A New Start For You and I, Part 3

A New Start For You and I, Part 3

Setting: The Snow Forts
Date: March 4th, 2015
Time: 3:02 AM PST
(Point of View: Franky)

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The sky was dark around me, and it was the middle of the night, but there were penguins accompanying me who were so awake it seemed like it was the middle of the day. I had two heavy boxes in my flippers. Though I could barely see in front of me, a little view over the top of my second box showed me that Cadence was waddling along carrying a few more. She was almost staggering under the weight of them, stopping every few feet to hoist them back up so they wouldn’t fall, and pushing ahead towards the truck where we were loading them on. She and I, along with the guys, had set up the SoundStudio party, and now we were taking it down. It was epic while it lasted. The music was great, the fans were great, and everything about it was great. The trouble is that we’re all very tired now. The construction guys working the truck and helping us carry the stuff were awake-- working into the early morning is their element. For us… we’ve just been so busy for so long that we all need a break.
Especially Cadence. I fell into step next to her. “Maybe you should let us finish this,” I said. “We don’t have that much left to do. You need some rest.”
“No,” she grunted, shakily continuing to waddle forward. “Like you said, we don’t have much left to do. I’ll help you finish. Then I’ll go home.”
“I’m worried about you.” I took the last few steps towards the truck and slid my boxes next to the other stacks. She plopped hers down right on the edge and hunched over, breathing heavily. I slid them next to mine, then put my flipper on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I’m just…” She took a few seconds to catch her breath. “I’m fine. I’m really, really tired for some reason.”
“Well, you’ve been busy…” I took her flipper and waddled her away from the truck, stopping at a bench and sitting her down. “... and sick.”
“I don’t know why it won’t go away.” She sounded infinitely frustrated. “It’s been weeks! A flu isn’t supposed to last that long.”
“Well, maybe in special cases it does,” I replied.
She sighed and buried her face in her flippers. For a few seconds, she was silent as I rubbed her back, then she spoke. “Okay. I can do this. A few more boxes and we’ll be done.”
“Are you sure you can?”
She stood up. “Of course I can. I’m overreacting.”
Before I could protest any more, she was waddling back over to the remaining few boxes sitting in the spot where the recording building had been just hours before. I followed her. I wish she would rest… she needs it more than she thinks she does…
Petey K bounded up behind me. “Franky, I’m on my third bottle of cream soda. Billy says I’m on a sugar high. I need sleep so badly.”
“We all do,” I replied, grinning as I looked sideways at him. His blond hair was messily tucked under a purple beanie and his clothes were wrinkled. He looked like a wreck, but we all do right now. We haven’t changed for at least a few hours, and we’ve been doing some heavy lifting (literally).
He broke away from me again and headed back over to join G-Billy, who was attempting to handle a pretty big box all on his own. Petey saved him before he could be crushed under the weight of… well… whatever is in there.
Cadence carried another box towards the truck. I watched her, trying not to show my concern and failing. She has been miserable, and the ability she has to put on a smile and pretend she’s okay is almost alarming. Everyone has seen her so energetic the past few weeks, but they have no idea what she’s going through… and honestly, neither does she.
It started with the airsickness. Then the airsickness turned out not to be airsickness; it was a stomach bug or something, because it didn’t stop when she got off the plane. She started getting really tired often, and with the exhaustion came moodiness. Her appetite got weird, too. I don’t know if there are other things going on that she isn’t telling me, but it’s really, really concerning. I love Cadence. I don’t want anything to happen to her.
She put her box in the truck and leaned against the edge again for a few seconds. When they reached the truck, Billy and Petey talked with her briefly, and I saw her shake her head and wave her flippers around, then waddle away from them and back towards the box pile. When she passed Stomp on her way there, he said something to her and provoked a similar response. He looked at me and raised his eyebrow, sticking out his elbow towards her as if to ask a question. I shrugged, and he waddled up to me.
“Is she okay?”
“I have no idea,” I replied, shaking my head. “And I want to know.”
“She’s been like this for awhile now. I think she should go to the doctor.”
“Stomp…” I squeezed my eyes shut. “That’s scaring me…”
“I’m sorry.” He shrugged. “It’s in her best interest. She can’t just keep ignoring… well… whatever it is that’s making her like this. It’ll only get worse. I know she thinks she’s Superman… but she isn’t… and it’s going to take its toll on her.”
He was right. I shrugged. “I know. I just don’t want to make her upset or scared or… whatever.’
He nodded. “I understand. If you want me to do anything, I will.”
“Thanks.” I looked at the ground and yawned. “I’m so tired. I want my bed.”
“Don’t we all, Franky…”
“Cadence?” Billy’s voice interrupted our conversation, and he turned around. I looked over his shoulder and felt all the color drain from my face at once.
She was lying on the ground and she wasn’t getting up.

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