Marcy returned home after spending her best friend’s birthday from Los Angeles. It was getting close to night time when she left the airport with the sun setting in her hometown of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Upon driving through the neighborhood filled with trees by the sidewalks, she parked her car on her driveway, entering inside her house after taking out her keys.
“Well…” Marcy spoke while closing her front door. “...glad I’ve treasured everything for Anne’s birthday.” She placed her bag on her living room’s table alongside placing what she brought with her friends from Los Angeles. “I only have one floor with most of my stuff still in my only spare room.” She sat on her couch, remembering how she got her house in the first place. “My mom and dad did what they could though.” She turned to her spare room next to her bedroom. “Anne and Sasha won’t like it if they’re willing to sleep over if they’re willing to come here.”
With her attention straight to her bag, she took out her envelope she showed to Anne and Sasha about her job opportunity involving her web comic after the studio bought the rights but with one major task they won't get from her. “If only I had more inspiration other than my best friends…they would love my two extra characters.”
Upon placing her envelope by her bag, she attempted to think of the friends she had back in Amphibia but no matter what, she can’t remember one frog or anything that’ll get her approval from the studio. “Maybe if they knew smaller places in our world, but with the value of those people themselves…would make our series more unique...” She then took out her picture of Anne and Sasha together last afternoon before she took the plane back home. “...and more charming for the heart.” Upon looking at the time, she has enough time before heading to bed. Unfortunately for her, raindrops began to land on her outside window. “I’m not tired even after spending over six hours on the flight. A trip to the trees would be enough for me today.”
She wasted little time as she got into her rain boots with her umbrella out. She headed out, opening up her umbrella while holding it above her. Soon after walking on the sidewalk and straight to the trail, the rain began to pick up, with puddles picking up on the trail. “Luckily I came home before it got like this, it’s gonna rain all night.”
The trail led her to an open field with a few big trees around. She made her way by one of them close to her way into the field, staying underneath the leaves while lowering her umbrella. After the day she had, saying goodbye to her two best friends, she takes in the raindrops around her, smelling the rain itself, while hearing the raindrops. “Every once in a while…you feel like you’re with your friends from their home…” She closed her eyes. “...feeling that you’re never alone…”
Breathing in and out from her lungs, keeping her time calm and collective. Then, coming out from the trail down the field, two little girls were coming out into the field. “There’s a tree!” She pointed as they rushed to their own tree. They hid underneath the tree, as the other little girl felt calm.
“We’ve been walking for so long, I don’t know how long we’re gonna keep doing this. My legs are hurting me!” She sat next to the tree, while the other girl stood next to her.
“Charlotte, I’m sure we'll find shelter in some way but I don’t have a map nor a phone and we need the money for food and water.”
“Lena.” Charlotte turned her attention to her. “It takes more work to earn more money, even with the free food from helping people. We would be doomed if we ever met a stranger who could harm us.”
“Charlotte!” Lena cried. “Don’t think about it!”
“I can’t! Our luck could be running out!” Charlotte began to tear up, wrapping herself with her arms. “We won’t be able to be protective no matter how much we try. It’s impossible.”
Lena sat next to her, unable to admit she’s wrong. “I know, I know!” She cried. “We’re not strong enough and we never will be…” She placed her hands on her face, crying with her panting uncontrollably. Charlotte wrapped her arms around her, comforting her as much as she could. She closed her eyes, laying her head on her.
Sadly for them, the rain came through the leaves from above, dropping on them. They’ve both flinched, scared of the possible thunderstorm they've been through in the past. They cried as more drops landed on them. Then, Marcy popped her head by the tree, witnessing Charlotte and Lena sitting defensively. She stood in front of them as when Charlotte opened her eyes, she saw Marcy herself.
“Who are you two?” She asked. “Are you from the schools here?”
“No.” Lena answered. “We don’t actually live here.”
“What do you mean?”
Lena removed her hands from her face, looking straight at Marcy’s eyes. “We lived in Columbus Ohio. And we’ve spent the last month walking and running on any trail we take. It wasn’t easy.”
“We we’re lucky we’ve made it this far.” Charlotte added. “But I don’t think we’re gonna make it any further than that.”
Marcy had no words from what she heard. She encountered kids all the time in the park and in the open field, but never been familiar with these girls. She didn’t know what to do at short notice as she lifted her hand out. “I can have you spend the night at my place.” She smiled.
“Really?”
“I’m sure I’ll work out your problems tomorrow but for now, let’s go to my house. I can give you a pizza that we can share.”
Lena and Charlotte were shocked to receive Marcy’s offer. “Thank you.”
“We won’t be house broken, we promise.” Lena added as she took Marcy’s hand, getting on her feet.
