in Steven's car, chatting. Then she'd said that stupid thing about his girlfriend and they fought and got lost. Sheriff Lowe intercepted them and a chase followed. Then they felt down the side of the hill. The walked by the river bank in the dark until Sheriff Lowe came by. Then Rain came by, there was a fight and then…
The void. Nothing more except vague images and sounds. It was like one of those 'old goodies' films from the 20's Miss Harris would make them watch in history class. The ones where sometimes a photogram or two was missing and the movie would skip the lost material. Except those were in black and white, and Soledad's memories were… kinda pinkish.
Soledad held tighter, almost to the point of crushing Rain's ribs. After tonight events, she didn't have much fate in any motor vehicle.
Her freshest memory was of Rain waking her up, with Steven at her side. The story they told her was that when Lowe shoot his rifle —something she could barely recall happening—, Soledad panicked, stumble on a rock, and felt to the ground while holding onto Peeps. They both landed head first on a boulder and were knocked out cold. While they were in Sleepy time junction, Steven and Rain talked the 'Sheriff of Nottingham' into giving them a warning.
Peeps —who have woken up before she did— have believed it. Soledad thought it was bullshit. Lowe wasn't the kind to give up without a fight; he was too stupid to quit! Soledad had pressed Rain for answer but all she got was shushing and fake reassurance. Even Steven had looked nervous —more than usual, that is.
Five minutes later they found the Dondai where they'd left it. Rain parked the bike behind it and took her helmet off.
"Holy shit," she said upon looking at the car. "Holy shit! Steven, you didn't said it was this trashed. Next time just sign it up in a derby if you want to destroy it for real."
Soledad got out of the bike too. Yikes… she wasn't kidding. The car looked worse now she was not thinking about almost dying. Not only was the window shattered to near breaking point, the whole front of the car was trashed beyond recognition. The hood was bent up and the bumper had become a sort of V shape. One of the lights looked like it might not turn up again.
In worse shape than the car was Steven himself. Soledad didn't remember he'd been this damaged, with all his clothes torn up and full of holes. He almost started crying once he saw his Dondai.
"Oh man, my dad's so gonna kill me," he said full of misery. "I mean, not really, but this is going to break his heart."
"Could've been worse. I mean, overall, the shape's intact," said Peeps light-heartily. "And you guys are OK, right? That's what matters."
"Still, is a miracle you guys are alive," said Rain.
To this, Soledad hummed. Each passing second she found it harder to believe they were alright, with the car in such a shape…
"Yeah, it's a real 'miracle' we are alive," she snapped. "Almost like magic, right?"
Everyone got quiet, and all three pair of eyes bore holes into her.
"Now what do you mean by that?" asked Rain in a flat tone.
Soledad tried to response, but she got nothing. Even she didn't know what she meant. Everything was weird and surreal right now, with the big blank spot on her memories. And they were all so anxious, especially Steven. They were lying to her. Soledad hated liars.
"Anyway. Let's be glad you're both alright and let's leave it at that," said Rain and jumped back into her bike. "Come on guys; let's see if we can charge this tuna can up."
Steven agreed and helped Rain guide the Triumph to front of the car. Then Steven went behind the car and opened the trunk. He came back with jumper cables and rubber gloves.
Soledad scoffed at their ridiculous plan. "Thisaintgoingtowork," she said. "Dude, you can't jump-start a car with a bike battery. I don't care if it's a monstrosity like yours. Do you even know if the voltage's the same? This shit could blow us up to Kingdom Come."
Rain got out of the bike again and patted her in the back. "Why are you so always so negative? You're not the only one who knows about electricity."
Soledad laughed at the comment, because she was sure that, yes, she was. She didn't miss when Rain leaned to whisper something in Steven's hear when he gave her the cables. Since when are these two so chummy? Did they speedran their friendship while I was out cold? She thought bitterly.
Steven got inside the car and Soledad followed him. He didn't seem to mind. Once they were both inside, Peeps went to the window and told Steven to open the hood for Rain and wait her signal. Steven did so and both Peeps and Rain disappeared behind the hood. Talking and mumbling came from outside, but Soledad couldn't make up what they were saying. Why were they whispering? Everything was so weird.
Being locked inside the car with Steven was also pretty weird.
"So, Steven…" she began. Steven tensed like he'd received an electric shock. "What did Rain said to you back there? She looked pretty gossipy." Soledad bit her lip. She hasn't meant to be a sour lemon, but she just felt like that.
"Nothing special," was Steven's answer. "She just said 'well done' for how I smooth talked Sheriff Lowe into leaving. You know, with my pizzazz and all that."
