The Battle of Rabid Earth

2

"Two pickles please!"

Confusion fills my features as I watch my mom interact with the sales person in front of us. There were two parts to this market, one part outside for fruits and veggies, one part inside, for other things.

"Why do you need pickles?" I ask her, concern written on my face.

She smiles, taking the pickle jar from the woman. "I don't know, maybe your brother will eat them." She laughs knowing well that Dylan does not consider pickles a good midnight snack.

Before I can reply, my eyes flicker to the side, following a guy coming out from the inside portion of the market. He looks rushed holding something black and brown on his back and a satchel across his chest.

It's a bow and arrows.

My eyes go wide, taking in the sight of five more guys coming out of the market. They all seem to follow the older man in the front like lost puppies. Scared and confused. The rest of the guys couldn't be older than my age, so why are they carrying weapons?

What are they running from?

What are they running towards?

I am soon swept away from my thoughts when I feel a soft touch on my shoulder. I turn to see my mother, looking in their direction, anger lingering on her concerned face.

She doesn't speak, she only glances down at me, giving me a small forced smile as we walk back to the car.

"What do you think that's about?" I ask, sliding my seatbelt across my chest and clicking it into the lock.

"Did you know that I used to live here? as a kid?" She ignores my question, replying with her own.

I look to her, she hadn't told me this before.

She continues, assuming interest from my silence. "I was around your age, maybe a little younger." She starts, I lean forward intently, listening to her words. "I had always loved nature, loved the animals, the birds, the fox, the owls, and even the snakes," I scrunch my nose slightly, listening to her include snakes.

Her face falls into a slight frown. "After your grandma died, your grandpa didn't see fit to be here. He became bare of emotion, and anything he saw that could remind him of her, didn't." She sighs, glancing towards me before continuing,  "It's like he became an oak tree lost in his own forest he had built for himself."

So this is why we're here. So she can grieve the loss she never got to grieve? "Is that why we're here Ma?" I ask, voicing my own thoughts. My heart beating a little faster knowing my own mother went through something so painful. It is a beautiful small town, everyone seems to know everyone. Even recognizing my mother from time to time as the girl who was once lead by the wind.

She just nods lightly, giving me a small smile. "I wanted to show Mother Nature the family I built, the family I love, like I loved my own mother." She pauses, "But everything happens for a reason."

I catch her glimpse when she comes to a stop in the middle of the road. Her eyes are soft but, broken. Stars are dancing in them as she wipes a tear away.

I lean over to her, unbuckling my seatbelt and engulfing her into one of my finest hugs. "I love you Ma, and i'd be glad to meet Mother Nature for you." 

Her face lights up, as a wide smile spreads across miles. "Thank you, Little Gem." I smile at the nickname she has for me, buckling my seatbelt back into place. She's called me that ever since i was born.

As we pull away she slowly accelerates, pushing the car through the wind. My head snaps to the right, looking out the window catching a flash of something out in the open. It's an animal.

Just before I could mention anything, I am jerked forward in my seat, watching a wolf fumble in front of us on the road. The car hits a sharp turn in attempt to slow down, and just as we come skidding across the road almost to a stop, we hit something.

All I can think of as the car spins in the air, time moving slower at each blink, each breath,

There's no wolves in Sydney Nebraska.

I can feel my mothers arm pressed against me as if to stop me from flying out of the vehicle.

Crash

My vision goes blurry, blinking back the tears?

Sweat?

Blood.

My mind trickles back to what had just occurred. My head spinning, watching stars form into my vision. All my mind thinks back to is-

Mom

I'm left confused and dazed, searching for a way to unbuckle this useless seatbelt. After finally ripping it from the lock, my body slams against the top of the car. Only then do I realize, we're upside down.

Panic arises in me as I try to roll down the windows.

Please please please.

I plead to whoever is out there listening. I let out a built up sigh when the window rolls down and I can finally breathe.

Thank you.

I wipe the blood from my forehead and cheeks as I stumble my way over to the drivers door. My breath is caught between my throat, catching the sight of my mom laying out of the car on the dusty road. Without a second thought my hand finds it's way to her face, hoping for a breath, hoping for her smile, her laugh.

Nothing.

"M-Mommy?" My voice cracks as the beauty of her words start to become a distant memory. My hands reach for my back pocket as I dial 911.

"911 what is your emergency?"

"Please. She's my best friend.." All other voices coming through the dialed number were static, my concern only leading me to my mother.

I reach down grabbing her hand and placing her arm over me, laying down on her chest. My hand reaches to my eyes, now knowing that this time it is tears climbing down my face.

"I promise i'll meet her for you. I'll tell her all about your love for her children. For the fox, the owls, the snakes."

my mind drifts as all that had happened comes to play through my mind like an orchestra. It all happened so fast. The darkness fills my eyes as they close, listening to the sound of an ambulance speeding towards the wreckage. What once was the start of something fresh, is now a salty memory of tears and blood.

'Everything happens for a reason'

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It's all part of the process.

You'll understand I promise :)

Wish me luck Gems <3