No Worries…
Ryan's P.O.V.
"So..." I said as I jammed my hands in my pockets. Selene glanced up from her tanning spot on a giant boulder.
"So what?" She asked rather hatefully as she climbed down and glared at me.
"Um...the sunset is in like a half hour, so I was wandering…" I started.
"Nice try," she laughed as she brushed past me.
I rolled my eyes and followed her back to the cave.
"Guess what!" Sparks shrieked as she dropped from some hidden crevice in the cave wall.
"You've finally decided to shut up?" I asked, hope ringing in my voice.
"Ummm…no. Dr. M said she was making cookies and she said that we could have one!" Sparks looked thrilled.
Redneck strutted into the cave, adjusting her pants and chewing on a wad of her signature pink bubblegum.
"Redneck! Guess what!" Sparks started again as she raced for the girl.
"Ok, if she has chocolate she's going to be insanely annoying and hyper," Selene literally popped up next to me. I jumped a little.
"You scared the frick out of me!" I breathed.
"What are you, an old grandma?" Selene teased, teleporting to the other side of me.
"Totally," I rolled my eyes.
"I know why you stayed," She mumbled.
"Um…yah…" I stuttered looking at her.
"I don't do hand holding," Selene said as she turned around, "and keep your tongue inside your mouth. I'm not French."
My jaw almost dropped. Did she just say…was it that easy?!
"Come on, Ryan! You're getting points knocked off!" Selene snapped. I jogged up to her.
"So are you my…" I started, but before I could finish she spun around and nodded. I smiled.
"Sparks!" I heard Nudge's voice boom through the cave, "Cookies! And oh my gosh they smell so good! Hurry before Max and Ella eat them all…" She said more, I just kinda ignored it and walked to the mouth of the cave, Selene following.
Redneck, 24, Sparks, and Marigold were standing there with Nudge and Angel. They all turned to look at me and Selene.
"Are you all coming for cookies or what?" Angel asked.
"I could go for-" I began. Selene just started walking.
"I'll take that as a yes," Nudge smiled. We all hurried after Selene. Then she just had to go and teleport up to the house, causing Sparks to order a race.
We all took off flying, except Redneck who wrapped her arms around Marigold and yelled, "GO!"
In the end, Sparks won. Nudge came in second, followed by Angel. 24 got there before me, but it was close. About thirty seconds later I head Redneck screaming as Marigold drug her across the ground at top speed. Redneck had the biggest smile plastered on her face and Marigold was booking it to the house. When the goat passed I pulled Redneck off her. The girl was bruised and scratched. She was caked in dirt.
"That was...AWESOME!" Redneck squealed as she pumped up a fist.
Just then Dr. M came out and got a good look at Redneck from the porch. "Bring her inside," she said with an exasperated sigh.
I frowned at the still beaming Redneck. She giggled and wrapped her thin little arms around my neck.
"I want cookies," she reminded.
I trudged in the house, rolling my eyes.
"What happened to Redneck?!" Ella asked, rushing over.
"Me and Marigold had a drag race!" Redneck grinned.
"Aw…come here," Ella mused, taking Redneck. The little girl was practically skin and bone. Redneck was small, petite, skinny, and tough as nails. Ella started washing mud and dirt off of the little girl and started cleaning and bandaging wounds.
"Any cookies left?" Sparks asked, putting on big Bambi eyes for Dr. M.
"I snuck a bunch from Max," the Doctor said as she turned around with a pan of cookies in her ovenmitted hand. 24's eyes widened as she gawked at the goodies. Gazzy turned around with a gallon of milk and started pouring it in glasses.
"Where is Max anyway?" Angel asked, glancing around.
"Her and Fang went on a long, romantic walk," Iggy said as he walked into the kitchen, dodging Sparks's wings as she spun around in circles.
"Zomg! They're gonna get wet!" Nudge exclaimed, and within three seconds we heard rain pelting the roof.
"Can Marigold come inside?" Redneck asked. All of the sudden a white streak and loud booming thunder signaled the beginning of a major storm.
"Sure," Dr. M sighed, waving her spatula in the air as she picked the hot cookies off the pan.
"NO!" Iggy cried as Ella opened the door and the goat trotted in. Of coarse Marigold raced right for Iggy, who sprinted to his room screaming, "DEMON GOAT!"
Gazzy laughed so hard he spilled the milk everywhere, including on Nudge's new fashion magazine.
"Gazzy!" Nudge screamed as she pulled her magazine from the milk, "That was the new issue! I wanted to see the summer styles that are being worn on the runway! And this one article was going to tell me about a product that would keep the frizz out of my hair!"
"Sorry, Nudge," Gazzy said, blinking his eyes like he was innocent.
