Remember Me )))) THE KINGS OF SUMMER

Joe

Eventually, I see a cute, furry bunny find my stash. I summon my strength and my medieval sword—I thought it might make me braver—and run towards the beast shouting, "NO FEAR!!" The rabbit doesn't move, and I plunge the sword into it's tiny body.

I am overcome with unexpected sadness. "I'm sorry," I say to the lifeless creature, fighting tears. "We were just hungry. I guess we were all just hungry." I'm not sure if I'm speaking of the hunger for my next meal or my hunger to be an adult before my time. It just felt like it needed to be said. "I'm sorry I yelled," I add before picking up my meal and heading home.

The rabbit is lying sprawled out on a board with my survival book lying open next to it. I have to figure out how to cook this thing. I attempt to skin it while reading out loud from my book—which is now covered in rabbit blood. "Save the heart and liver if you wish." Um...I'll decide that later. "And cut from rectum to collar bone." What the fuck?

I get so frustrated, I end up tossing my book into the woods. I'll figure this out by myself.

By the time I'm done, I'm pretty sure I've demolished most of the meat, but I decide to cook what I have anyway. I light a fire—something I've become quite good at—and place the meat in a pot over it. I haphazardly toss the rabbit head and skin away, despite Patrick telling me that it will attract rodents, which will then attract snakes. It's been a long day on no sleep. I'll pick it up tomorrow. I haven't been very diligent about picking up trash since Patrick left—I didn't even tell MJ about the warning—and nothing's happened yet. Except the bear I guess...

Once I finally sit by myself to enjoy my meal, I find myself reminiscing. Not only about MJ, but about Patrick and Biaggio as well. We had fun here before I ruined it.

I see the mask that Patrick made me to wear on the back of my head for "hunting"—so animals wouldn't attack me. It looked nothing like me, and I gave him a hard time for it. I grab it to hang on the chair across from me at the table. Maybe then it will feel like someone is here with me.

I look down at my meat, and I don't know if I can bring myself to eat it. This rabbit and I have been through a lot together. No...that's stupid. I have to eat something—

I see the mask move out of the corner of my eye--but that's impossible, no one is here. I look up and see that the whole chair is moving. Something is under the table. I cautiously lower my head—and stop breathing.

There a large snake slithering towards my feet. I recognize it from my survival books and know that it is poisonous. I panic and flail my arms and legs, landing on my ass. Okay...think. I know I need to calm down. The snake can sense my panic. I clutch my hand to my chest, willing my heart rate to slow, close my eyes and take deep breaths. The snake lies it's head on my leg but doesn't attack. And that is how I spend the night.

I wake the next morning to an unexpected but familiar voice—my dad. "Joe?!?"

After my confusion goes down, I remember the snake which is now curled up next to me—still watching. "Dad, don't come in here! There's a snake!"

He doesn't listen. He comes barreling into the house with none other than Kelly, the girl who broke my heart to be with my best friend. The snake begins slithering towards them, wrapping himself around Kelly's feet.

"Kelly, look at me," I say with authority. She looks terrified as her eyes meet mine. "Be cool." I take deep breaths, hoping she will follow me. "Be calm. Be still. Do NOT move. It can sense fear."

But she is afraid, and she either doesn't hear me or chooses not to listen. She dives to her left in an attempt to escape and falls on the ground. I have a split second to make a decision. I can throw myself in front of her—protecting her—or I can let the snake bite her. I do what I know MJ would do.

As I'm running towards Kelly cowering on the floor, I hear my dad screech, "Joe, don't be an idiot!"

I repeat my mantra, "Be calm." And I think it might be working. The snake starts moving away from us.

Then I hear more hissing from outside the house. What the hell is happening? From around the corner, I see Biaggio stealthily walking up to the house with his machete. Oh shit...

Biaggio and the snake are staring at each other—almost seeming to communicate—which isn't surprising considering how weird Biaggio is. He slowly raises his arms, ready to kill the snake, and I breathe a sigh of relief. He's going to save us.

Wrong. The snake strikes first—in Biaggio's calf—and he loses his grip on the machete before collapsing on the floor.

I jump into action. I grab the machete from the floor, step on the snake's neck and cut the head off. No sadness this time.

Kelly, my dad and I work as a team to take care of Biaggio—the little guy who tried to save us all. I instruct my dad to bury the snake body and head in two separate holes because the venom will attract other snakes, and that's the last thing we need right now.

Kelly and I run to my dad's car parked on the edge of the woods while my dad carries Biaggio over his shoulder. Biaggio is burning up with fever, vomiting profusely and peeing his pants. We have to hurry.

I ride in the backseat with him as I see his bite getting redder and redder while he is babbling complete nonsense to me. I just keeping saying, "Oh, fuck" over and over again. He can't die. He just can't.

Luckily, we got him there in time. He's going to be okay. I'm in the bathroom at the hospital and look in the mirror. I look dirty. I need to shave. I need to shower. I know I smell. I can't believe MJ saw me like this and still liked me. She's even more of a saint than I thought.

After I brush my teeth, put on deodorant and just overall get clean, I feel like a new person. I visit Biaggio and make sure he knows what a good friend he is. I get to see that Patrick and Kelly are officially a "couple". And, over lunch, I get to talk—really talk—with my dad.

"You were very good out there, Joe," he says with his no-nonsense tone. "I'm very proud of you."

I think it's the nicest thing he's ever said to me. I can't help but blush and smile. "Thanks. So I guess I'm a man now, huh?"

He chuckles. "You're getting there, bud. No need to rush."

As my dad is driving us home, Patrick's family pulls up next to us at a red light. I see Kelly and Patrick sitting in the back seat. I thought seeing them together was going to hurt, but it doesn't. I'm actually kind of happy for them.

I think of MJ. What she would have thought of everything that happened since she left yesterday morning. I wonder how she's doing, how her grandma is doing, and if she is thinking of me.

I playfully flip Patrick off and he does the same to me. I think the two of us will be alright.

One more chapter!! I've loved writing this so much. Thank you for reading it!