Foreign: Spider Socorro

19

A dark ring of dust and dirt pushed me to a stop. The forest's life drained away for meters in front of me, tearing into my heart.
The smallest of plants trickled away from the edges of the dusty ring. Silent life stood where it once thrived years before.

"It looks so...dull." I said, tucking my arms under my pits to cross them. I felt my heart beating in my fingertips and the soft steps of my best friend behind me.

"I guess we have that kid of effect on Pandora." Spider said vulnerably. I heard his steps come to an abrupt stop, seeing his face creep up next to mine. Both of our eyes gazed into the lifeless dark circle. Piles of dirt and debris grew over with vines.

"I guess. Do any Na'vi come around here anymore?" I spoke, grieving. Turning to Spider, I saw him digging into the dirt with his feet.

The Earth pulled up with his movements, revealing a dark, rich dirt. Scattered with nutrients, I began to wonder why the plants were so scarce here.

Spider pursed his lips together, turning the edges white with pressure. Hesitant to answer my question, he pulled at the skin on his hands.
"I don't know." He replied with a bored tone.

"It's like the plants won't grow here. Do you know why that is?" I questioned him again.
My body crouched to the dirt and picked at it.

I felt it's moist, gritty texture underneath my fingernails and sticking into the skin holding my nails to my body. An empty feeling started to rise like bubbles in my stomach with Spider's quiet expression.

"Eywa." He whispered, sitting down next to me with a soft plop.

"She's protecting the pain in her people's land." I finished his sentence.
Nodding, he continued to breathe deeply with remorse. I felt his heart and his pain.

"Do you want to get closer?" He asked, pushing off of his arms and standing up.
He offered his usual hand to me and smiling, I took it.
His skin was soft like it always had been. Lost in the way his eyes observed my body, lost in the way he wanted to be close to me.

"Thanks." I smiled softly, letting go of his hands. Dusting off the back of my thighs and calves, I stood with my hands by my side. The distance grew in my eyes. A distance filled with pain and tragedy.

"I don't know if I should. I'm kind of the reason this is still here." I stressed my voice.

"No, it's alright." He sighed, slapping his hands on his sides and taking a few steps forward. Dead leaves crunched under his bare feet and twigs lifted and fell as he stepped over them.

"Okay..." I said to myself, taking a few running steps and catching up to him.
Rustling sounded large behind me with long steps.

"What the hell?" I whispered, whipping my head around and squinting my eyes.
Spider continued into the dusty hole, crouching and creeping with every step.

My heart shot adrenaline through my body and I felt it tingle in my feet. The ground cupped my toes as they sank in the dirt.
Dry and warm, the dust covered my skin.

The loud rustling turned louder as I walked closer to its source.
"Come on, where are you?" I whispered, putting my hand on my knife and crouching lower. I felt the leather sheathe running through my calloused fingers. The sewn detailing was like fire against my adrenaline. Suddenly, everything ran quiet.

"Shit." I rolled my eyes, frightened.

A short whistle of wind blew past my left ear. Shattering a small plant next to me, an arrow pointed towards me.
Gasping, my head tingled and I dove down towards the ground. Crawling over to the leaf laying on the dirt, it started to run black around the edges.