Meanwhile, Sparks was getting hyped up on cookies and 24 was right behind her, shoveling them in. Redneck chased after Marigold, who was now in Iggy's room. Selene, in all this mess, had made herself comfortable on the couch. She and Angel were watching Pitch Perfect, of all movies, and were currently laughing their heads off. Ella was trying to wipe the milk up, but Nudge and Gazzy were still quarreling and Ella just couldn't get between them. Dr. M had accidentally dropped the mitt on the eye of the stove, which was still burning for some reason, and it went up in smoke and eventually little flames danced over the fabric.
Dr. Martinez poured water on the mitt, causing the stove to sizzle and etc. The fire detectors started beeping and so on. I hurried and turned off the stove. Dr. M looked stressed. She looked at me and put on a shaky smile.
"Well, this is not what I was hoping for!" She said over the fire alarms.
"How do we cut these things off?!" I yelled, looking up.
"Fan the smoke away!" Dr. M ordered as she grabbed Iggy's apron and started flailing it under the little, annoying, round, demented device. After about five minuets of her flapping the apron and me waving my arms around, the beeping finally ceased. It left us plum tired and our ears were ringing.
Sometime in all of this, Max and Fang had come back. I looked over my shoulder and there they stood, staring wide-eyed at it all.
"Welcome back!" Ella giggled as she looked at their expressions.
"What happened?" Max asked. If you took in the scene I guess this could look a little like a mad house.
I mean, Selene and Angel were cackling and tears were running from their eyes from how hard they were laughing. Nudge was hitting Gazzy with a fashion magazine that was drenched in milk. Dr. M and I were screaming at the fire detectors and waving our arms in the air like morons. Iggy picked the perfect (SARCASM ALERT!) time to come sprinting through the kitchen, arms flailing, running from Marigold. Redneck chased after in her bare feet.
"Should I even ask?" Max raised an eyebrow.
"No," Ella shook her head.
"Maximum! You're soaking wet!" Dr. M exclaimed, "Go change before you catch a cold or something!"
Max sighed and trudged up the steps, Fang followed silently (big surprise) behind.
It was hard to believe that there was only a month left before that baby finally came, but I was a little nervous.
What did the school have in mind? Would they come for the baby? What happens if we're taken back?
There were to many questions…
Eventually we got everything cleaned up and Max finished off the rest of the cookies. The whole time Selene and Angel had been watching that chick flick.
"You all did great," Selene said flatly.
"Max!" Nudge whined.
"I told you Nudge, if you keep smacking Gazzy I'm going to feed him beans," Max said in her 'don't give me crap' tone.
Nudge groaned and tossed her magazine into the trash. Gazzy sighed, thinking he got off the hook.
"Oh and Gaz," Max started, causing Gazzy to look up, "you owe Nudge. Next time she goes to the mall you have to carry all her bags."
"But Max! Those weigh like five tons!"
"Don't tell me you can't handle a couple of shopping bags..."
"Can I blow them up?"
"Absolutely not!" And that was the end of that conversation.
A knock came from the door. I answered cautiously and saw a boy standing there. A soaking wet boy wearing a cowboy hat, boots, blue jeans, and the rattiest old white shirt caked in mud and speckled with holes. A big white dog, what I guessed was a Great Pyrenees, stood beside him looking around with its brown eyes like it was inspecting me and the surroundings.
"Ryan! Who is it?!" Dr. M called.
"Uh...who are you?" I asked the boy, who was probably a few years older than me.
"Symbrog, John Symbrog," the boy held out his hand. Symbrog? That was Redneck's last name!
"I'm guessing you're here to pick up Redneck?" I said with a grin as I opened the door wider.
"Yessir," John Symbrog nodded as he peeked inside.
"Who is it?" Dr. M asked, coming to the door.
"It's John Symbrog, Redneck's older brother," I said, stepping back.
"Oh, hello," Dr. M smiled.
"Hello mam," John said as he stuck his hand out. Man this kid likes shaking hands.
"Um, Redneck is running around here somewhere..." Dr. M trailed off as she looked around, "Please come in."
"I'm kinda muddy and wet, mam," John shook his head.
"Do you see what I have to deal with?" Dr. M gestured around, "Now come in."
"Yes'm," John mumbled as he stepped in, his cowboy boots making a thud. Suddenly, the big dog lunged forward. Its paws were huge and its hair was thick. John started screaming at the dog, but the dog raced through the house on the trail of something.
"Bo!" Redneck shrieked from somewhere in the house. Then all you could hear was claws hitting hardwood floor and hooves clicking repeatedly. Iggy came bolting around a corner, Marigold close on his tail. Following Marigold was the giant white dog, Bo, with Redneck literally riding him.
