Distance Ascendant

Distance Ascendant

  By Kara Celeste Nabors

“I figure we can make it here for a while. It just inconspicuous enough. So we need to cover ALL of our based. We gotta secure anything and everything. You understand?”

“Yes.”

“Yes. Anything and everything.”

“We should start with the doors, windows, vents. Teffi, I’m sending you will gather sheets, blankets, clothes, pens, pencils, medical supplies, paper, food, drugs. Anything that you can fit in your pack. Think ‘Hoarder on steroids.’ You got it, Squirrel? I want you to do as squirrel’s do. ”

“Save up for winter? Done.”

“We are setting up in the room on the bottom left. It looks directly at the parking lot and is close enough to the main entrance. Any questions?”

“I got it. I’m the ultimate pack rat. I’m more worried about Rhynn, he’s being way too quiet. What’s is up with you?”

“Teffi, we’ve been here for two days. We were at the last place for ten. I’m just sick of doing the same thing over and over again. ‘Squirrel gather this. Rhynn guard that.’ None of this freakin’ matt—”

“Rhynn. ENOUGH. I’ve had enough! We are doing the best we can. We are scared and running with no destination. But we are in this together. We are learning more about what we are up against every day. Do you trust me?”

“NOT REALLY”

“Excuse me? What did you say?”

“I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING. There were no words that came out of my mouth.”

“Liar. You said ‘Not really’ in the classic Rhynn tone. Whiny.”

“Shut up, Teffi! Why can’t you just KEEP. IT. SHU—”

“Sweet baby Jesus, I will murder these children.”

“Whoa…. MURDER us? Harsh”

“DAMN STRAIGHT, TEFFI. MURDER. ELIMINATE. TAKE OUT. BUMP OFF. MAKE PEACE WITH………SO SHUT IT.….NOW… BOTH OF YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME. THIS IS THE PLAN. WINDOWS. DOORS. VENTS. SUPPLIES TO BACK ROOM LEFT…. I’s sorry for yelling. But we need to keep it together and Teffi gave me a plan. We want to create shelter for winter. Like squirrels. We want to clutter the hallways. More cluttered the better. Clear the small rooms. Think TUNNELS. Not hallways.” 

“Guess it pays off to have one squirrel-obsessed weirdo in the family.”

“Rhynn. You always seem to forget about your—”

“WILL YOU BOTH JUST GIVE IT A REST! Seems like I’m the only one here with a lick of common sense! If you both don’t shut up and listen to me right quick, we are going to have some real problems. You are going to be BEGGIN for—”

“OKAY……. OKAY…. CALM DOWN. WE ALL HAVE SENSE!”

“Um, Rhynn. I didn’t say that out loud.”

“What do you mean you didn’t say that out load? I heard it, clear as day. You hear it too, right Teff?”

“Yea, I heard it.”

“Squirrel. You didn’t move your lips. Why did I hear you?”

“Guys, what is going on?”

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“I don’t care, Teffi. I don’t have time for STUPID Rhynn this or ANNOYING Teffi that. OKAY?...... KEEP IT CLOSED……SHUT…. ALL OF IT. NOTHING MORE. YOU GOT IT. THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER. I’m sick of both of you constantly fighting. So, FOR RIGHT NOW, NO. MORE. FIGHTING. You got it? You need to say YES. You need to look me in the eye and say yes. Now, do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. Ok. We are going recheck the doors and windows. Then we work toward a tunnel system. And we continue hoarding like there is no tomorrow.”

“There is no tomorrow.”

“There is no tomorrow when I say there is no tomorrow. You hear me?”

“Love you.”

“Love you, Rhynn.”

“Love you, Teffi.”

“Love you.”

“We move to the outside slowly. But first, we track the days. I want you two to prepare for a lot of waiting. We aren’t out of the woods yet.”

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“I finished the tunnel on the top floor. I marked it on the board in 2A.”

“K, Squirrel. I’ll double check it later.”

“You know, you really don’t have to keep checkin’ my work. I haven’t made one single mistake in two months.”

“I know, Squirrel. This isn’t about you. It’s what I need. You know it’s me, right?”

“It’s all of us……. But the point is, I get it. For right now, it’s for you.”

“This nasty ant-hill looking, heaping garbage palace of dying dreams. This place is driving me crazy. It is absolutely foul. We are starting smell just like THEY do. The Chimera what-ever-hells. I can’t stand it. It smells like a coal miner’s buttcrack.”

“Are you kidding me, Rhynn? We can hear your stupid thoughts, Genius. It not just about you. It’s killing all of us. We are all trudging through garbage and actual excrement. Actual FECES. It’s chipping away at every single…….MORSEL of whatever we got left!”

“Every single MORSEL…. Every single morsel. WE ain’t never leaving here. All I’m sayin’, Teffi, is….I’m over it.”

“I’M OVER IT, RHYNN!”

“I SWEAR TO CHR—"

“I thought you didn’t believe in GOD, Rhynn?”

“I SWEAR TO THE FOUR OF PENTACLES AND BUTTHOLES THAT I WILL—”

“DUDE, YOU ARE A BIGGER NERD THAN I AM!”

“I DON’T SWEAR TO ANYTHING, OKAY! WHATEVER! GO AWAY. IT DOESN’T EVEN MATT—”

“I SWEAR TO THE RIGHT HAND OF GRANDMA PEARL, IF YOU BOTH DON’T SIT DOWN…. RIGHT NOW……BOTH OF YOU……NOW!”

“UM. Okay. We hear you. GEEZUS.”

“Oh MY GOD. I’M SICK OF BOTH OF YOU.”

