Stay With Me Suivre l’histoire

I pulled Marceline close, staring down the Oozers that ambled closer and closer.

“Simon, what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart.” I scooted against the far door, bringing her with me. “My top class intimidation tactics don’t seem to be working.”

“This is no time for jokes!”

“I think it’s…” My voice trailed off as, out of my peripheral vision, I saw more Oozers crawling over the wall. “It’s the perfect time,” I muttered, kicking trash away from the spot in front of the backseats. “Put this over you.”

She took my coat, but otherwise didn’t move. “But Simon, you can’t fit down there.”

“Who said I needed to?”

“Wait! Stop!”

I looked between her and the small fist that was clasped like a vice around my wrist. My fingers were mere inches away from the crown, and our impending doom felt even closer.

My free hand rose to her cheek, and I offered a weak smile before fear blossomed on her face. I pivoted to see the Oozer she was staring at looking through the window.

There was no time for stalling. I grabbed the crown and-

“Simon!”

The car shook, and the artifact went tumbling into the front seats. I scrambled for it, moving with the grace of someone that was being thrown around in a washing machine.

“Down here!”

I was straddling the glove box when I saw it roll under the passenger’s side. I grabbed wildly for it, all while Marceline tugged at my pant leg. “Sweetheart, not now…”

“But there’s something important!”

I almost had it. One of the spikes grazed my fingertips when glass shattered above me and I fell backwards.

That moment suspended in the air was like an eternity. As the car flipped, the crown flew by me in slow motion and the world went eerily silent. I landed square on my back, and the pure force of adrenaline kept me from passing out. I was woozy at that point, taking in shallow breaths as I watched the Oozers climb through the window.

This was it.

The end of Simon Petrikov.

Wait.

“Marcy!” I sprung up, patting the area around me and screaming into the open air. “Marceline!”

No answer.

I moved in ways that one shouldn’t after almost breaking their back, pulling on seats and bending down to check under them. At that point, the monsters were as close as I’d been to the crown. As much as it pained me to leave that behind, Marceline was nowhere to be found. And, if by some miracle she did get away, I wasn’t going to just lay down and die.

I needed to find her.

I jumped out the back window, narrowly avoiding corrosive ooze. And I ran.

And ran.

I only stopped when my legs got shaky and threatened to give out. I retreated into a building and scooted into a dark corner, holding my knees as tears threatened to fall.

I needed to get up.

I needed to-

“Simon! You made it! I thought you were a goner!”

I muttered her name, barely registering when her arms wrapped around me. “Yes, sweetheart… I’m right here.”

“You look terrible.”

“Thanks for noticing.”

“I’m serious! You can’t keep doing this!”

I knew what she was referring to, but I didn’t have the energy to argue. I doubted that she’d believe me anyway. “Where were you?”

“There was a hole in the car! It led into the sewers. I was trying to show you before you put on that stupid crown!”

That stupid crown…I hadn’t worn it since our last emergency, and even then, it left its permanent mark on me. My hair turned white, my skin was a pale blue, and without it, I was weaker than ever. With raspy breath, I coughed into my hand, and a mix of ice particles and blood collected on my palm. I quickly hid that from Marceline, brushing off the mess against my pant leg.

“You’re so cold…I’ll find a blanket!”

I weakly called out to her, but made no effort to move. I just closed my eyes and rubbed the bridge of my nose, swearing under my breath as a headache set in.

All I could think about was that stupid crown. It had such a hold on me every part of me craved its presence. With it, we were safe. Without it, my body felt like it was breaking down.

Or did I sustain worse injuries than I thought?

Who could say?

"Simon! Look what I found!"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"More soup!"

Chicken soup. I went through such an ordeal to find even a single can. Yet, there she was with a stack of them. All we needed was a fire.

I pushed myself onto my feet to grab rubble that could be used for the base. By the time I made them into a crude circle, Marceline was back with a bundle of flammable debris.

"Can I put them here, Simon?"

"Yes, Marcy, thank you." I patted her head as I sat back down. You've been very helpful."

She cuddled up to my side, watching as I used my utility knife to strike a spark. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

Even then, she was hesitant. I looked down at her, and with a soft sigh, I put my tools down and thumbed over her cheek. “What is it sweetheart?”

“Do you remember where you found me?”

It was a broken down street corner in a sea of millions. It was less the location and more the events of the memory that stuck in my mind. “That’s where you got Hambo!”

“Well, yeah, but… nevermind.”

I wasn’t sure what to say when she turned away. I paused for only a moment, and then went back to tending the fire. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice that I lost it.”

“Lost what?”

I motioned to the rope that was usually holding the crown to my side.

“Oh! Well…that’s good, right?”

“No, Marceline, it’s not good!” I exclaimed as I gently placed two open cans on a barely functioning grill top I made out of rocks and sticks. “We barely got away with our lives! And what if one of those creatures is wearing it?”

“We would’ve been fine if you just listened to me!”

“But it would’ve been safer if-”

“Safe? What’s safe about you shooting ice everywhere?”

I was taken aback by the power in her voice. Though, it wasn’t like I had much of a rebuttal. She was right. There was something truly upsetting about only being able to protect her when I was a monster.

With another, much deeper sigh, I pulled my knees to my chest. “Nothing. Nothing’s safe about that.”

“Simon, I…”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I don’t want you to worry, okay?”

She nodded, rubbing her eyes as she cuddled back up to my side.

“Is someone tired?”

“No.”

I patted her head and leaned forward to check the soup. I was starving, and it was warm enough. I felt instantly comforted by the first spoonful.

There were three cans in all; we split the last one before she started nodding off. I snuffed out the fire and picked her up, heading out to the street.

“Where’re we going?”

One way led back to that destroyed car, and the other led to where all of our supplies had fallen in the chase that led us there. “Do you happen to know where my coat is?”

“I dropped it in the sewer. You wouldn’t want it.”

“Huh. Maybe we should go clothes shopping.”

“In the morning…”

“Yes. In the morning, Marcy.” I glanced back, eyeing some Oozers that were ambling around in the distance. “In the morning.”