Chapter Text
We’d been walking for days. Mom said where we lived was the only safe place for her. Where nobody could find us. So why’d it have to be so dang far away from literally everything else?
“I’m tireddddd…” Oaklie moaned, dragging her feet on the ground dramatically. “We took a break like an hour ago. You’re fine.” I said in the most neutral tone I could manage. Her complaints were really getting to me.
“We’ll be there soon anyway, see that hill? I think that’s the spot.” I said pointing out into the distance where a blurry rise in the ground was. Oaklie squinted dramatically and then let out a loud sigh. I clenched my fist trying not to tell her to shut up and deal with it. Another argument like the one we had two hours ago would only slow us down. Again.
Mom had always let us walk around near the house but never past a certain point. The point where she couldn’t see us against the horizon. Not that we cared much, everything was so bare it was easy to run around. The house was small and some parts looked like they would fall apart but never did. It was warm in the house compared to the cold outdoors. It was so cold sometimes it would snow. I loved it when it snowed, I could roll it up sometimes and make a tower. Oaklie would roll balls up and through them at me which made me mad sometimes until mom threw some at both of us. That always made it more fun. But now we were in this bare hot wasteland. Accompanied by the occasional fallen building or destruction, which really wasn’t that uncommon.
“Why do you think mom couldn’t come with us?” I asked as we approached the hill which wasn’t really a hill and more of a big pile of rubble and concrete. “I dunno. Maybe she needs to take care of the house. Maybe she’s repairing the leaky roof and cracked walls!” She replied enthusiastically which was surprising compared to her dreadful attitude moments before. “She said to wait for the pink rabbit man once we got up there.” I said looking up at the tall pile of crumbled concrete. “Come here I’ll give you a boost.”
I lifted her foot up lifting her to a ledge. She pulled me up and we continued climbing over rubble and trash. Grabbing onto a metal rod, it fell loose from its place making me fall and scrape my leg against some glass. My hands flew to my leg as I groaned. No glass stuck inside… I thought to myself and slowly stood, balancing against a rock.
“You good?” Oaklie asked, appearing above him from a higher ledge. “Yeah, just slipped.” She pulled me up once more and we were at the top. Looking around, I couldn’t see the grave anywhere until Oaklie pointed at it. “Right there! Let’s go see it!” She said hopping towards it. I followed by being careful with my leg. Upon seeing it up close, the grave wasn’t very well made. A big stick with a shorter one tied to it making a cross stuck into a pile of concrete powder.
“Sooo…we just wait now?” Oaklie asked, glancing over at me as she wandered in circles around the grave which had a dead flower in front of it. “Yes, and stop hitting me with your tail, my leg’s sensitive.” I hissed at her before sitting down. She whipped it away and quickly sat beside me. The sun was setting and the place wasn't ideal to sleep. She leaned her head against my shoulder but her horn poked against my neck. I tried leaning away but it didn’t work so I shoved her a little.
“Mom lets me lean on her..” she mumbled with an irritated tone. “Well I’m not mom.”
“I didn’t SAY you WERE!” She yelled back making me wince at how close she was to my ear. “SHUT UP!” I yelled back and she groaned at me angrily. I huffed and crossed my arms over my knees.
“…”
“…”
“I’m just tired..” she mumbled and rested her head on her hand with her elbow on her knee. I looked over at her while she watched the sun fall behind a fallen skyscraper. “I know.” I whispered back and looked at the sunset too. “I know…”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Sorry I’m late Chase, some people were fighting about flowers while I was trying to get these..” a voice cut into the silence right as the sun set. Greyson had almost fallen asleep. He peaked up at the voice. There stood a white haired man in a pink and white hoodie. A pink rabbit printed on his shirt.
“What the-“ the man said, noticing us and dropping the sunflower. I stared at him for a moment before nudging Oaklie. “Huh..?” She mumbled, lifting her head and looking around. Her eyes landed on the man and widened. “That’s him! That’s who mom said to find!” She said pointing and standing up as if I hadn’t seen him. The poor guy looked like he might faint he was so confused. I stood up putting my hands in my pocket.
“Hi” I said calmly and took a step towards him. Oaklie tried to rush past me to greet him and I had to hold her back. “Sorry we’ve..never seen other people before…” I said while glaring at Oaklie to calm down.
“You’re- you’re—..” he tried to say and for a moment I thought he did faint. Oaklie looked at me confused and I let her go before looking back at the man. “What’s your name pink rabbit man?” I said not approaching him anymore in case he’ll run like a real rabbit. He stared bewildered at us for several more long moments not saying anything, the sunflower long forgotten on the rubble.
Oaklie slowly walked up to him and waved a hand in front of his face which seemed to wake him up. “Hello..?” She said and took a step back as he looked between us. “Uhh- I’m Brook.” He practically mumbled standing up straight.
“Oh! Great! I’m Oaklie and this is my twin brother Greyson!” She said cheerfully and smiled, stepping backward towards me. He nodded slowly and leaned over picking the sunflower back up. “What are.. two kids doing here?” He asked mostly to himself and walked past setting the flower on the grave. “Mom sent us to come find you!” Oaklie piped up still smiling. She was looking him all over until she looked at his head seeing it was empty. “Where are your horns?” She asked stepping closer trying to reach his head on her tiptoes but was way shorter than him, only being six years old.
“Horns.?” He asked turning back towards us and noticed our stubby black horns and tails to match. “You’re… Reapers?”