Chapter 41
Together…forever?
"Helga?"
"STOP DOING THAT!" she screamed. "Quit startling me, will you?"
"Sorry, Helga. I never mean to. You just get scared too easily."
"I do not! I don't get scared of anything! You don't scare me, you just startle me! There's a difference. I'm not scared of anything, except…"
"Except what?"
"Why should I tell you?" she snapped at him.
"Okay, okay, sorry I ask-"
"Well, if you really must know, I'm terrified of…rats." She shuddered as she said it.
"Rats?"
"Don't say it! Even the name gives me the creeps!"
"What's so bad about…that thing?"
"They're disgusting! Little, sharp, yellow teeth, long tails, black, beady eyes, filthy fir, rabies carrying, finger eati-"
"I think I get the point. But you know, Helga, all creatures have some good in them, and you shouldn't judge-"
"Don't give me one of your little speeches on honesty and morals, football head! Rats are disgusting. Period. If I ever saw one face to face, I bet I'd faint."
"You're in luck. We're stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean. No rats."
She laughed and leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder.
"Um, Helga?"
"Don't think I'm getting all weird and mushy or anything like that, football head, I'm just…tired," she lied. "You know, the whole experience is exhausting and stuff."
"Right. The sun's going down anyway. We should probably sleep soon."
"I'm sick of sleeping on this stupid raft! I wish we'd hurry up and get to wherever we're going."
"Me too." Arnold sighed. "It's beautiful."
"What, the raft?"
"The sunset. Don't you think?"
"Y-yeah, it's beautiful. I mean, if you like that sort of thing."
They sat in silence for a couple minutes, just staring out at the setting sun.
"Arnold?"
"Hmm?"
"How long, I mean, do you think we're ever gonna get home again? Or anywhere?"
"I don't know."
"I mean, are we gonna spend the rest of our lives on this raft?"
"Of course not…"
"How would you know?"
"Well…I don't. I guess there is a very real chance that we'll never get off this raft."
"How much of a chance?"
"Probably fifty-fifty. But I don't know. I'm not Phoebe."
"Phoebe's probably dead," Helga whispered. "I-I guess they all are."
"Well…maybe they escaped."
"Arnold, I know you always try to look on the bright side, but there comes a time when you have to face reality. There's no way they could have survived. There was just too much water."
"You're probably right. I guess…I guess we're pretty lucky to even be alive. So, even if we have to spend the rest of our lives together on this raft, I guess it wouldn't be so bad. It's better than being dead, anyway."
Helga was shocked. He didn't think that it would be bad to spend the rest of his life with her?
"Y-yeah, well, I guess it wouldn't be too bad," she said uncertainly. "But…that doesn't mean I'd actually like it or anything."
"If Grandpa were here right now, I bet he'd be saying 'I told you so'," Arnold said out loud but almost to himself.
"Why?"
"Oh, it's stupid really. He just told me this crazy story once, and its moral apparently was that you and I should get married. And now, here we are, on a raft in the middle of nowhere. We'll probably never see another human as long as we live. So…well…you know…"
Helga gasped, her hope rising. "Is that a proposal?"
Arnold laughed. "You know what Helga? You're okay. You can be mean, but you're also funny. And sometimes you're nice."
"Oh." She laughed nervously. "Right. Funny."
"Phew," she sighed to herself. "He thinks it was just a joke. I've got to be more careful about what I say!"
"Besides," she said out loud, "I'm not ever gonna get married. That's disgusting! And I'd especially never marry a dopey football head like you."
"Look at the sky," Arnold said, not really catching what she had just said.
"Yeah? So?"
"Look how cloudy it is. And so fast."
"Oh, great. Now not only am I going to be tired and hungry, I'm gonna be all wet."
A large clap of thunder sounded directly overhead, and lightning lit up the sky. The wind began to blow in all directions, making little waves in the water.
"Isn't there a name for storms in the ocean? Salami or something?"
"I don't know. If you bother to pay attention to Mr. Simmons, then you're even stupider than I thought," Helga told him.
"I remember him saying something," Arnold said, ignoring her last comment. "I don't remember what it was exactly, but I think he said that these places were destroyed because of these storms in the water."
"So? What your point?"
"The point is, that if there's a storm out here, and it looks like there's going to be one, then it might be one of those tunami things."
"And?"
"And if it is one of those, then we could be in big trouble."
"What, are you afraid of a little water?" Helga asked teasingly.
"No, but-"
"Oh, no! It's water! I'm gonna die!" she cried dramatically. "Goodbye, cruel world!" she exclaimed. She threw up her arms in mock despair and fell backwards into Arnold's arms. "I'm dead."
He laughed. "I'll throw you a nice funeral then."
Helga folded her arms across her chest. "Don't get so cozy, football head," she snapped, sitting up.
"Me? But you…oh, never mind."
Suddenly, lightning flashed across the sky.
"That's it, I'm going to bed. At least that way I'll be able to die peacefully in my sleep, instead of suffering."
"Helga, I really doubt we're gonna die."
"What if the water's struck by lightning, and we get electrified? And what about your younomi theory?"
"It was just a guess. It'll probably just be a little storm. Maybe it won't even rain."
As if on cue, the sky opened up, and buckets of water poured down in great torrents.
"Oh, yeah. Nice going, Arnoldo."
"What, now you're mad at me because it's raining?"
"Why not? It's not like I've got anyone else to be mad at."
"How about you try not to be mad at all?"
"Listen, Arnold, you better shut up about that, or I'll push you overboard."
"About what?"
"I said shut up! I'm going to sleep, and if you wake me up this time, I'll introduce you to Old Betsy and…" She yawned sleepily and lay down. "And the Five Avengers." She closed her eyes.
Arnold sighed. "Goodnight, Helga."