“Ditto, Teffi. DITTO”

“WHATEVER, RHYNN. I’M GOING TO BACK THE TOP FLOOR. AND ITS NOT TO DOUBLE CHECK MY WORK. ITS BECAUSE IT’S THE ONLY PLACE THAT DOESN’T MAKE ME WANT TO THROW MYSELF TO THE WOLVES.”

“Bye, Teffi…. see you later…… you are annoying…. go cry…. Love you.”

“Why do you mess with your sister like that? You’re both driving me crazy.”

“Teffi just doesn’t leave well enough alone. She ALWAYS gotta fuss with stuff! She is ALWAYS in my business. I’m sick of it.”

“WELL RHYNN…. I’m sick of hearin’ both of you. So this is the END OF THE ISSUE……WE ARE DONE HERE….I NEVER WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT AGAIN. Got it?”

“GOT IT.”

“Go get your sister and do door checks. Then we gotta do inventory.” 

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“Get back here, Rhynn. You sister found something. Time for a family meeting.”

“Be there in 20. This front door is getting weathered out. I won’t be able to sleep till I make sure its secure.”

“We may be out of this place, Rhynn. I found out where we are in the cycle.”

“TEFFI. I said…. I’ll be there in 20! ”

“Every 177 days, Rhynn. There are 4 phases and they repeat.”

“Good job, Teff. Guess you’re smarter than I thought. I’ll be there in a bit. Promise.”

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“Teff, are you sure we have three days. Then we are out of here? I’m having a real hard time trusting it. I’m still scared about how unpredictable THEY are.”

“Come on, Rhynn. You gotta trust me. We’ve seen the same things. I’ve seen the same things as you. I’ve even… SHOCKINGLY enough…. seen the same things that made me feel like I got nothin’ left…. Like nothing matters…… JUST LIKE YOU…. You just won’t admit it! But you also gotta admit, Rhynn, that it would be pretty amazing to be around to see THE after. I’m not ready to let go yet. Let me be the optimistic one here, okay.”

“I just mean, I don’t fully trust it. But I didn’t say I was backing out. It either works or it doesn’t. I didn’t waste this entire last week and half fighting with your stubb—" 

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“GIVE ME THAT RAG. Right there next to you.”

“Look at my leg. This is a freaking CHIMERA scratch—NO. I ain’t using no NASTY floor rag. Its covered in… CHIMERA!”

“Well look around, RHYNN. It’s all NASTY FLOOR RAGS. You got a better CHIMERA-FREE idea?”

“No, TEFFI. I DON’T HAVE A BETTER CHIMERA-FREE IDEA. BUT………... WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS. Jesus, I can barely walk, guys. Am I going to die here? AM I DYING ON THIS DISGUSTING FLOOR? AM I GOING TO TURN INTO ONE OF THOSE THINGS?”

“GEEZUS, RHYNN. NO ONE IS DYING! Don’t bring that trash thinkin’ in here! I’m going to figure it out. Call me Wonder Woman, and you are fittin’ to be Iron Man. But you gotta trust me. You gotta TRUST me.”

“Ok, Wonder Woman. This is my only choice……I love and hate you right now.…... But you are a ROCKSTAR.”

“I know I am.” 

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“I’m going to make sure that middle door is secure.”

“THE HELL YOU ARE! YOU JUST HEARD THAT!”

“…... like SERIOUSLY?”

“Yes, I just heard that, Teffi. Yes, SERIOUSLY, Rhynn. I’m going to reinforce the door. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. This is how Rhynn got hurt. We got lazy. They breeched once and we’ve been lucky for two days. But I need to make it hold for one more day. The end of the cycle. The plan hasn’t changed. So from here on out, I don’t want to hear nothin’ but HEARTBEATS. Got it?............... LET ME SEE YOU NOD…… OKAY…… THANK YOU……...OK, THANK YOU. You can say your peace after I finish my big speech…... BUT FOR RIGHT NOW…... IN THIS MOMENT…… Listen….very carefully. The two of you…. TEFFI AND RHYNN……. are STAYING IN THIS ROOM. THIS…. ROOM…. Got it? Nod, please…... Thank you, T…… Thank you, R…… You stay LOW and NOT A BREATH. Not a SNEEZE. Squirrel, I need you to CONSERVE whatever ENERGY you got left. DON’T use it until you ABSOLUTELY NEED IT. You conserve EVERY LAST DROP………You did great fixin’ your brother. But now we gotta build you back up. Nod for me please? Let me know that you heard me. Thank you, Love. …… Rhynn. Strong Rhynn. It’s your turn to protect her now.…. Protect Teffi. You have more left that what you think. I’ve got what I need here in my belt and bag. I’ve also got all the fight I got left. This next part is the most important…... And you are not gonna like it……. If you see me fall, you RUN. No questions asked. You RUN. NOD if you understand me…. Teffi, you hesitated…… I will clarify. RUN means RUN. You leave me for dead. AND YOU PROTECT EACH OTHER. You split. You go. You LIVE. If by some act of DIVITY, I SURVIVE, I will find you BOTH. But you both gotta keep on surviving till then. I LOVE YOU……Both……but especially this one……. Fist bump me, Rhynn.”

“Told you, Teffi.”

“Whatever, Rhynn. You need that win more than I do right now.”

“What we need is to see our MOM tomorrow.”

“You are my two favorite children. And I LOVE you equally. For some reason.”

“Mom, we are your only children.”

“Best two I could’ve never asked for.”

“Love you, Mom.”

“Love you, Squirrel.”

“Love you, Rhynn.”

“See you tomorrow, Mom.”