23 Chapter 23 Weeping in the Nigh (1/2)
”It's starting to get dark, Vonn. We need to stop and set up the tent,” said Gia as he continued to pull her by the hand.
”I know. There's water up ahead, I can hear it. We should stop there, so we can refill our waterbags,” he said, not looking back at her.
”Are you mad at something?” asked Gia, confused by his behavior.
”Gia, I think he's mad at the satyr,” said Mikey, still trying to skip and keep up at the same time.
”What do you mean? Vonn?” she asked, jerking her hand free and making him stop. ”What's wrong?”
”Did you know you stared at his chest? What about the way you glanced down his entire body like it was candy?” he growled, swinging around angrily.
”What are you talking about?” she asked, confused. She remembered looking at his entire body, but only because it was so different.
”That!” he cried, motioning towards her face with both hands. ”That's what I'm talking about! You were thinking about him again, weren't you?”
”Vonn, do you think yelling is appropriate?” cautioned Tom. ”There are things in this forest we don't understand just yet.”
”Let them hear!” he growled, turning back around after giving her a dirty look. ”The stream is right up here.”
Gia looked over at her mother, tears in her eyes as she fought the urge to get mad. What was going on? He acted like she wanted to be with the satyr! Had he lost his mind?
”Let's go, dear,” said her mom quietly. ”It's probably not a good idea to get separated.”
Gia nodded, wiping her eyes and helping her parents through the thick brush that crowded up against the edge of the small stream. It was deep enough for someone to be fully immersed if they sat on the bottom, in the middle of the stream, but the edges were only about knee deep.
Vonn was standing in a small clearing, looking at it angrily before turning back.
”What's wrong, Vonn?” asked Mikey. ”Isn't that spot big enough for the tent?”
”Do you want deer walking all over us in the middle of the night? We need to find a spot that isn't a main path for every creature around.”
”Oh,” said Mikey, cowed by Vonn's harsh tone.
Spotting another clearing just off the edge of the water, behind some bushes, Gia called out, ”Vonn, I found a spot! What about over here?”
He paused, as if listening to something and shook his head before coming back.
”I guess it'll work,” he said gruffly, throwing his bag down and pulling the tent off the back of his bag.
”Vonn?” she whispered. ”I don't know what I did to make you so mad, but this isn't like you.”
”What? What isn't like me?” he snapped, glaring at her.
”This,” she said, waving her hands at his angry face and the bag on the ground. ”You've never thrown anything around like that, or raised your voice to me.”
”You going to look at every guy we come across like you did back there?” he asked, pulling the strings loose and giving the tent a sharp shake. ”Why did that giant rush to save us from the mermaid? What did you do that would suddenly make him so willing to save you? Huh?”
”Now see here!” growled Tom, dropping his bag on the ground. ”Are you saying my daughter did something unfaithful?”
”What would you know? You're blind as a bat. You can't see the looks people give you, or the way they mouth their thoughts where you can't hear them,” snarled Vonn, throwing the tent to the ground.
”You're not my Vonn,” whispered Gia, wondering what could have happened. ”My Vonn is the most wonderful person in the whole world. He understands me better than anyone! My Vonn would never yell at me or say such hurtful things!”
Her voice rose as she talked, and tears began to pour down her face.
”Why are you being so mean?” asked Mikey, walking up to Gia and patting her arm. ”Vonn is never mean to anyone!”
Vonn snarled, almost like an animal, and stormed off towards the water. They all stood there, stunned.
”Does anyone know what just happened?” asked Carla in the sudden silence.
”The young man was bit by a fairy,” said a deep slow voice behind them. ”He's also got a spell on him by a satyr. Those creatures are always up to trouble.”