The Rat Race

A quiet conversation

Blu sat in the hut, sweating under the heat and watching the others sleep. