Foreign: Spider Socorro

41

Tuk cried, holding her brother.
Lo'ak stood, holding Tsireya.
Neytiri, I learned, held her son. Jake cut free his last daughter.
I stood there, watching Neteyam's body. Cold and lifeless. My best friend nowhere to be found.

"I am so sorry, Neytiri. I am so sorry." I tried to comfort the woman, but her eyes ignored me. Her hands held her son, I wouldn't blame her.

"Grey... Spider." Lo'ak spoke, catching my attention. He held Tsireya tighter, watching as Spider paddled in the distance.
My breathe gasped quietly. I stepped over the legs of Neteyam and quickly ran to the rock's edge.
"Grey!" He whispered, sliding himself onto the rock as I dropped  to my knees.
His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me in tight.

"Monkey boy!" Kiri yelled from behind, sitting in front of her father with her hands cupped in ties.

"Spider." Lo'ak whispered, letting go of Tsireya approaching his father.
My legs stood, following him to the family.
There I watched as Kiri placed her hand on his heart, watching him.

His eyes turned to me as I stood there, hands by my side. This was his family.
"Grey, come here." He said, opening his arm to me. My body took a hold of my brain, walking to him slowly. I felt the cut of the rocks under my feet as I fell into him.

"Grey, you are very brave." Kiri said, placing her other hand on my heart. We stood together, hearing the beats of our hearts and the echos of our voices.

"Are you alright?" Jake said, placing his hands on Spider.

"Yeah." Spider said, slipping his hand away from my body and watching Jake. He placed his hand around Spider's body, pulling him in for a hug.
I stood, watching the family comfort amongst themselves, feeling like an outsider. Neteyam called me his sister, but I have hardly known him.

"Come here!" Jake whispered, grabbing Lo'ak by the head and embracing his children.
Their heads rested into him finally feeling at peace.

Just months ago I had met them, the children. Finding them deep into the forest, I never would have imagined myself here. Standing with the people who were out for my blood, my real family.
I had felt like a traitor, related to the woman who wanted them dead. And she got her wish, she killed something in them.

Happiness I felt would never settle them as long I was here.Spider, they loved as their own. Taking him as their own, but not I.

"I am sorry, sir." Lo'ak said, pulling his head away from Jake.
"This is all my fault, Neteyam tried to help us." He said, placing his hand on his father's shoulder.

"Lo'ak, this is not your fault." Jake replied, placing his hand similar to his son's.
"You did everything you could." Jake finished. His eyes wandered his family, seeing his oldest son in front of him.

"I'm sorry." I finally spoke. The family's attention came to me.
Standing, Neytiri towered over my body. Her large hands lifted from her sides, placing them on my shoulders.

"You may be of demon blood, but you were a friend to my son. You are a friend to our Spider, Grey." She said, looking at me with wide eyes. Her face depleted of happiness now, watching me as I began to speak.

"He was brave." I said, grabbing her forearm and holding it in my hands.
"He is with you now in Eywa." I said, trying to muster a smile.
Her eyes lit, thinking of her son. He no longer suffered the pain, the responsibility. He was at peace there, at home.

I watched as Neytiri removed her hands, turning back to her family. Their eyes watching her as she knelt to her son once more, placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Great Mother, protect my family. Protect our children... protect the brave girl."
She finished, looking over to me with a small smile.