The Hunt: Escape from Europe (1) (Edited)

Chapter 28

"Marceline?" Ivy asked. "You okay?"

 "Yeah, just a little- "

"Pissed at me?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry Marcy, I don't know what came over me. He's just so sweet."

"Like candy?"

"Yeah. But, I just get lost in a pretty boy's eyes."

"Pretty boy?"

"Yeah, like pale guys with dark hair and crystal blue eyes."

"Oh yeah. I was called that when I was actually making friends last year."

"Hey ladies, the train's stopped," Jeff interrupted. "What do you mean it stopped?" Ivy asked. "You know, trains stop sometimes. Like, we don't know where we are now," Jeff said, crossing his arms, leaning against the closed train car door. "Oh, let me see where we are," Ivy said, peeking her head out of the train car. "Oh, the train's just filling up the fuel supply. Nothing big," she said, peeking her head back into the train car. "Oh thank god, if we were stuck here in the middle of nowhere, I'd go insane," Isaac said, cleaning his glasses. "Anyone have food?" C.J. asked. Samuel nodded, "I have some." He handed C.J. a small bag of chips from back at the Burger King. "Thanks," C.J. said with a mouth full of chips. "Don't graze C.J.," Jeff said. "I'm not!" C.J. said with a stuffed mouth. "When the train stops again, we find food and a place to stay. Even if we have to go on another train," Samuel said, zipping up his bag. "Great idea!" Isaac said, "We should wait and see if the train stops at a station." "Isaac's right, we need to see where we are before we get off," Marceline said, leaning against a large crate.

The train took off again but even slower. Ivy looked out the door and saw a train station in the distance. "Guys, we might wanna get off when the train slows down enough," Ivy said, standing near the door. "Jeff, you mind cracking the door open a little more, I can't see the station very well," Ivy asked. Jeff rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sure." He walked over and yanked the door open a few feet more. "Thanks tomato," Ivy said with a smirk. "Aw fuck off," Jeff said pulling his hood over his head.  "Jeff, quit being a dick," Isaac said, talking to Samuel. "Jesus, why can't we just be happy that we're getting the fuck outta dodge?" Marceline asked, sitting on her backpack. "Stay out of it Marcy," Jeff said. "Oh well, fuck you too Jeff," Marceline said as she flipped him off. 

The train came to a stop at the station and they all jumped off the car from the door that was open. They all ran into the woods near the station and came to a small creek. "Is this fresh water?" Isaac asked, looking at Ivy. "Don't look at me, I don't know!" Ivy said, looking at the three feet deep creek. "We'll have to run in it," Samuel said. "Awe man do I have too?" C.J. asked in a whiny voice. "Yes C.J., it's not the end of the world to get your feet wet," Samuel said, stepping in the cold creek. "Okay it's freezing," Samuel said, standing in the middle of the creek. "Then keep walking you pussy!" Jeff called. "Okay, if its so easy Jeff, then why don't you walk in it?" Marceline said, stepping on a rock in the creek. Jeff snickered, "I can handle cold water." He took a step in the creek, then slipped on a rock and fell. "WHY IS IT SO C-COLD!?" Jeff screamed. "See what I mean Jeff?" Samuel said, walking out of the creek. "Just walk on the rocks, like Marceline," Isaac said, following Ivy and Marceline on the rocks. Samuel walked to the rocks and followed behind. "I'll help you up Jeff," C.J. said, grabbing Jeff's hand. "I'm fine C.J., I can get up by myself," Jeff said getting up. "C'mon slow poke!" Ivy yelled. Jeff rolled his eyes and ran out of the cold water. "Worst, idea, that I've ever had," Samuel said. "You think?!" Jeff yelled.

