Sunset (another potential drabble)
It's finally done! took me *checks notes* 3 months?? damn. well I hope this is up to par for such a long time of working on it, enjoy!
Carol POV
The river was quieter here, the water more gentle. It was calming. The sun was turning the day into dusk, and the sky was beautiful, just like every other thing on this stupid planet. She leaned down and chose a rock: a pretty blue one. She hurled it towards the water. Throwing it with all the rage and frustration she could will at the moment, as if throwing it could make this horrible situation fix itself. But it didn't. Of course it didn't .
"Oh, there you are!" A voice called from beyond the tree line, where responsibilities and problems she couldn't fix, lie, "Been looking for you, you've been gone a while." Chris emerged from the bushes, some thorns pricking his skin and limp still prominent. Carol looked away from him and back to the river. Ever moving and carefree. Sometimes she wishes she could be a river.
"You shouldn't put pressure on it," She said as he sat down beside her, "You'll just make the pain worse and recovery process longer." She was right. She usually was. He looked down at his injured leg, and back at her.
"Well I had to go looking at some point," he gave a little shrug, as if everything was fine. It was not fine. It was anything but fine. They sat in awkward silence for a little while. A long while. It was a long while. "Sooo..?"
"So?"
"You feeling okay?"
"...yeah. I'm fine."
"Mmh." Chris' face scrunched up and made a thin line with his mouth. She tried to ignore him but he just kept staring with squinted eyes, as if suspicious of something.
"..Ugh, my stars.. what?"
"You hesitated."
She blinked, "What?"
"You hesitated."
"I did not."
"Did too."
"Did not!"
"Nope, you totally did! Now come on, tell me what's on your mind," he was grinning in victory but his eyes were patient, non-judgmental.
"Why?"
"Well you don't have to. I would never force you. That would just be rude of me. But if you keep it bottled up, then whatever's gotten you out of your element, you'll just find yourself feeling worse than before. So if you need someone to listen, then I will be here, and I will listen."
She thought for a moment, "And if I don't want to talk to you?"
"Then we can sit here, and pretend this conversation didn't even happen. Just thought I should ask, you seem a bit off."
She gave him a deadpanned stare, "You barely know me."
"I can just tell," he gave another shrug, smiling as he looked out across the water. The rushing of the water helped calm her nerves as she thought. How do you even answer that when everything is wrong? Before she could find an excuse, or an answer, her voice betrayed her.
"... How do you do it?" It was a quick, quiet question, like she didn't really want him to hear.
"Do what?" His face was now scrunched in confusion.
"Y'know, handle everything, like its all fine. When its not. Nothing is fine and you're just- just- ugh! Just happy and uncaring and fine! Its not fine! And I'm tired of pretending it is. How can you just be okay being trapped on this stupid planet? Okay with never finishing our lives, never seeing the real world again. How can you just accept it so easily?"
She was now looking at Chris, eyes wide and face hot from anger. Chris stared back, eyebrows raised out of shock. The burst of energy left as quickly as it came, her eyes widened slightly as she realized her outburst.
"Sorry I-" she shrunk into herself slightly, no longer as proud as she made herself out to be. With that, she fell silent; not wanting to cause herself anymore shame than need be, she averted her gaze back to the river in hopes she could salvage her pride. He didn't respond. Instead he turned to the bank of the river and began to think. At least thats what Carol could guess as he sat in the corner of her eye, still refusing to look at him.
"When I first woke up from the crash," he began, voice without its usual bounce of optimism, more meloncholy. It didn't suit him. "I was underwater, unconscious. And then I woke up, and was utterly terrified. It was cold, it was dark. I believe you can piece together is wasn't exactly a pleasant welcome party after that. Strange creatures and environments, equally fascinating and deadly - and terrifying - but that doesn't take away from how much this sucks." His voice grew thicker with suppressed tears that decided they craved vengeance and fear he didn't seem to know he felt.
He took a deep breath before continuing, "You're right. Nothing about this is okay. But what are we to do but make the best of it? If we are to die here, never make it out, never seeing our families or friends. I would like to know that I did what I could and leave this plane satisfied, knowing I did my best." She had began to stare, didn't know exactly when, but she figured it out when he turned to give her a kind smile with that unwavering curiosity she was coming to admire, "Did that answer your question?"
She thought for a moment.
"Yes."
Silence stretched once again, more comfortable this time. The sky had darkened at this point. Would be smart to head in before any of the critters get ideas.
"Thank you." She said before standing, helping Chris up as he leaned on her for support
"Of course."
