(RE) Chapter 7: Forgive Him, He's Thick- headed

Chapter 7:

Forgive him, He’s thick-headed.

    Meath laid on her bed still wrapped in a towel and much like Biff, stared at the ceiling. She raised both arms up in the air and looked at her hands. She flipped them, palm in, palm out, examining every crease in her fair skin. After a moment more, she folded her hands back into her chest and began to slowly pout. Meath then closed her eyes, fought back her emotions and sat up. She exhaled deeply, got out of bed and changed into her underwear. Finally she laid back down, threw the sheets over herself and closed her eyes. However, sleep was not to come quick for her as she tossed and turned in her bed.

After what seemed like an hour, Meath again got up this time heading for the door. Quietly, she opened it and peeked her head out into the hallway. She peered down the hall into the living room. Through the dim light of the large living room window, she saw Biff’s feet protruding from the couch. She cocked her jaw to the left while pondering for a brief second. Abruptly, Meath crept down the hallway towards the living room. As she approached the couch, Meath notice his feet shuffle around. She paused and suddenly Biff said,

“I’m not asleep, you don’t have to be quiet.”

Meath rolled her eyes to herself and casually walked into the living room. She noticed that Biff wasn’t looking in her direction, rather and out the window into the sky. Meath sat down on the floor just a few feet in front of the couch and waited for Biff’s attention. Nothing happened as Biff continued to stare out the window.

“Biff.” Meath started.

“Hmm…?” He said moving only his eyes in her direction.

Meath exhaled and drew in her thoughts explaining,

“I’m sorry for snapping on you. If for any other reason because it wasn’t lady like of me to flip out.”

“Flipping out and slapping guys across the face when they maybe or maybe not deserve it? That’s completely lady like.” He jokingly replied.

“Biff, I'm being serious. I don’t want to make my problems, your problems. I’m just frustrated and anxious about everything.”

“Yeah… so am I.” Biff said turning his full attention to Meath.

Something about her following stare, the face, the glow of her eyes and the demeanor in which she carried herself, made Biff stop. The eyes were those in which he had seen before in a different light. The need and anxiety she expressed felt so familiar, yet so fleeting. Something about Meath reminded Biff of his once fiance Miani. Over the course of an instant he felt enraged having those certain heart strings pulled. However in a moment of sheer self control Biff stopped himself and said to her,

“Meath, I’m not mad at you. Everyone copes differently. At times I seem like an unnecessary a*****e but in reality I'm making the best of the situation I'm given. If anyone needs to apologize... it’s me.”

“But…” She began before being cut off.

“Go to bed. I don’t mean to be dismissive, I’d really just like to go to bed, ya know?”

    She sighed to herself and accepted his words with,

    “You’re right. Goodnight Biff.”

The night passed on quietly for the first time since the four had began this venture. They would finally get their deserved rest, all except Meath. Although the moment she headed back into her room and laid down and had fallen fast asleep, Meath was in a lucid dream that would echo for the rest of their journey.

   

A bright white backdrop filled her vision and standing in front of her was a woman. For an unknown reason Meath could only see her mouth talking to her, though recognizing a full body in front of her. An eerie humming resonated in every direction so loud that it hurt. Suddenly, the woman spoke,

    “Listen, we’re both probably not going to make it, I want you to figure it out. Do what I won’t be able to do, Okay?”

    “...What?” Meath responded.

    The mouth smiled at her, then Meaths vision focused in on the woman's bright green eyes. She said,

“He might give you s**t but don’t worry about it. That’s just...”

    “...Biff?” Meath asked.

   

    After a wink, the woman abruptly began to fade away, sending Meath into a small confusion. A second later, another woman appeared in front of Meath. Again, she could only focus in on the woman’s mouth and In a deeper, more rough tone this woman said,

    “Yeah, Biff. You’re not here for him though, we can make sure he’s fine and all but your going to die before anything could flourish, sorry!”

    She then began to laugh hysterically and Meath immediately awoke from her slumber.  The sun had just met the horizon and Meath grumbled to herself. She tossed the sheets back over her and placed her head back onto the pillow. Just before closing her eyes, Meath whispered,
    “I really hate you Biff...”

    She continued to sleep until Polan finally knocked on her door at ten A.M. She rose angrily from her bed, ran over to the door and swung it open. Polan stood on the other side, initially confused, however still smiling.

“Breakfast!” She exclaimed.

Meath’s sour look immediately brightened up and she excitedly said,

“Oh! Okay one sec. I’ll be right there!”

