(The New) Power of the 8 Elements: Part One

Chapter Forty: Sorry

"It is always so simple, and so complicated, to accept an apology." - Michael Chabon
PRESENT DAY
PHOENIX

I'm incredibly surprised to find Thrax on the ground next to me with leaves in his hair as well.

"What the...?" I say, crawling away from him as fast as I can.

Thrax stands up, but it looks like it causes him pain to move. He walks ahead. I jump up and begin walking after him. There was no way that he could get away with trying to kill me.

"What the heck was that? I was walking, and you just ran into me!" I exclaim.

"Nah, I just saved your life."

"You...what?"

"Nothing, nothing, there was a giant monster...I...just forget about it."

"I...didn't know. And y-you're just walking away?!"

"Listen, puta," Thrax says, turning around and snapping his fingers sassily, "You," he points his claw directly in my face, "are the last person I wanna talk to right now."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you either, but it seems we have to rely on each other."

"I'm fine on my own."

We're in another forest setting. Random flakes were floating around, but I ignore them and keep flying to catch up with the virus.

"Thrax, can you stop moving so fast?" I say, struggling to fly after him.

He turns around and rolls his eyes. Thrax shoots out his tendrils and attempts to move away quicker, but after barely making it up into the sky, he falls to the ground.

"Thrax!" I say, running towards him.

He rolls his eyes and stands up, dusting himself off. "Never mind, Terry, I don't need your help!"

"I don't care!"

"I tried to kill you! And you're trying to help me?"

I feel his emotions. Rather than anger (which I was expecting), I'm getting strong stabbing feelings of pain, regret, sorrow, and depression.

Thrax carries on exasperatedly, "I put a freaking gun to your head! Ya' know, you're just too nice. That's your problem."

"I just care about people," I say.

"Some people aren't going to take that kind of help, people like me." He points his thumb at his fluffy chest.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving you alone, especially since neither of us know where we are." I gesture to the creepy and abandoned landscape around us which Thrax doesn't seem bothered by.

"I don't care. I really quite honestly don't care about you or your stupid team or any of that sh*t."

"Wow, you curse a lot."

"Shut yo' b*tch *ss up," He gives me the middle finger and turns away, clutching his side.

"Why do you have your arm on your side?" I ask.

"No reason."

"Is it because of the bullet?"

"Shut up..."

"Oh, my God, it is because of the bullet. I'm really sorry about that."

"It's fine. I'm fine. Everybody's fine."

I see tear streaks of mascara on his face.

"Then why have you been crying?" I ask.

"What? I wasn't crying."