chapter thirty-one. bad trip

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"he's like a ghost, haunting me always"

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"Ah! The digital mountains are coming! The digital mountains are coming at me!" Marcus yelled from underneath the red convertible. The girls all crouched down to check on him only to see him curled up in a fetal position, eyes wide and bloodshot. The girls exchanged a worried look before turning back to him. "I probably should've said something. They surround everything. They infect."

Maria let out a light laugh. "Oh, Marcus, the mountains are fine." Marcus lets out a strangled laugh, not seeming to enjoy his trip at all.

"You on the other hand," Saya started. "Are out of your mind."

"You let me know when they're gone, okay, yeah?" Marcus continued, ignoring Saya and Maria's remarks.

Willie chimed in from his spot in the passenger seat of Simon's mustang. "Hey, man, we're going to be here for a long time if we're waiting for the mountains to leave." The girls stood up and looked to him, Andi noticing that his half-lidded eyes were staring into the side mirror intensely, also already tripping.

Andi felt high, but she could not tell if it was the cocaine still or the acid. She definitely was not hallucinating yet.

"Okay, let me know when!" Marcus yelled back to the taller boy.

"Word!"

Suddenly, Andi realized she spoke too soon, her vision distorting as she glanced at Simon who was still casually sipping at his beer from the bar. "Aw, Simon, you're so pretty!" she exclaimed to him, as his skin appeared to reflect the kaleidoscope of color from the surrounding hippies.

He furrowed his eyebrows at her, confused. "Uh, thanks?"

"Your welcome!" the blonde replied bubbly, reaching over to give him a crushing hug. Before she pulled back, she hesitated, rubbing her cheek against his t-shirt like a cat. "Your shirt... it's so soft! Oh my god!"

Simon pushed her back as little forcefully and ducked his head down to look her in the eyes. "Andi, we have to get going. Try to get Marcus out from under the car," he explained to her. She nodded her head vigorously, which probably made her look like a bobble-head but she cared little at the moment.

Maria and Andi went back to the car, kneeling on the pavement and trying once again to coax Marcus out. "Marcus, sweetie, the mountains aren't going away," the Latina tried gently.

"But, you have to come out," Andi chimed in, a soft smile on her lips. Marcus shook his head back and forth rapidly, not liking that idea at all. "I promise that they won't infect you with the digital consciousness."

Andi vaguely heard Billy yelling as he returned to the group, but she was too focused on Marcus to greet him. Maria moved to stand him while Andi continued her efforts. "It's okay Marcus. Honestly. I wouldn't lie to you about this. Won't you please come out from under the car? For me?"

𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐂 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄 | marcus arguelloWhere stories live. Discover now