Steven's attempt at sounding casual was lame. Still, Soledad laughed of embarrassment. What was she even thinking? Rain didn't do anything to her. In fact, Soledad was sure she has saved her life. And Steven, well, things were still weird with him —or maybe it was just Soledad who was weird. Heat took over her face as she considered he might still be mad with her. She ought to apologize… but she really didn't want to have this conversation.
She sighed. Here goes nothing. "Hey, uh, Stevie-the-Kid?" she said amicably. Steven hummed; he was distracted trying to look behind the hood. "Remember what I said back then? That stuff I said when we got lost?"
"You mean how I should break up with my girlfriend because we're probably incompatible, even though you don't really know her —or me— at all," he said without missing a beat. "I'd forgotten. It's no big deal."
Soledad winced. Well, talking about not holding back the punches. After hearing the tale from Steven's mouth, it hit her how much of a jerk she'd been. How much of a big deal it actually was.
"Yeah, that." Soledad rubbed her hands together until they were red. Fuck, she neverhas this much trouble knowing what to say. What a bad time to start being shy! "Look Steven, sometimes I say stuff without meaning it. Mouth's too fast, brain's too slow. And I don't catch what I say until it's out and everyone's looking at me and shaking their heads going 'whatsthatgirlsproblem', you know?"
Steven drummed his fingers on the wheel. "And… what is your problem?"
"Idontknow!" Soledad snapped. "I always believed that if you want something you should, idontknow, go for it. And you can't let anything get in the way —other people, specially. I mean, if you sleep off and fool around, you'll never the good bits of life. There is always someone there trying to push you down, or to cut you off, or simply to be in the middle and not move theirstupidassaway. That's why I left home. Because my stupid piece of jerk, lame-ass, pathetic-excuse of a mom wasn't letting me live my. Fucking. Life."
At some point Soledad began talking loudly and breathing harshly. All blood had choose her face as gathering point and was now stuck there and throwing a party. Steven had this concerned look on his face, like he was worried she was gonna have a heart attack.
Finally, her brain caught up with the stream of nonsense that had came out of her mouth. And when you pick the pieces apart it sounded… Shit.
"Except that what I just said sounds EXACTLY like one of my mom's speeches about business and success and how being a bitch helped her success in life." Her hands found her face and stretched the skin. "Three months," she said, words heavy with meaning. "Three whole months away from home and I'm still turning into my mom. Man, I really suck."
Steven's slow hmmm of approbation didn't help Soledad's mood. "Maybe a little," he said softly and rushed to add: "But that's OK! We all suck every once in a while. Damn, I know I sucked hard tonight."
A bubbly laughter came out of the girl. There is no way he doesn't know how that sounded. She then realized she was with Steven, so he probably had no idea.
"Well, as much as you sucked tonight," said Soledad as she hiccupped with laughter. "I think it's safe to say I fucked up worse. Why are you not mad at me? Hate me or something worse?
Steven shrugged, in the most unhelpful way possible. "I'm not sure," he said. "Honestly? I'm still a bit upset. What you said hurt me. And you're lucky Connie's not here."
"She would've decked me in the face, wouldn't she?"
"Actually, she's not a violent person —not unless it's in self-defense— but she would've said what you said, but reverted back at you as an insult.. She's very perceptive about people. Plus she owns a sword, just so you know."
She could nearly picture the girl. Yeah, not the Childhood Sweetheart she'd imagined before.
"But, as mad as I am, I also see that you're sorry," Steven proceeded. "That actually means a lot to me. To know you feel bad and hear it from you."
"This is your passive-aggressive way to tell me I haven't actually apologized?"
Steven gave his side to her and it looked like he didn't want to talk. Then he put a hand to his ear. "Well?"he said.
This piece of shit, Soledad bit the inside of her cheek. If it were any other boy or girl, she would've given him a piece of her mind —a very loud one. But it was Steven…
"Look I'm… imverysorryok?" she said in a rush; even more rushing than her usual talking.
Steven had the nerve of laugh at her —but damn, what a beautiful laugh he had. "I forgive you." He touched her shoulder and damn if it wasn't like a balm to her heart and soul —and conscience.
But she couldn't let Steven knew that. "Yeah, yeah. Goodforme." She shoved him away and weakly punched him in the arm. "That's for being a jerk about it."
"Well, excuse me, princess. I was ready to forgive you as soon as you started, but my therapist said I'd to learn to hold my ground. Besides, you looked like you needed to talk about some stuff, so I figured we could hit two birds with one stone. How are you feeling now?"
"I think, from 1 to 10, I am in a solid…" Soledad blew a raspberry at him, spiting all over Steven and making him laugh. Stars, she never wanted to hear another laugh ever.
