The Oddities of Grand Marquis - Book 3: Elegant Armageddon 🪼✔️

Fourth

I started looking through the cabinets and was lucky enough to find an actual rope tucked away. It wasn't long, but it was long enough for me to get to another branch. I tied the rope off and flung it over the side of the shuttle. I prayed that my fat ass wouldn't shift the shuttle and I'd end up like that kid on Jurassic Park where they had to practically run down the tree like squirrels. I shook my head (bad idea) and just focused on getting down.

I shimmied out of the shuttle and had to will my arms to hold me to the rope. Once everything gets settled again, I'm going to have to go back to the gym. I slowly made my way down and was almost running out of rope when I saw a branch that looked like I could scale it down the rest of the tree. I had to swing a little to get to it but I grabbed it and flopped onto it. It wasn't graceful, but I was on the stupid tree. I made my way down slowly, trying to remember what happened. Where was everyone else? Why was I the only one who was up in the shuttle? Were they dead? I sighed, hoping I wasn't the only one alive.

I got to solid ground and wanted to kiss it. I was alive! I looked around and realized that 1) I could breathe and I haven't died and 2) I was in a forest. The first one should have been an obvious sign that I was on a breathable planet but I was preoccupied... I guess now is the time to start seeing if anyone else is alive, although I have no idea where I am or where to go...

"Hey!" I yelled, my body feeling like I had been squeezed by a giant as I tensed to yell. "Mars?! Max?! Kole?! Anyone?!"

All the yelling actually just made me feel sick with pain and I ended up hugging myself for a good minute, my ribs killing me and my body shaking. Shit! How was I supposed to find anyone if I couldn't yell for them? I looked up at the sky, trying to figure out what I was going to do when I noticed the trees were broken in some places. Maybe if I follow them, I can at least see if I can find them that way...

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After what seemed like forever, I started finding bits of debris from the shuttle and then as I got to the end of the broken trees. I saw someone laying on the ground and ran to them, finding Mars. I put my fingers to his neck and was happy to find a pulse. I began to shake him.

"Mars! Mars, wake up!"

He moaned and I shook him some more.

"MARS!"

He opened his eyes and looked at me, making a face.

"What the hell happened to you?" he mumbled.

"Apparently we crashed. You must have been thrown out of the shuttle or something. I've been walking around for hours trying to find you guys."

"You guys?"

"Yeah. I was the only one in the shuttle. I was in a fucking tree... I guess you guys fell out of the shuttle somehow? I don't know. All I know is I have a headache from Satan, my body feels like how Loki probably felt when the Hulk "puny god"-ed him, and saying words makes me want to vomit."

"Jeez..."

Mars sat up, putting his hand to his head. I held out my hand to help him up and got him up, but he hissed in pain, limping a little.

"You okay?"

"I think I either broke or sprained my ankle."

"Here, I'll help you."

"No, I'm fine... We need to find Max."

"And Kole."

"I don't care about Kole."

"Well, I do. I know he is fucking crazy as hell but he was my friend... even though he was screwing with me."

Mars stared at me for a moment and sighed.