Confusing Earth - Chapter 25: Scram

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Chapter 25: Scram

Meerkats barked. Elephants trumpeted. Lions roared. One meerkat would bark and the others would all run away. The barker seemed to be in charge, telling the others to scram and when it barked at them, scram they did. The order to go away was not a threat however and was an important part of survival. The barker, a female in charge of the family unit, was keeping an eye out for threats while the others went away to forage for food. Most of the day was spent looking for food and while the female was always in charge, the role of lookout was shared throughout the day by various meerkats. The female was keeping lookout when she became distracted by seeing some creatures staring at her. She had learned these were not a threat here but they sure could stare. She continued her job while the creatures gawked at her.

"These are the meerkats" said Nathan, looking at them.
"They are really cute" said Maree. They had been walking around the zoo for about an hour now. Liam looked over Bella's shoulder watching the meerkats prance while they walked off to the next attraction.

They reached the reptile house.
"Let's go in here" said Bella.
"You guys go" said Nathan, "I might just stay out here for a bit".
"You sure?" asked Bella.
"Yes" said Nathan, "You go". The family walked off. Nathan watched them for a moment, then went over to a bench, sat down and held his head in his hands.
'What am I doing?' he thought.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, when he felt a hand touch his side. HE looked up. There was Maree next to him.
"Oh Maree" he said, "Are you guys finished in there?"
"No" answered Maree, "I just came out. What's wrong Nathan?"
"Nothing" said Nathan.
"Don't lie to me Nathan" said Maree, "I could pick up you haven't been feeling quite right today. Your body screams it."
"Really?" said Nathan, "Bella..."
"Bella didn't pick up on it" said Maree, "She doesn't pick up on this stuff that much. Emotions like humans have are still pretty new to all of us, but I've become more attuned to my own and others' human emotions than Bella has. Now what's wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it" said Nathan.
"We have to talk" said Maree, "By a weird twist of this thing humans call fate, we are living like a family now. Not talking will just shatter this situation. It's important to talk unless you want this situation to shatter."

Nathan looked at Maree.
"Okay Maree" said Nathan, "I did a really bad thing".
"What?" asked Maree.
"If I tell you, it will ruin it" said Nathan, "Everything will change."
"Does the change need to happen?" asked Maree.
Nathan looked at Maree and took a deep breath.
"Yes it needs to happen. What's been going on now isn't right. I can't be that guy" said Nathan.
"What guy?" asked Maree.
"The same as the guy that ruined my family" said Nathan, "Jack rung my phone"
"What!?" exclaimed Maree.
"He rang my phone wanting to see you all. He said he was sorry and he realises he was wrong and that the organisation is evil. He asked if I had seen you all and I said no" confessed Nathan.
Maree looked at Nathan.
"Why did you say no?" she said softly.
"I don't know" said Nathan, "It's been a good few weeks and then he rung out of the blue and I looked into the kitchen and saw you kids sitting at the table and Bella standing there cutting stuff up and something overcame me. I spoke before I truly thought it through."
"So you saw us and it made you stop Jack?" asked Maree, confused.
"Yes it's hard to explain. My life was crap before you guys came and then suddenly life was good. It was the perfect picture. Children chatting at the table, wife..." Nathan's voice trailed off.
"Wife?" asked Maree,"Nathan, she's not your wife."
"Of course I know that" snapped Nathan.
"Do you wish she was?"

Nathan didn't know how to answer that question so he chose not to.
"It would not matter whether I wish that or not, Maree" said Nathan, "My Mum left my Dad for another man. I hated that other man for tearing apart my family. I can't be that person".
"We are not a real family though" said Maree, "Only paperwork says that Jack and Bella are married".
"Where do you draw the line on what is a real family or marriage?" said Nathan, "You, Bella, Max and Liam all act like a real family and Jack is part of that. Your family may have been created by a controlling evil organisation, but a family is a family. I would love to use that loophole but I feel what I did is wrong still. Besides, you would rather all members of your mission be together wouldn't you?"
Maree thought about this for a moment.
"Yes of course I would" said Maree. Nathan touched his phone in his pocket.
"Call him or leave it" said Maree, "You have been a great help to us. Whatever you do, I will support you".
Maree then went back into the reptile house.