Oak

"Why did I need to be here again?" I asked with a yawn. Fox had dragged me out to Spectre's pond. Some sort of experiment regarding the water quality. Honestly, I think the bacteria adds protein. But I digress. I'm here to help my friend, not ask questions and get in the way.

"I can't row the boat. I'm not strong enough to control it." The redhead said in his Scottish accent. He had a grin that appeared devilish in the moonlight.

"And you think I am?" I sighed. "You're on your own. I'm gonna try to catch breakfast while I'm here." I grabbed my fishing rod from under the floorboards and cast my lure into the darkened waters.

He laughed. "Thank you. This should be far enough."

A few minutes passed. I had just yawned for the umpteenth time when suddenly, we heard a huge splash and capsized! I was tossed under the water and came up spluttering. I swam under the boat. Fox was there when I arrived. "Are you okay?!" I asked.

"Fine. What was that?!"

"I'm gonna go look." I said, diving under the water. The moonlight illuminated the pond bottom, making it look like another planet. Near the shadow of the boat was the outline of a person on the bottom! I swam down and grabbed him. I pushed up off the bottom and swam to the surface. I had almost been out of breath. I was gasping when I came back up. Spectre's British voice came over me. He was less than pleased.

"Goddammit, Fox! When I said you could use my pond, I didn't mean you could use it for nuclear weapon testing, you loony!"

"It wasn't me!" He shouted.

"What, and I'm supposed to assume it was Oak?"

"Spectre! I need a hand! I'm slowly sinking here!" I shouted, struggling to keep both me and the mystery person afloat.

"Oh my God! Here!" He threw a vine out to me. It landed harmlessly to my right. I grabbed it and swam to shore, my legs burning from swimming with the added weight. I collapsed on the shore and dropped the person face-up next to me. I panted for breath. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Fox swam toward me.

"I'll be fine, thanks for asking!" Fox shouted. "Nobody bothered to ask if I could swim back on me own! You jerks could've just lost another loved one, ya know!"

Spectre started to say something in rebuttal, but didn't follow through. He closed his mouth and turned his brown eyes to the ground as I sat up.

"That was really mean." I said. Spectre seemed surprised that I would stand up for him. Fox is a good person underneath, and he has some really good ideas, he's just bad at communicating them. He's all around awkward. Being in a workshop most of the time has taken its effect. Everything except his hands move slowly and clumsily, yet deliberately, almost like a robot. We helped him up on the shore.

"Oak! Go get the medic!" Fox ordered.

"Why me?" I pouted.

"Because she's your girlfriend!" He responded.

"Good point!"

"Go! Now!"

I ran to my girlfriend's house. I was worried about the poor guy. The one who rocked the boat, I mean. Washing up on an island in the sky, with no idea of how to leave. Maybe no memories. I remember when I was there. Of course, I was five and I had...someone. The fact that I've survived this long is a miracle. After I washed up, Dawn came along. She gave me a name. At first I was skeptical of a girl on the island, but cut me some slack. I was five. Then Spectre and C--...Spectre when I was seven. Yeah, you'll learn about that later. Spectre found Fox when I was 12. Then Songbird arrived. She's a good older sister.

     The gravel road crunched under my feet as I charged up the road. I knew every floorboard on the porch and how to make as much noise as humanly possible, which I did. I banged on the front door. "Dawn! Open up, Dawn! We need your help!"

     The door swung open. "Oak... This better be good."

     I had completely forgotten my reason for coming. Her curly blonde hair was wild and tinted blue in the moonlight. Her blue eyes reflected the hundreds of galaxies in the sky back at me. Her nightgown fluttered in the breeze. She took my breath away every time I saw her. "Uhh... H-Hey, um...Dawn...Uhh..."

     I came back when she snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Focus. You came here for a reason. Is it another 'emergency'?"

     "I really did think there was a thief in my house!"

     "Yes. A mouse stuck in the walls is quite the concern for the owner of anything valuable."

     "Just come with me! Bring your med kit."

     "What did you do?" She reached back into the doorway to grab the First Aid kit by the door.

     "Nothing we could've prepared for! I was with Fox--"

     "Well there's your issue. You were with Fox. Shall we?" She asked, offering me her arm.

     "Please take this seriously. We found a person."

     "What?!"