Terrestrial Alien ✔

Chapter 15: Unfixing and Entering

Joshua

   I'm a little embarrassed in my own babbling, but I find I can't stop.

"...and we were good friends for a week, Seth, a week, and she was so nice!" I'm saying as we walk, and my hands wave around in the air frustratedly as if that can deeper express my irritation.

Seth is smiling softly as he listens, and I'd find it even more infuriating if he was doing it out of derision or amusement, but he's not. He's genuinely listening to me, he has been this whole time, nodding and agreeing with what I have to say pleasantly.

   "That must be so awful..." He mumbles in response, "And she still stood you up?" His smile falters as he says this, but I hardly pay it any mind.

   "Yes!" I breathe, exasperated. "And I still don't understand! I didn't do anything! And still she has the audacity to get pissed at me for something and then not even confront me about it! And then she stood me up! If that's not shitty form I don't know what is! Aruuugh!!" I tangle my hands in my hair and tug with helpless, bitter anger.

   This is what Seth has had to listen to on an almost constant loop for the twenty-ish minute walk we've had from the theatre. I just can't stop talking! Uuugh! He's taken it in stride though, and honestly, he doesn't seem to mind at all. Things had been awkward at first when we had headed out anyway. We had both attempted conversation, but neither of us had known what we could talk about right away. Seth had graciously asked me about myself and what was on my mind at the moment, so of course...

   "I just! Don't! Understand!? What did I do wrong, Seth? Why are girls so hard to deal with?"

   In hindsight, it probably would have been better for me to ask him about what's on his mind instead.

   Unable to do anything else, Seth gives a sympathetic sigh and a shrug. "I don't know? I understand them less than you do, I'm afraid."

   Advice-wise, he's not very helpful. But he's a great listener, I have to give him that, and I can't deny that someone to vent to is and was most appreciated. Needless to say, however, in my angry ranting, I was not even remotely trying to figure out where he was taking me.

   "That's not even to mention—! Oh. Hold on, wait." Abruptly, I bring myself to a stop like I should have done a long while ago. My anger abandons me, only to be replaced by disbelief.

  I finally take in my surroundings as I continue to follow a step behind Seth, and I find that I actually sort of recognise where I am. To the right of the sidewalk we're traversing is a tall sandstone wall that runs the entire length of this block, with banners breaking up the expanse every two metres or so. Each banner is a different color, with a picture of a different animal on each one.

   But... this doesn't make a lot of sense. I know where this is, but if I expected Seth to take me anywhere, I suppose it wasn't this. A secret hangout maybe, a diner or coffee shop, or possibly even where he's been living all these years. But nope. The next banner we pass sports a photo of a couple of happy monkeys in a tree. I look at this, before turning to look at Seth with suspicion, and he looks back with a little smile that says he finds my realisation amusing.

   "Are you taking me to the zoo?" I ask Seth, mostly out of shock, because by now it's obvious.

   Sure enough, at the bottom of each banner is the stylized name of the Grand Junction Zoo, and the wall we're walking by is the very one that I'm sure is less for keeping animals in and more for keeping non-paying citizens out.

   As I said before, I was not anticipating this being his choice in any way.

  Seth grins like he'd planned this all along, which he probably had, and he nods in response to my question. Completely delighted, he says, "Yes! I thought you might like it, I come here often myself when I'm feeling— hmm... Well, not lonely per sey, but... other, possibly. It sort of feels like a home! I like the animals, at least, though I wish they weren't all in cages." This he muses ruefully as we pass a couple of animal statues, one of an elephant and another of a lion.