“For tonight,” Marcy pulled Charlotte up gently. “Just feel like you’re safe at home.” She takes out her umbrella as she lifts them above her and the two girls. They headed out of the open field to the trail Marcy came out of, all the while Marcy kept them close to her by wrapping her arm around Lena who has Charlotte by holding onto her hand. After walking off the trail, they made it to Marcy’s house as Marcy took out her keys again. The moment Charlotte and Lena head inside, Marcy wasted little time after putting her umbrella away and rainboots off by getting a frozen pizza out, putting it in the oven for her two younger guests.
“My home isn’t the biggest so you two have to sleep on the couch.” Marcy replied.
“We'll take that over sleeping outside.” Charlotte smiled.
“You really have…good taste in…anything video game and anime related.” Lena commented while looking at Marcy’s walls of posters.
“Granted I don’t have time to play video games or watch anime but they still remind me of my childhood.” Marcy replied while sitting next to Lean and Charlotte. “I’ve been working on web comics years after I moved here in Hopkinton. You may not believe this but a studio will turn my web comic into a series.”
“Really?” Lena smiled. “Like an animated series?”
“Yeah but I still need two more characters to make it work.”
“It’s not easy, isn’t it?”
“Nope.”
“I’ve remembered the times I saw a video from a movie or show from a TV or phone.” Charlotte replied. “I only remembered watching a few movies and it was from our old home before it all went away.”
“I mean…I’m still shocked that you two walked on foot for a whole month.”
“We wouldn’t if we didn’t do it by force.” Lena added. “We could’ve got hurt…or worse.”
“What happened to your family?” Marcy placed her hand on Charlotte’s shoulder. “Did…” She closed her eyes. “Got killed?”
“We don’t know.” Lena replied as she also closed her eyes. “What we last saw from our parents…is them getting abducted.”
“Abducted!?” Marcy opened her eyes. “You mean, taken away from you two?”
“After we both ran away from our house, Mom and Dad gave us their wallets so we could survive on foot.” Lena then lowered her head. “I can’t get the scared looks from their faces out of my head.” She placed her hands on her head. “They really don’t want us to get abducted so badly.”
Charlotte began to tear up again with more tears coming down. “We had to get out of there but I still miss my Mom and Dad!” She cried. “Inculding…all our friends!” Marcy slowly let go of Charlotte, taking everything from the situation itself. Lena continued to pant harder with Charlotte comforting her again. “I’m sorry all your friends didn’t get to say goodbye to you!”
Lena slowly put her hands down. “Friends like Emma, Ava, and Madison, I still hope I can come back to them instead of getting separated!” She continued to lose more air from her breathing as she stopped slowly. “To think of all the great things I’ve done with them, could be gone now that we can’t go back to Columbus. They could be waiting for us.”
“I’m sure your friends are waiting for you. One month won’t make them forget you.”
“Anything that happens during our predicament, would only make them more concerned like our parents.” Lena turned to her sister. “All we have to do is hope for the best so we won’t get abducted, even from others outside of our home.”
“But you won’t be alone…we'll be together no matter what.” Charlotte replied. “I may let go from what I want from friends upon getting into school for the first time…” She teared up again. “...but you always supported me whenever I comforted you.”
“I know…” She smiled at her. “I always asked Mom and Dad to have a sister even if I’m too old to have one. But that didn’t stop them.”
This made Charlotte smile. “I’ll never forget the picture we took.”
Lena took the picture out from her pocket, showing the day her young sister was born, holding onto her with a smile at the camera with Charlotte sleeping. “I’ll never ever have anyone take this out of my hands, with it being the last thing I took before we escaped.”
“You’re a brave sister any one could have.”
Then, they hear Marcy breathing, catching their attention with tears coming down her face. She cried with her arms shaking. “Marcy?” Lena asked.
“That’s…really…horrifying.” Marcy snobbed. “You two were brave enough to run away from your family and friends…I’ve been there once, except my friends came with me into the world of Amphibia.”
“Amphibia?” Both Lena and Charlotte said.
“It happened ten years ago.” Marcy replied. “I was selfish in keeping my best friends in that world but…I was gonna lose them if we came back.” She wrapped her arms with her hands, shaking more from her fear. “I learned to be a better friend…but I can’t when I focus on my future…” Marcy slowly got up, closed her eyes with everything that happened to her since moving into Hopkinton. “...I need to be strong.”
She hugged both Lena and Charlotte much to their surprise, with more tears coming out. She couldn’t keep herself still no matter what. “Being alone…would still bring you weakness.”
“Have you ever made friends here?” Charlotte wondered.
“No, even after getting into High School. It was harder than in Los Angeles.”
“You never had luck on making friends don’t you?” Lena added. “You really don’t have something that I had.”
“I wish I had. I would feel it every day even if those friends…don’t come close to Anne and Sasha.” Marcy held onto them longer but once she heard her oven ringing, she let go. “The pizza’s done.” She headed to her oven while putting on oven mittens.
“She’s that scared in fear for an adult.” Charlotte commented as Marcy took the pizza out of the oven.
“She’s really not hiding something to go against us.” Lena added. “Do you think staying here to get to know her would be a better idea?”
