We'll Never be Sane

Chapter 31

"How long? My shoes are killing me." Roman complained.

"It's only been 5 minutes." I replied as I held my finger to my mouth in thought. Did we come from the south or north?

Jade and Roman started pushing each other like kids. "Stop it!" Jade squealed.

I crossed my arms and glared at them coldly. "If you two keep fighting I'll leave you here with the bears." I threatened, knowing damn well forests like these don't have bears.

"BEAR!!!" Roman screamed, pointing behind me.

I rolled my eyes at him assuming he was being overdramatic as usual. When I turned around, my jaw dropped. "Holy shit."

"Oh my god, I'm going to die." Jade said as she hyperventilated. The bear was small, and very far away. But it was still dangerous.

"What do we do!" Roman asked.

"The tree."

"What?"

"The tree! Hurry!" I said and pointed at the nearest one. I made sure they both climbed before me.

"Be careful Shy." Roman said. "Oh lord help me."

I made eye contact with the bear, making sure it keeps its distance.

Jade started crying and sobbing. "I'm going to die."

"I make a motherfucker say oh yeah, I'm as cold as a lion with no hair." Roman started rapping while crying.

"If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a grizzly bear....help the bear."

Jade looked at me, with mascara all over her eyes. "You sure you're not going to abandon us Shy?"

"Of course not. You're my friends."

"She called us her friends...It really is the end for is." Roman sobbed.

"Just wait a few minutes and the bear will leave. We have to show that we aren't a threat or food."

We stayed on our branch for a long time, judging from the sun position, an hour. My legs were dying to just stand. My back was sore from my weird posture on the huge branch.

We sat like limp zombies, and eventually the bear walked away.

I tapped Jade's shoulder, who was falling asleep. "It's gone."

She widened her eyes and pushed Roman awake who fluttered his eyes open and yawned. "I'd like a full oriental breakfast, no fish crackers please."

Me and Jade stared at him blankly. He widened his eyes and looked around. "Shit, we're still here?"

"The bear's gone. Lets hurry in case it comes back." I urged. One by one we climbed down the tree, Roman and Jade first and then me.

I searched the area for any wild animals. It was getting dark, and I guessed that at night the creatures all came out.

We walked close together through a trail I assumed was next to the campsite.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Jade asked. Roman was walking with closed eyes holding Jade's hand like a kid.

"Mmhmm." I replied. "One of the guides said that the trees surrounding the camp were a rare type of pine tree. Look, this is the same tree." I said as I pointed at one.

"You're not as stupid as you let off you know?" Jade replied. "So why do you not show everyone how smart you actually are?"

I remained silent, not answering her question.

"And you're cold. Did you have a shitty childhood?"

Again, I didn't answer her question.

"Ok, lets bond." She suggested. "Anything you say will stay between us."

I gave her reluctant glance, before sighing.

"My dad was an alcoholic." I started. "That's why I don't drink."

She looked at me attentively, almost as if she came to a realisation.

"It influenced how he treated me and my brother a lot." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. My father wasn't your usual alcoholic to come home and beat his kids up, no.

He came home and made me kill a puppy.

One with dark shiny eyes and golden fur, so soft from how new he was to the world. I was seven. I tried to run, but he cornered me in a room and locked the door, refusing to back off until I did it.

He even wrapped my fingers around the gun in my hand. I didn't do it until he yelled and I got scared, and pulled the trigger in a panic. I cried all night and clung to Theo's side, and even as he kept asking me what was wrong, he understood and stuck by my side.

Shaking my head, I turned my attention towards Jade. "So....Did you have a shitty childhood?" I asked and she shook her head.

"My parents would argue day and night before they got divorced. It would be so loud, and just constant yelling and throwing dishes at each other. My older cousin would put on a movie for me to watch to try and distract me."

I blinked, wincing. Before I could reply my eyes caught onto a cabin...one similar to the ones at our camp.

We all stared at it with disbelief, even Roman woke up from sleep walking. "What the..."

Jade cut him off by starting to run. "Race you to the campfire." She called out and we all ran towards the distant camp site.

I was the fastest of course, I didn't win a trophy at high school for no reason. They complained as I past them, and while running I turned back to brag. Before I knew it my foot caught onto a branch and a searing pain exploded in my head.