Meath rushed back into her room and got dressed as fast as she could. Meanwhile

from the bathroom Biff had turned the shower faucet off and exited the shower. He wrapped his waist in a towel and with another dried himself off. Once done. he threw the towel over his shoulders and walked out of the bathroom. Right as he stepped into the hall Meath walked out from her room and right into him. When she hit him, she fumbled off balance and nearly fell, however Biff caught her by her shoulders and helped her straight again. The two exchanged a short glance before Meath blushed, turned her head down the hall and said to him,

“ Your breakfast is going to be cold.”

“Yeah I know, i'm coming, let me put some clothes on or something.” He said back.

She didn't say anything, only continued down the hall into the kitchen. Biff rolled his eyes and walked over to his room to get changed.

At the table Polan and Meath sat on one side and Deki sat alone on the other with one spot next to him awaiting Biff.  Both Deki and Polan began to relentlessly chow down on their food. Since they picked up so much in New haven, Polan made eggs, bacon, toast, sausage, potatoes and even served orange juice. Biff finally walked into the kitchen about two minutes later, sat down at the table and immediately began filling his plate. In front of him sat Meath who had just began eating the moment Biff finished grabbing everything.

The four ate in silence and the sunshine beamed through the windows. Biff glanced up for a second midway through eating and noticed Meath glaring him down. Awkwardly enough, she slowly put her head back down in a purposeful manner. Biff sighed, however continued eating away and ignored her. Once everyone finished eating Biff stood up and said,

“I'm going to the cliffside to get some coal cause the shower was on the colder side this morning.”

Deki, who had begun cleaning off the table looked over to Biff and replied,

“Then while you’re doing that Polan and I can fetch some wood.”

Polan looked at Meath then at Deki and finally at Biff, then she responded to Deki saying,

“I think I'm gonna stay with Meath. you two go do what you need to do. Our day for doing stuff was yesterday.”

Biff, who was nearly done eating his breakfast said,

“That’s fine. I don't need to worry about anyone but myself by the falls, so just hold fort.”

“There's a waterfall nearby?” Asked Polan.

“Yeah, not too far from the house to the south west there's a fairly big waterfall, maybe about a hundred feet tall. Underneath the top there's a deposit of coal that's been pretty damn plentiful and we need more.”

“Aw.. that sounds cool actually.” she said sorrowfully.

“You can go wherever, just not while I go mining. You’re cursed so I'm not worried about you falling. ” Biff quickly stated back.

“Nevermind, I think i'll just say home…” Polan muttered.

Polan got up and headed for her room and Biff, he headed for the front door. On his way out, he threw his jacket on and slung his bow over his shoulder saying,

“If I’m not back by sundown don't go looking for me until the morning. Chances are I'll be back in about two hours.”

The front door opened, then closed again signaling Biff’s exit.

“You know, you seem to get under his skin in a way I haven't seen in a long time.” Deki expressed to Meath.  

“Yeah, I know… It’s annoying.”  She impatiently replied.

Meath left the kitchen after the table was clean again and sat down on the couch. Her head drooped off the back and she stared into the ceiling. Deki soon after finished washing up the last bit of dishes and began to calmly walk into the living room.

    “I mean, I get he’s an a*****e but you’ve never seemed to let it get the better of you like this.” He said.

    “Sometimes people have their little ways of getting to you.” She stated.

“You did end up sleeping next to him. Though I understand the situation, he's still a little immature about it. He isn't used to being around the cursed, let alone women so I think you should give him leeway. It’s funny because you two act like little kids with crushes for each other-”  

    “...let it go Deki.” She maliciously told him.

    Deki smirked. He knew he was right. There was a bond between these two, and as it pulls tighter and tighter apart the connection grows that much stronger. As mad as Meath seemed to be at Biff, her only resolve was her faith in him. Deki was also the sort of guy to pull strings behind the scenes to make a plan fall into place. Meaning if he could keep a good balance between Meath and Biff, the two least passive people in the cabin, it would mean great things.  

    “Fine, as you wish. Polan, are you sure you don't want to join me in fetching some lumber?” He asked again insistently.

Polan looked to Deki and as he walked down the hall. Meath closed her eyes and waited there until they both finally left. The front door shut and Meath opened her eyes again. She continued to unrelentingly stare at the ceiling. After about five minutes she started to hum to herself. The humming sound slowly turned into a groan, then into a full on growl. She jumped from the couch back onto her two feet and swiftly headed for the door mumbling,

“I see what you did there Deki. You clever little...”

With each step, her feet crunched the leaves laying on the forest floor. The early autumn air filled her nostrils as she scoured the region southwest of the cabin. It took about a half hour for her to eventually run up on what seemed to be a large rock protruding from a cliffside. Flowing on top of the rock was a stream, this must be it. At first Meath could see the silhouette of Biff from just atop the hill approaching the falls but the more she drew closer, the more she noticed a second person standing closer to the edge of the falls. Then Meath gradually began to overhear Biff’s conversation with the man,

    “Why would you wanna do that?” Biff asked loudly.