"Whoa!" John cried, getting into the chase.
"Bo! Round up, NOW!" John ordered. Bo barked and jumped on Marigold, pinning the goat to the floor. In the mean time, John had jerked Redneck off the giant guard dog.
"Claire! Are you causing trouble?!" John sounded ten times older, like he was scolding Redneck.
"Naw, Hillbilly," Redneck put on Bambi eyes and blinked repeatedly.
"Aw, don't give me those doe eyes," John/Hillbilly frowned, setting the girl down.
"Hmph!" Redneck crossed her arms.
"C'mon, we gotta get. I got hogs to slop, ya know how that ol' sow acts when she ain't fed. That darn steer got out to the lower pasture, so I need to fix that thar stupid metal gate again. Plus, we got some Yankees wanderin' the woods..." Hillbilly explained, ranting on.
"Yanks? In the woods?" Redneck asked as she pulled Marigold out from under Bo.
"Yah, one of 'em looks...uh whatcha call it...goth? And the other is as round as she is tall. I'm afraid someone's gonna have to end up callin' the police department if I don't get out thar and find 'em in time," Hillbilly said in the strongest country accent I've heard yet. Bo growled deeply, hunching his shoulders and staring directly at...Fang?
"Oh," Hillbilly said bluntly following the dog's glare, "I guess the Yankees found their way home."
"Cool dog," Fang said simply, not giving off any emotions. John cracked a lopsided smile.
"Uh...thanks?" John shrugged, holding out his hand. Fang only stared at it and Hillbilly let it drop back to his side.
"I'm John Symbrog, or Hillbilly for short," John said...again.
"Fang," Fang introduced himself.
"And my name is Max," Max stated, standing up from her seat.
"And my name is…" Nudge leapt up.
"Lemme guess. You're Nudge?" Hillbilly cut her off.
"How did you know?" She breathed.
"Redneck told me about y'all. Plus, I've seen y'all's wings once or twice," Hillbilly shrugged.
"What?! How?!" Max demanded.
"I hike around trough the woods and stuff. I see almost everything that goes on. I know these sticks like the back of my hand, and when I started finding abnormally large feathers I just had to investigate," Hillbilly grinned wider like he had really accomplished something, "Besides, Redneck talks about y'all all the time."
"Oh, you're like one of those..." Nudge started.
"Hillbillies," Gazzy finished for her.
Hillbilly nodded.
"Hillbilly! I don't wanna leave," Redneck pouted.
"But you gotta go see that Chinese doctor (A/N: hint hint!)," Hillbilly frowned.
"Can I stay a little longer?" Redneck pleaded.
"Only if it's alright with yer friends," Hillbilly said sternly. Redneck looked to Dr. M.
"Yes, of coarse she can stay! Please, um, take a seat, John," Dr. M smiled. Redneck squealed and rushed back into the living room, followed by the others. Max and Fang stayed with Dr. M and "Hillbilly".
Hillbilly sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes and looked like he was trying to calm down.
"I see what you have to deal with there," Max said with a laugh.
"Yah...it's defiantly a challenge sometimes," Hillbilly shrugged.
"So are you...do you feel... Her cancer-I mean," Dr. M tried to find the words.
"Uh, if you wanna know about her cancer all you gotta do is ask," Hillbilly said softly.
Why was I standing here? I looked down at myself. I was leaning on the wall at the entrance of the living room, snooping.
"How is your mother doing through all of this? Does she need any help...?" Dr. M looked concerned. Hillbilly chuckled coldly.
"Sorry, excuse me. That was rude," he apologized politely, "My mother only comes home on Sundays."
"Oh...um...what do you do the rest of the week?" Dr. M asked.
"Work the farm, tend to Redneck, pay the bills, and every once in a while I work graveyard at 7up," Hillbilly listed his chores off. Dr. M and Max shot each other looks of something mixed with pity and questioning.
"You have a farm? That must be cool. Does your dad help you?" Max questioned.
"Daddy left us when he found out Redneck had cancer," Hillbilly sucked in a sharp breath trying to dodge tears, "He never came back. Never sent money. He left Momma and me laying in a sea of unpaid bills with barely enough money to afford Redneck's treatment. I guess that's when Momma lost Jesus and the Symbrog's whole world went in a downhill spiral."
They all stood speechless for a moment.
"I'm so sorry. That must've been a terrible hardship placed on your shoulders," Dr. M almost whispered.
"The Good Lord is just testin' us. We just gotta set our feet and fight through it," Hillbilly shrugged.
"You have to be stressed and worried," Max stated.