For a moment Soledad let herself be. After all the tension she'd been building up inside since she woke up —plus all the earlier tension from nearly dying— it felt nice to just be. And Steven was there with her and he'd forgiven her. And perhaps after he goes on his way he might want to keep in contact with her. And maybe, well, maybe she'll get to keep another friend, one that sees the real her and doesn't hate her for it.
A rumble was heard in front of the car. A weird blue light flickered from behind the Dondai's hood. It was oddly mesmerizing, like a neon light in a dark room. Rain and Peeps must be charging the battery. But those lights weren't normal. It could be a serious problem.
"I'm gonna give them a hand." Soledad reached for the door-handle but Steven's hand stopped her. He'd grabbed her by the elbow.
"I think we should let Rain do it," said Steven and let go of her arm. "I mean, if they got it we would just get in the middle, right?"
Soledad hummed. He'd a point, but… "Aren't you scared these two bozos will blow up your car. Specially 'cause we're inside it right now?"
"Not at all! I trust Rain can do it," he said confidently.
It was like a backstab with a poisoned long sword. On fire. Why is he so ride-or-die for Rain now? Even Steven couldn't have become best friends with her in such a short time, trauma-inducing bonding event or not.
"Steven, what happened today?" she began cautiously, watching Steven's face contort. "What happened to me? Or Lowe? There is a huge blankspotslashwhitevoid in my head and I can't remember anything. And don't-don't even start with the whole 'you fainted from the gunshot like a little girl'. I might be a girl, but I'm not a softie. I don't get scared, I get MAD."
Steven made a dubious face. "I don't know, you looked pretty scared back there."
The noise coming from Soledad mouth was the sound equivalent to a key smash. "OKyeahiwasscared. So what? That doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to try to run from a police officer pointing a freaking rifle at my head. And you are telling me I held onto Peeps and we both felt and hit our heads against a rock and passed out together?" Soledad breathed and let that all sink in. "Dude, that makes no sense at all."
The awkwardness on Steven's face gave away to pale embarrassment. "It does not make sense at all, does it?" His hand scratched his head. "Look, I think it's better if you just let it be."
"What now?"
Steven shrugged. "All I'm saying is that some stuff… Sometimes is better not to know and be alright than knowing and feeling bad."
"Excuse me?" Soledad nearly but not quite shouted. It was more like a hissing sound through clenched teeth. "Ohthatsrich coming from 'talk-about-your-feelings', Mister 'get-it-out-of your-chest'. All that talk about opening up is great only when it comes to other people. You did this back at the campsite and youredoingitnow."
"And it was a mistake!" said Steven, hands gripping at his bean hat and digging into it. "There are things about me you should not now about. Because they're dangerous or weird or just… not important. And this is the same thing!" Soledad laughed with sarcasm at his not-quite confession that something foul had happened and he was hiding it. "OK, answer me this," he proceeded. "If you knew knowing something was going to hurt you, that it could make you feel bad or worse, would you-"
"YES Steven, I'd still would like to know!" shouted Soledad, who now was red and hot all over, and not because she was flustered. "I need to know because I want to be in controlofmylife. I'm fucking sick and tired of everyone making the decisions. For. Me." She spat with pure vile, but her eyes gave way to tears and all of her self-control was needed to not burst into crying. "I thought you'd understand. That we were the same, I-"
"I do understand! But…" Steven shut up. He couldn't even look at her in the eyes. That's rich. "It's not my place to tell you, that's all."
Everything began to felt into place. A picture had formed, and even if it was unclear what was painted on it, Soledad knew who had made it. Two people, maybe three. And if Steven wasn't gonna tell her shit, there was someone else she could if Rain thought Soledad could yell before, she doesn't know what storm's coming to her.
Soledad opened the door and got of the car in one fast motion, leaving Steven's pleading behind. All her anger, all her frustration and confusion, she gathered it all in a ball inside her chest as she went to the front side of the car.
"RAIN, WHAT THE-"
Soledad shut up. She'd no words for what she was seeing. Sparks and lightning, coming out from Rain's hands. The woman had her hands in a V shape, from where arcs of low-current electricity birthed from, not unlike a Tesla coil —albeit a very small one. In front of her hands were the jumper cables, held in place by Peeps wearing the rubber gloves. The cables' other end was connected to the battery.
Her eyes were seeing all this, and still Soledad couldn't make anything of it. Once Rain and Peeps noticed her, Rain folded her arms, cutting of the current and turning off the lightning. Her forehead glimmered with sweat. They both looked at Soledad and said nothing. Soledad stared back at them and said nothing. So nobody said a damn thing about it all. They couldn't. It was too unreal…
No, scratch that. It actually was too real, and that was terrifying.
"Did you need something?" said Rain, lacking any of her particular energy or strength. Soledad could've sworn she sounded scared.