    There was a pause then an unfamiliar male voice said back,

    “My wife, my kids they all died and today I just want to join them, This isn't about feeling sorrow, this is about feeling alone.”

   

“What makes you think you're alone? I’ve had my fair share of loss and I've even been to the same cliff you're standing now with the same intentions, but I chose to walk away. I chose to stay and fix everything I couldn't do for those who mattered most to me.”

    Meath lost her breath for a short second. Biff’s words had a sharp realism to it. Unfortunately this man seemed unwavered and responded,

    “Maybe you just haven't realized yet, the only way out of this mess is the simplest. Before anything gets worse, ya know?”

    Just like that, the man took his own life. He jumped off the falls and fell a hundred or so feet to his mortal death. A bone shattering crunch echoed through the air, then total silence. Meath turned her back on the scene and laid in the grass atop the highest section of the falls. Her eyes watered and she felt weak again, like she did walking into her cabin bedroom for the first time. Then Meath heard Biff scream,

    “Who the f**k are you!? Huh?! You think i'm just some kind of dumbass like everyone else around here!? Like i'm some little s**t who hasn’t been through anything like you?!”

Meath picked herself up off the ground and immediately ran towards him. She got within a few yards and slowed her pace down to a jog. When she reached him, she swung her arms around him and slowly nudged him away from the cliffside. Biff, who was extremely reluctant to do so, attempted to push Meath out of the way to look over the falls, yet it was to no use.

“Knock it off!”  She yelled.

Biff looked down at Meath, who was pathetically gripping his torso. At first he seemed to resist her but based upon some needed self analysis, Biff realized how hysterical he became.       

   

“There are some people you can’t convince Biff. Let it go!” She scolded.

Biff reared back out of her clutches. He looked at her in a manner in which she had yet to see from him. It was a look she would surely never provoke again. He said,

“Why the f**k are you even here!?”

   

    “I was gonna help you mine some-”

    “Bull-s**t!”  Biff yelled, causing flocks of birds to flee near by.

There was a small pause shortly after the birds then Meath whimpered back,

“Because I wanted to make sure you weren't gonna get yourself killed.”.

“...Why would I do that?”

“I don't know! People are dying all around us Biff. In case you missed it one jumped off the cliff just now.”

“Go back to the f*****g cabin, okay? I just came out here to get some time to myself and get some goddamn coal.” He nervously said.

Meath’s hands shook in anger as they usually did. She slowly inched for the hilt of her blade and upon grabbing it, she unsheathed the weapon. The sword, now pointed at Biff made him anxious and Meath said,

“Don’t tell me to go back to the f*****g cabin like that! How is it I can be forward with you, but you have the hardest f*****g time...”

Biff rushed up to her as fast as he could, gripped the end of her sword and cut his hand in the process. Blood began to trickle down the blade while Biff forced the tip just below his chin, taunting Meath,

“You pull a sword on me like your gonna use it.”

Biff threw his arm down and easily ripped the blade from Meath’s loosened grip. She fell to her knees and remained silent. Biff looked down at her angrily. Suddenly a drop of rain popped off his head and Biff moved his attention to the sky. It seemed as if a storm was moving in, judging by the ever darkening color of the sky. Biff then looked back down at Meath who was still sitting quietly in the same spot. He reached down and grabbed her right arm slowly pulling her off the ground. Initially Meath seemed hesitant, but she was pelted by a drop of rain and snapped out of her funk. The two moved over to a spot under the waterfall, out of the rain. Both sat on opposite ends of the small cavern mouth and said nothing for the couple of minutes or so. Meath stared off into the rushing falls ahead, face clad in anxiousness. As Biff took notice he asked her,

“Are you alright?”

    Within a split second Meath shot back,

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

Biff looked to her and asked,

“Actually fine or the woman’s version of fine, which means pissed?”

“Im fine.” She repeated in a monotone sort of way.

Nothing was said again for a short while after. The falls toned out any other sounds and kept the air filled with a rushing ambiance. Suddenly Biff started to walk closer into the falls but also towards Meath as well. At first Meath pretended not to notice what he was doing, but as he drew closer she looked over at him confused. Biff sat down just a bit in front of Meath and sighed. She looked at him wonderingly and asked,

“What?...”

“On that day in Torrenton, the day you lost your original body, I lost my fiance whose name was Miani. Like Polan, she only became cursed by killing someone who wasn't cursed trying to kill someone else. I went from living with her in Alberth, to only knowing she was living with Zoey’s sister somewhere in Torrenton. I built the cabin so we could meet at night, basically the halfway point between Alberth and Torrenton.”