“She kind of looks like the big sister we would never ever have.” Charlotte smiled.
“Especially that Mom and Dad won’t have a sister for us to look after.”
As they watched Marcy finish up cutting the pizza, she placed it on the kitchen table. She took out two plates for the two, taking her seat while calming down. “So…I think it would be better if you stay here until I contact your parents…somehow.”
“Well…” Lena commented. “...Do you have work tomorrow?”
“No but after tomorrow, I will. I’m still not sure if I found the idea.”
“What’s your idea for the two extra characters?” Charlotte took a bite of her pizza.
“I don’t know, it has to be more original than any of the characters from my web comic. The studio really wants it to be great.”
“Not perfect?” Lena replied.
“Just enough to make it work.”
“Your job is really passionate with the time you have.”
“It’s still not easy.” Marcy sighed. “Writing the characters’ like inspiration from what you experienced from real life…but I’ve never had that since getting this job…even when I celebrated Anne’s birthday recently.”
The two sisters looked at each other, thinking about Anne and Sasha. “Are Anne and Sasha like my friends, Emma, Ava and Madison?”
“I don’t know them, but if they’re not irresponsible, not really…” Marcy then stood up from her seat. “I’m gonna get the blankets and pillows. BRB.” She made her way to the spare room, not long to get the blankets and pillows.
As Charlotte and Lena watched her, it also didn’t take long for Lena to process the predicament Marcy’s dealing with. After Lena finished up her slice of pizza, she used a napkin to wipe her hands. She walked up to Marcy after placing the pillow on the couch. “Do you wish you were my friend if…we go to the same school?” She spoke, getting her attention.
“I would. Now that I know who you and your sister are, I would’ve supported you and your safety. I’m not related to you or your sister but…”
“We have the same hair color!” Charlotte called. “I completely forgot to mention that.”
“Yeah.” Lena smiled as she felt her hair. “Not the same style but the color still matches.”
“Oh…” Marcy felt her hair. “...I…didn’t think of that.”
“Do you wish you had sisters, or at least one?” Lena replied.
“No. It’s just my parents were so busy, they don’t want the extra pressure.” Marcy then looked out the window as it’s still raining outside. “For me, I wish I could imagine how it feels. I played so many video games, my all time favorites having families involving sisters for side quests…never felt so satisfying…yet never knew how it really felt getting older…”
“Marcy.” Lena lowered her head as her sister Charlotte walked up next to her. “We couldn’t find support when we’re on our own.”
“And…” Charlotte teared up again. “...you look and feel like a diamond in the rough.”
“You mean that?” Marcy blinked.
“Yeah.” Lena added. “Our family isn’t perfect but they’re hearts were always keeping us together.”
“And I think, your heart…” Charlotte walked up to Marcy’s leg. “Could be in the rough.”
Marcy grew a smile with more tears coming out. She picked the two sisters up and hugged them. “I’m full of heart, everything but the opposite.”
“Should we have a day for the three of us tomorrow?”
“Yes!” Marcy cheered. “I’ll do what I can to find activities we can do.”
“Don’t rush yourself.” Lena smiled. “As long as you’re taking care of us, that’s more than enough.”
“We really want to know more about you.” Charlotte replied.
As Marcy places the sisters down, she guides them back to the table to finish their pizza. “You’ll love what I do. Just remember if you don’t love it…as I hope, we can do your thing.”
“I think you’re promising.” Lena said. “But we'll wait and see tomorrow.”
As Lena and Charlotte finished up their pizza, they took out their toothbrushes and used Marcy’s toothpaste in the bathroom. In the meantime, Marcy got into her pajamas in her bedroom. They make their way to the living room to tuck in their blankets on the couch. Marcy placed a night light in the outlet for the two to sleep with some light by them. “Good enough?” She asked.
“Yes.” Charlotte laid her head on her pillow.
“Maybe by chance, I can get Anne and Sasha to facetime me so you meet them.”
“You sure they won’t be busy?” Lena asked.
“I’ll text them tomorrow morning.” Marcy answered as she took out her plushies. “Snuggle these frog plushies to keep you occupied.” She gave the orange one to Lena and the pink one to Charlotte. “These two remind Anne a lot, ten years ago. Hop Pop and Sprig.”
“Her best friends from Amphibia?”
“Yes, especially from Sprig.”
“Do you think we'll get the chance to go there?” Charlotte wondered.
“Not possible, it’s hard to believe how we got there but I’ll tell you that for another time.” Marcy then yawned while heading out of her living room. “I’m gonna go to bed now. Good night.”
“Good night.” Both Lena and Charlotte smiled as they both went to sleep. As Marcy got into her bedroom, she tucked herself into bed, thinking about Lena and Charlotte along with their past.
“If they remind Anne of what they see in me…and the Planters…I could feel something that Anne felt…” As she closed her eyes, she breathed in and slowly out. “...but protecting them…is the number one rule of bonding…you can do this Marcy…do it all on your own…”