In the end, Soledad could only muster a meek 'no'. Rain asked her if she could 'please move away from the work zone'. Soledad took the long route, making a circle around Rain and Peeps and inspecting their work. There was no taser. No hidden Tesla coil. No trick whatsoever. Just the truth; and the truth weighted like an anvil and had fallen over Soledad's head.
When Rain's hand began to glow and throw sparks again, Soledad kept walking. She didn't stop until she was at the car driver's door and Steven called for her:
"Uh, is everything alright Sol?"
Soledad turned her head and, for the first time, she actually looked at Steven.
Fire. No, not that. Light. Steven was surrounded and enveloped by bright light. It coursed around him but it also came from him. It was pinkish in hue at first look, but a closer inspection showed tones of white. And black. And red, blue, yellow, green, all the colors of the visible spectrum. And a few others she had never seen before. They flowed from him like waves of the ocean, from the deep of his chest and the center of his belly, and whenever the waves touched, they merged into one.
Steven scratched his head and this… energy? Soul? Whatchamacallit? It moved with him and made anxious waves. Light that flowed like water… How ridiculous, but it was there! And there was also this tune. Soledad had heard it before, when they left the camping site. It was clearer now. Alien music; the noise from an instrument she had never heard before.
"It's uh, it's everything alright?" Steven asked, and there was a subtle variation on the tune.
He was worried about her… that was kinda sweet. And desired too, since Soledad was at the edge of a mental crisis abyss. She noticed for the first time Steven's eyes had little white diamond pupils with pink irises.
Those were the same eyes he'd when he turned pink. The same ones he'd when he became a giant and got inside their heads. Soledad remembered everything now. Even what had happened when she was asleep. Somehow she'd been connected to Steven and has seen everything through his eyes…
He thought she was beautiful. Right now, that wasn't a comforting thought. She was about to talk, to ask something, anything. But Rain spoke first:
"Alright Steven, I think it's done. Flip it on!" she shouted from behind the hood.
Steven held the key and, after muttering a prayer, he flipped it over. The Dondai began to cough, picking speed with each second as if gathering momentum. Finally, it went VROOM! And the engine was revving. There were screaming of joy and victory, most of them coming from Peeps. Steven's light flowed calmly and steadily, full of relief. That wasn't weird. Everyone would be relieved to have jump-started their car. But Soledad could tell what Steven was feeling by looking at him, hearing his song.
And that… that was weird.
The Dondai's hood was put down and stuck in place. Rain came into view. She was regular old Rain. Except she wasn't. A faint fire-light came out of her, sparking with joy and pride. It was more normal-looking fire-light. Or normaler than Steven's, in any case. None of this was normal 'normal'.
"I'll put these in the trunk and we can go, OK kiddo?" she said to Steven, meaning the cables in her hand.
Soledad tried to say something but her lips were glued together, and all the words in her head wanted to came out at the same time, with no success.
"Hey, Soledad?" said Steven, voice —and Song— trembling with fear. "I know you're mad at me. And I get it. But maybe we could discuss that on the way to the hostel? I still owe you a ride home."
Soledad was ready to give him her best 'are you kidding me?' face. But Steven was looking at her, pleading with those big pink eyes of his. His Song had sad tunes in it. Damn, how can he look so creepy and cute at the same time? This must be what folks with pet spiders must feel like.
Soledad searched for Rain. She and Peeps were on the bike already, waiting for her decision. As if she'd read her mind —and Soledad wasn't sure that wasn't the case—, Rain gave her a thumbs up. Well, Rain's obviously impartial… she thought.
Still, the more she searched her feelings, the more Soledad noticed she wasn't scared. Confused, alienated, and freaking out to a point before unknown to her? Sure. But not scared. Because it's true Steven might be someone weird. Someone not human, maybe. But he wasn't someone to be afraid of.
"OK," said Soledad. It was the first word she has said in a while, and she was pretty sure she'd broken her longest not-sleeping non-talking record.
Soledad took her place at the passenger seat and they began the march. As Steven silently followed Rain's Triumph, driving the glorified tuna-can he called home, Soledad got time to think.
She tried to come with ways to approach this surreal topic, when something even more surreal happened. Soledad was looking at the trees above the hill when she saw them move. Or rather, something inside them move. Many strange figures emerged from the trees, and from behind the trees and from the space between each one. Pale looking and vaguely humanoid, they were there by the dozen. And as she stared at them, they, too, looked at her. A few of them waved her hi, too.
She waved them back, because that was the respectable thing to do.
Maybe I'll say nothing, she thought. She'd rather use the time to ponder why there are so many ghosts in Death River's woods.
Ta dah!
As usual, please comment if you liked it.