Meath turned her head away from Biff and looked rather solemn as he continued,

“When we showed up in Torrenton that day, she fucked up. She was fighting off cursed out in the streets and was seen by some Albethian guards. I just so happened to be down the block when it happened. Then I start to hear Nezo’s condescending bullshit about how i'm making stupid decisions for trying to make her my wife and that I needed to right my wrongs by killing her.”

An pure and angry tone filled his words as he continued,

“Meath, believe me when I say it, I could not do it. I even noticed that Miani noticed me. The only thing i've got keeping me somewhat sane, is that right before Nezo cut her head off in the middle of the f*****g street, she saw me refuse to do it.”

Meath looked back into Biff’s eyes. Keeping strong through the sight of her expression Biff added,

“So If you’re wondering why i'm in this cabin to begin with, that's why. If you’re wondering why I'm such a cranky a*****e, that’s why. If you’ve ever wondered why I am the way I am, this is why. I don't wanna have to tell the story again.”

“Why didn't you explain this to me sooner? I feel unreasonable now.” She stated.

“It’s not something I tell at parties or to people i've only known for a day. Seeing how I think things need to get serious, I'd thought I'd let you know. ” Biff muttered, turning his head to the falls.

“...You make a lot more sense to me now Biff.” Meath noted to herself aloud.

“Whatever you say Meath....”

Biff continued to stare into the falls, back towards Meath. About a half second later a lightning bolt was spotted in the distance.

“We should get back if it's gonna storm, no sense in bringing back soaked coals.” She told him.

“I know, i'm just hoping Deki got some wood in the time i've been here, I got a bit side tracked so I never got a chance to start mining.”

“There's always tomorrow, i'm sure you'll be dying to get outside by then.”

Biff laughed,

“Not if it's gonna be as s****y like I think it's gonna be, this storm looks pretty big.”

The weather began to slowly gain momentum and soon it had began to steadily drizzle. Meath grabbed her sword off the ground and particularly noticed the blood running off the end where Biff had grabbed it. She flicked the blade, removing any remaining blood, then placed it back in its sheath.

“Better hurry, it's gonna get worse.” Biff said walking in the direction of the cabin.

“Don’t you think it's a bit unfair you gotta walk all the way back in this by yourself?” She asked him.

“Meath, i'm not getting any faster, I think I can handle it-”

“-Too bad, I think it's kinda rude, so I'll walk at your pace.”

Biff paused for a moment to figure out if she was being genuine or she just felt bad for throw a sword in his face. Regardless he said,

“Okay... sure. Have it your way.”

Meath smiled and quickly trotted behind him on their way back to the cabin. just a bit before they made it back, the rain began to pick up pace. Meath was soaked and rather frustrated with herself for walking with Biff. About a second later she felt something cover her head. It was his jacket.

“I told you, you don't have to have to walk back like this if you don't want to.”  Biff said as beads of water dripped off his chin.

A warm feeling swept over Meath forcing a smile on her face. She said back,

“We're almost there, it's fine.”

“Suit yourself.”

From in the distance the cabin could be seen and on the deck stood Polan, yelling,

“You guys are gonna get sick! Hurry up!”

Biff shook his head. looked to Meath and said,

“She's a bit over the top don't ya think?”

“ ...Or maybe she right and we should start running and stop playing around in the rain.” Meath said with a playful grin.

She sped off for the cabin leaving Biff standing in the rain joking to himself,

“What a b***h, she said she was gonna walk with me.”

Meath had just reached the cabin a few seconds later and Biff had continued to stroll back to the cabin in an ever so casual manor. The more he walked the more Biff began to feel as if something was oddly out of place. He stopped again, rain pelting the top of his head and he looked all around. The only thing he could focus on was the sound of the rain falling, then in the distance, the sound of a stick snapping. The noise came from a few yards behind him. Biff swiveled around and heard more sticks breaking even further off into the distance. Whatever it was, It started running away. He took a moment to decide whether or not it was worth it to go after whatever it was. In the end, he left it go and headed back for the cabin.

Biff had began to approach the deck when the same strange feeling hit him again. He spun around and in the distance he saw a pair of red, glowing eyes in the treeline. He drew back the bow and fired it without hesitance. Biff examined the path of the arrow closely and heard it strike something but what he could not tell. The eyes quickly disappeared again and Biff continued to look in the direction of the shot. Lightning lit up the skies once again and he figured now was a good as time as any to head back inside.

Reviews

[David Jae]

I like the drama here, but it's possible a little long. It might be better broken up into two chapters. However, I think your characters are very compelling. Good job.