“Peacock! Wake up, please!” Wolf’s voice filled my ears as my eyelids fluttered open.
I gasped as I sat up from my position on the ground. I looked around to see Wolf, Spider, Axolotl, Red Panda, Owl, Panther and Butterfly sitting around me.
“W-What's wrong, guys? What’s made you all so upset?” I asked with a frown.
“A few minutes after I went into the tent, I came outside and you were gone! I couldn’t find you at all! So, I got the others to look with me and we still couldn’t find you…” Wolf cried as she wiped tears from her face.
“We were really worried, so we decided to go to the facility to see if those scientist guys might have taken you. And then when we came back, you were just laying on the ground!” Butterfly placed a hand on my leg. Red Panda placed his hand on Butterfly’s. Surprisingly enough, Butterfly didn’t move his hand away.
“What happened? Where did you go?” Red Panda questioned me.
“Well, I met the announcer-”
“Wait what?! Tell us everything! What does he look like? What’s his name?!” Wolf yelled in my face. I closed my eyes and took a breath.
“So, his name is Lawrence. He said that people call him Lars though, which is such a strange nickname for someone named Lawrence-”
“Just answer the other questions, Peacock. It doesn’t matter what his nickname is.” Owl pushed her glasses back up to the top of her beak and nodded her head.
“Okay, sorry. He didn't tell me very much. But he was wearing a lab coat. Maybe he had something to do with the scientists?” I answered.
“Wow, that was...not very useful. Was he threatening you?” Spider put his hands together in a praying position.
“No. Well...he did seem like he wanted information from me. But that’s it.” I sighed. The others shook their heads and looked away.
“I’m sorry, guys. I failed you.” I apologized. Immediately, everyone denied this.
“You did just fine. I’m just glad, and I’m sure the others are too, that you’re alive.” Owl comforted me.
“Thank you. All of you. I’m definitely sure we’re gonna get out of here. I know it.” I responded.
“Oh, we better! The mosquitoes in this place are starting to get on my nerves!” Butterfly chuckled. Everyone laughed, feeling a lot more calm. I was glad that everyone was feeling better about the situation. I definitely made me feel better.
--------------------------------------
Butterfly yawned, “I’m a bit tired, guys. I’m gonna go to bed.”
“Yeah, me too.” Red Panda agreed, standing up from the log next to the fire with Butterfly.
The rest of us told them goodnight as they walked to their tent and fell asleep.
“It must be hard to have to sleep next to someone who you just had a fight with.” Axolotl sighed.
“They seem to be getting along better though. A lot better than before.” I added.
“I'm glad they're fine now. It's better to be friends than to fight!” Wolf exclaimed.
Everything was considerably calm. No one seemed to be upset anymore. Even Duck sat with us in front of the warm fire. She was quiet, though it felt like she was just as calm as us.
“So, Duck, where did you take Bat? The corpse, I mean.” Panther asked bluntly. Owl punched her in the arm in which Panther winced and apologized.
“It's okay. I put him somewhere where I thought he'd want to be.” Duck smiled to herself.
“How sweet. Hey, tell me, where did you meet Bat?” Wolf asked.
“Well, my memory fails me. But I think we met in school. We were in the same class, I think. Bat and I studied together sometimes but one day,” she stopped to think, “We...I-I don't remember. Sorry.”
“No, it's fine. Love is such a nice thing to have. It's easy to forget about too.” Owl said, a matter-of-factually.
“Hm? Why so?”
“You're always focused on what you'll do next with your significant other that you don't remember what happened before those moments.” Owl answered.
“Oh! That makes sense! Well, I'm glad that Bat and I had a good time before he...” She didn't continue her sentence and instead, sobbed. We ran to her side and comforted her.
“Poor Bear...My baby hurt him and now my baby’s gone…” She cried.
“They're out of here. They're in a better place now. God bless their souls.” Spider put his hands on Duck’s shoulders.
“Yeah! They'll be much happier where they are now.” Axolotl cooed.
Believe it or not, I didn't really know what to say. I've never met someone who had experienced such a loss before. I mean, at least I couldn't remember. I don't have siblings or aunts or uncles or cousins. It’s been only my parents and I forever. So, even though I went to a public school, I didn't have any friends either. Well, I figure I better respond to the situation.
“It'll be okay. We’re all gonna be fine.”
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