"I can't tell ya how many times I found myself on my knees in the fence row, prayin'. When I was little, that first year Daddy left us, I used to ask God why. I used to beg Him to take me instead," Hillbilly tried to speak, but he got choked up.
"What did you do to fight through it all?" Dr. M questioned.
"I just take the tractor another round, and pull the plow across the ground. Send up another prayer (A/N: and if you can tell me what song that quote came from I'll update again on the 16th!)," Hillbilly said, regaining his smile, "I just callus my hands harder, rotate more crops, and hold on."
"Life is tough sometimes..." Fang said, causing everyone's eyes to widen in surprise.
"Yah, and we're all a' fightin' to keep our head above water," Hillbilly added. The four spent a minuet nodding and letting it all sink in.
"Well...I better get a' goin. Thank y'all for letting Redneck get some happiness in this little tussle we call life," Hillbilly grinned as he glanced over the three. The poor kid.
"It was no problem," Dr. M smiled warmly.
"Yah, it was like having a comedy theater in our house," Max added.
"Bo," Hillbilly glanced down at the dog, "Round up!" Bo bolted for Redneck.
"Aw! So soon?" Redneck whined as Bo nudged her forward with his nose.
"Yup, it's time to go home, little ankle bitter," Hillbilly smiled as he picked Redneck up.
"You're so mean!" Redneck frowned as she beat her fists playfully into Hillbilly's chest.
"Oh ow!" Hillbilly played along.
Redneck giggled.
"Say bye," Hillbilly reminded as he set her down.
"Bye y'all! I'll come back tomorrow!" Redneck smiled and waved.
Marigold bleated, causing Iggy to step back. The moment didn't last long. Bo barked and Marigold ran out the door, the dog chasing.
"No Bo!" Redneck cried as she slid from Hillbilly's farmer tanned arms and hurried after her goat.
"See y'all 'round," Hillbilly smiled neighborly and rushed after his sister. He had the matching brown eyes and his hair was wild and brown, a cowboy hat on top forcing it to stay down.
"John! You left your bucket of blackberries!" Dr. M called after him. He must've been in the woods picking blackberries cause sure enough there was an old beaten pail filled with fruit on our door step.
"Keep 'em! Redneck can't eat 'em anyway 'cause it makes her stomach hurt. I don't wanna have to be up all night tryin' to cram a spoon full of Pepto Bismo down her throat!" Hillbilly yelled over the sound of his boots hitting the ground in continuous thuds.
And with that the two were gone, running into the woods to hurry down the winding trail to their home, rain pelting the whole way.
•
-ONE MONTH LATER-
•
Redneck never did come back.
That evening when John took her home and got her all cleaned up he took her to her appointment.
The doctor said that she was getting worse and that they couldn't let her play anymore. Redneck was bed ridden and within two weeks she had become increasingly ill. She was sick with dark rings under her eyes and she started dropping weight fast.
We went to see her everyday, even though we all felt extremely uncomfortable in hospitals. Redneck talked about the little fun she had with us, and every time we went to visit she'd always ask Iggy how Marigold was doing. He'd always just give a chuckle and say that she was acting as well as a demon goat could.
Often, we would all sit around and play cards or watch a movie on the little hospital TV. We'd stay long enough for Hillbilly to leave and get his farm work done. These past four weeks we've only seen Redneck's mom once, and we only spoke for fifteen minuets before she "had to rush" and "go back to work". Dr. M found Hillbilly crying a couple times when Redneck fell asleep. She told him everything was going to be fine and that it was like the tide was just coming in, and eventually the tide would be pulled back out. He'd always try to act real polite and put on a grin. The grin was fake. We all knew on the inside he was crying.
Redneck started to recall the times when we partied in the cave and hiked through the woods. It was sad to see such a bubbly personality and energetic kid turn into a skeleton and be left a shell of her old self. Dr. M cooked goodies everyday and brought them to her. Redneck ate all that she could keep down. We didn't see her doctor. He wasn't ever "in". Hillbilly said that he was really smart and capable. Hillbilly even credited the man for keeping Redneck alive this long.
Today we were going in once again to see Redneck. Hillbilly had called a couple hours ago and said that she was doing worse, much worse. We just pulled into the parking lot and we made our way into the small, rural hospital. All the nurses knew who we were and didn't pay any attention as we all made our way to Redneck's room. As we neared the door I got the feeling that something was wrong. Bad wrong.
Hillbilly was on his knees beside Redneck's bed. He was balling his eyes out. Redneck lay motionless. We filed in and our eyes were drawn to the small girl laying still in the white sheets. The heart monitor was unplugged...and so were her IV's.
Hillbilly pulled the sheet up over Redneck's head…
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