[OUTDATED] A Day at the Arcade, A Week of War

(Max) Chapter 12: Okay three is pushing it

    Every tree looked the same. Every mud puddle looked the same. I thought we were travelling in circles when the first miracle happened.

     I suddenly heard something to my left, and snapped towards it.

     "Wait Penny. You hear that?" I called.

      "Hear what?" she asked, obviously drained. She lost her steam about thirty minutes ago and the bugs started testing their luck once again.

      "Do you hear, like, leaves rustling around?"

      "Max, the only thing I hear is my stomach, several species of bugs, and now a voice that's twice as annoying as the bugs."

       I rolled my eyes. "Oh shut up- There it is again!". I snapped my head towards the sound.

       Penny sighed. "Max, it's probably just a small animal or something don't get-"

      But I was already running off towards the brush.

      I don't know how Tara had ended u[p on the same island as us, or even survived in the first place. Maybe she got swept up on the other side of the island, yeah, that's probably it.

     I kept pushing several bushes and branches out of my face. Penny was rushing behind me, sputtering something behind me.

     "Wait- Pth! Max!"

     "Can't hear you!" I yelled back, I started running faster.

    "At least- OW! Stop swinging branches into my face!".

    I smacked away one final branch. "Tara! I-" my excited expression quickly died as soon as my eyes landed on a single surprised fox.

    Penny quickly popped behind me, and let out an exasperated sigh when she saw what I was looking at. "Well, you can't say I didn't warn you! Come on, maybe we can find a boat or something-"

    I interrupted her with a sudden shout. "AHHHH!" I screamed and just punched the nearest tree in anger, then I immediately clutched my hand and yelped because I realized punching trees hurts. I kicked the ground in frustration instead, scaring the fox away.

    Penny sighed, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but last time I checked you were a Tracer wannabe and not a Steve wannabe, right?"

    I sat down on the ground in frustration. "Sorry, it's just-"

    "You feel useless?" she answered.

    "That obvious?" I stared at a small lonely pebble at the ground

    "Everything about you screams it. Not a feeling I get that much of course".

     I snorted, "Real humble Penny, real humble. Not like it helps anyway."

    She shrugged, "I didn't say any of that to help. Friends don't always help".

    "So what's your version of a friend?" I grumbled.

     She shrugged once again. I swear I could punch her for every shrug she made. "I'm just here to remind you that unless we can find a way off this island and get back to the ship we're dead."

     "And find Darryl's stupid treasure".

     "Oh, well I wasn't taking your life in consideration. The worst thing he can do with me is just assign me more chores."

     "I'm glad you're being so thoughtful," I grumbled.

     As I turned my attention back to the pebble I heard the slightest and most inaudible sigh behind me that I probably could have imagined.