BURDEN
”BURDEN”
It was late that evening and Anne decided to hang out with Marcy. She felt kind of bad for hanging out with her more than Sprig, but she felt guilty for choosing the Plantars over Marcy back in Newtopia. Making up for lost time was what she was doing, that’s all.
Anne nocked on Marcy’s door, hoping she wasn’t already asleep yet. The sun hadn’t fully gone down yet but it was close.
Marcy opened the door and her eyes lit up seeing Anne. “Oh hi! What up Anna-Banana?” Marcy spoke, pulling her inside.
“Oh Um, just wondering if you wanted to hang out?”
“Yeah duh! I wanna show you something anyway!”
Marcy excitedly rushed over to her table, it looked like a hand-drawn map with little figurines placed in various spots.
“I just found out something in-cre-di-ble! A new strategy in Creatures & Caverns!”
“Is that the board game your obsessed with?” Anne asked, sitting beside her.
“Yes! So instead of..” Marcy started going off with her new strategy, and Anne had to remind her to breath.
“I should write this down in my journ- of wait never mind. Anne did you know that my journal was originally for for Creatures & Caverns?”
“Really? And so you just used it as your actual journal instead?” At the mention of her journal, Anne remembered reading it and her heart swelled with guilt.
“Yup! Speaking of my journal, have you seen it? I’ve been looking for it but I can’t seem to find it! I know I’m one to misplace things but I’ve never lost my journal before.”
Anne hesitated, then spoke. “No, I haven’t. Do you remember when you last saw it?” It felt so wrong to lie to Marcy, but if she knew she had it the whole time, she might get mad at her again and she didn’t want that again so soon.
“No, hm, maybe when we were at the cave? Do you think I could have dropped it there?”
“Maybe, we could go look now. It’s not pitch black yet.”
“Then off we go!”
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The two girls were off in the forest again, following the marking Marcy had left of the trees for Anne the previous time they’d been this way. They reached the cave in record time, ducking in and turning on their flashlights.
“Where do you think it could be? If I were a journal, where would I be?” Marcy spoke half to herself, half to Anne.
“I’m not sure, maybe over here?” Anne said, grabbing Marcy’s hand and taking her to a corner of dense moss. Once they were there, neither of the girls let go of each other’s hand.
“I don’t think so, I’m truly stepped Anne, I mean, there’s only so many places it could be!”
Anne felt another rush of guilt knowing exactly where it was, but having to pretend she didn’t.
“I’m sure it will come up, let’s head back, it’s dark out already” she re-assured her friend.
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When they were back in the Fwagon Marcy flopped onto the bed and groaned.
“Where could it be? There’s so much stuff I need that’s in there!”
Anne stood awkwardly in front on her, not sure how to reply.
“You know what?” Marcy sat up “I’m going to clean this mess and see if it’s in here!” She shouted triumphantly.
“It probably is, honestly” Anne agreed, another seed of guilt forming in her head. How long was she going to lie? “we’ll I’ll leave you to it, see y’a tomorrow Marbles”
“‘Night Anne” Marcy replied, starting to sort the piles of papers scattered around the Fwagon.