The Firefly Field Theory

|7| Everybody's Prone to Epic Failiocitis: Part IV

PART IV:

I try my best to ignore the white noise; Bravo is still blindly running to the other end. But I wonder how she plans to get to the secret door. It is too high up off the ground. I fear she won’t make it.

I finally reach the circle and bravo is almost halfway to the elevated secret door. Maybe she could jump and pull herself up. But didn’t she shut the door when we came down here?

All four of us keep running. I think that the dog and I are the only competitors, the tiny man being low on stamina and Bravo being low on the control over her nerves. I don't think she can run any further; she has crossed the entire ground. I should run after her a little longer and when I see her climbing up to safety I’ll run the opposite way. I will have plenty of a head start to save myself. I slow down a little and keep my eyes fixed on her. Relief slowly seeps through the newly made cracks in my wall of worries but then at that very instant I see her, instead of running in a beeline she glides sideways and barely saves herself from tripping face down. The dog follows her actions and takes the turn with her and now the parade runs away from the potential safety making a U-turn of sorts.

I go back into my state of alarm, stop in my tracks and stare in confusion as the stupid race continues. There is no way she has the stamina to cross the entire field twice and reach the wall behind me, the starting line of the race which again may be her only chance out of here. She is really fast, but she can’t carry on I'm sure she might trip and the hound will eventually catch up to her. I keep staring at them as they run back to the chemical clad vicious circle. 

“SHIAAAAATTTTT!” god I have to do something, she can’t even say shit like it should be said anymore. I focus on her face a little, as she keeps getting closer and closer. And that is when I notice.

And I keep looking and looking my eyes fixated on the scene. My heart is beating wildly in my chest and needles are pricking at my palms but then just for a tiny instant I notice it. Her face is the brightest cherry red in tint, her eyes are so tightly shut it looks like she doesn’t even have eyeballs.  She looks like a giant tomato running in confusion and fear. Her mouth is slightly open, and from the looks of it, this ranks second after, man with marshmallows for hands on the list of sadly funny things.

I hate myself for it, but a giggle gets caught in my throat. Tears begin to swell in my eyes, because my throat does not like nasty jokes and this beats too spicy and too icy by continents, and then I have no choice but to let my giggles free.This is so wrong and this is so funny.

Stop focus, I look up again and find them considerably close to me, considerable enough to consider dangerous. And they keep coming closer and closer, I survived the last time when the crazy dog was running up to pounce on me (well it looked like it) but now it’s a crazy tomato/teenager who I'm sure will do more than pounce, she will collide and then she will trample  (because she has her eyes closed).

I move on the right time and increase my distance from her by shifting sideways. I spot the other candidate, right behind her. And just then a hero is born, the tiny man lunges out of nowhere to intersect the distance between the tomato and the dog. Bravo does not take notice (because her damned eyes are shut tight) but the dog does and lets out another bark as it keeps running to its’ gingerbread master. Upon finally reaching the tiny man the dog starts to jump and bark in excitement. The tiny man clutches on to the collar, desperately tries to bring the mutt and his breathing (his own, not the dogs) under control. With one lady hand gripping the leash he stands up with a new found glory and braces himself.

I call out to Bravo to inform her of our recent progress, “BRAVO IT’S UNDER CONTROL STOP RUNNING!!!”

But she doesn’t take any notice of this (because her dammed ears are shut tight too). Just then I hear a thud and I spin around to witness some new development on the scene behind me. I guess I spoke way too soon.