They all walked through the forest full of patches of snow and tall fir trees. A few birds flew past them and a few frogs croaked near them near the. "This is really pretty," Marceline said,as her bright blue eyes looked up at the afternoon sun. "Yeah, but not as pretty as-" Isaac paused and looked at Ivy, "as your eyes." Ivy smiled, "You know Isaac, you have a very symmetrical face. If I took a meat cleaver down the middle of your face I'd have matching haves. That's very important." "Well uh thanks? Don't if that was a complement or a death threat or-" "It's a complement Isaac," Ivy added. "Oh, well thanks, I guess?" Isaac said blushing a little. "Can we stop being sappy for one minute?" Jeff asked. "What's your problem Jeff?" Marceline asked. "My problem is that I'm tired, hungry, and I want to go home!" Jeff said, with a death threat expression on his face. "Don't yell too loud Jeff, what if someone hears us?" Samuel asked. "Oh would you please shut up?! You and your Mr. Good-guy tricks don't work on me! I've felt weird about you since the day that I've met you," Jeff yelled, getting in Samuel face about it. Samuel looked Jeff dead in the eyes, then punched him on the right cheek. "That's for yelling, and for not trusting me. I'm not a criminal, I'm trying to get away from a deadly gang Jeffery! And I feel like you know something about them, that's why you don't trust me! And isn't you last name Rose?! So is Michael's, he is a fucked up man Jeff, he killed everyone that I love!" Samuel yelled, with tears of anger running down his face. "Jesus Samuel, why are such a baby?" Jeff asked, walking away. "Now Jeff, get back here!" Marceline yelled, throwing a rock at him. "Leave me alone!" Jeff called. "Fine then, get lost if you want too!" Ivy yelled. "I think we should all just chill out," Isaac said, sitting on a huge rock. "We're all tired, so that might be why we're all chewing each other out," C.J. said.

Jeff shrugged and sat on a large log. "Maybe we should rest?" Isaac asked. Ivy nodded, "Yeah, I think we're all stressed from traveling." Marceline looked at the trees and only saw the bars from the prison camp. She knew she escaped but she thought that she was back at the camp as well. "Marceline, you okay?" Samuel asked, tapping Marceline's shoulder. She flinched and looked at Samuel, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just, I thought that I was back in the camp." "Don't worry, you'll be fine Marceline," Samuel said, sitting on the ground. Marceline sat on a large rock and asked Samuel, "What do you think about us? Like, do you like us at all?" Samuel looked at her and shrugged, as little snow flurries fell from the tree limbs. "Well," he began, "I like you and Isaac, C.J., and Ivy. But, Jeff, I'm questioning about. He can be nice, but he's been nothing but a rude bastard to me. And maybe I've been too, but only out of tomfuckery. What I say half the time is as a joke." "Jeff has a reason to be like that," Marceline said, looking at a few snowbirds perch on a low tree limb next to her. "Is it because of Trevor? How close were they?" Samuel asked, picking at the yellow grass and dirt. Marceline nodded as she lightly rubbed one of the snowbirds heads, causing the bird to fly on Marceline's shoe, thinking it was a rock, "Trevor was Jeff's everything. He was a troubled catholic boy, he was a closeted bisexual that came out to his overly religious parents. They shunned him out of the house for it, and I remember the look he had when he was forced out of the house. We  were at the junkyard when Trevor told us he was running off with his older sister to Santa Monica, California.  I still remember the smell of the mist that evening, the violet sunset, and the sounds of crickets, cars, and laughter from a nearby diner. The night was cold and Trevor told us everything. I bawled, so did Stephen and Ivory. But Jeff, he never cries and he cried to most. 

"That same night was when Archie had apologized to me for what he'd done to me in April. I forgave him, but I was still staying away from him for about two weeks. But after Trevor left, a part of Jeff left. A part of him died that night, his friendliness, liveliness, and longing for hope. We all came from broken or unstable homes. But my home at the time was like everyone's home. Isaac lived with his alcoholic aunt and uncle, and Jeff's aunt was barely home because of her job. And Trevor kept Jeff alive inside, but now, he acts like this because Trevor isn't with him anymore." "That's, wow. So Jeff only hates me because Trevor isn't here anymore?" Samuel asked. Marceline nodded, "Sadly, yeah. He's been in a depression for a while. And over the summer, I'd take the boys out for a Coke at a drug store close to my house, but of course, Jeff hated every second of it because Trevor wasn't with us." "Well, I know what he's going through. When my family was brutally killed, I had P.T.S.D. for ages, so whenever I'd hear a gunshot, I'd freak out inside. And I can barely even use my BB gun, a gun that can't even kill a snake, without feeling like I'm hearing my parents getting shot again," Samuel explained as he placed a few of the snow-covered grass blades on his knee. "I'm gonna rest here for a bit. But we can still talk if you want," Marceline said, closing her eyes. Samuel shook his head, "No I'm fine, I'm just going to take a walk, I see some road close by. Maybe some food too. But it's almost nighttime, and I saw a few wolves the other night in the woods. So we might have to find shelter quickly." Marceline shrugged as she began to rest under the tree, with a few of the snowbirds perched on the ground and branch next to her.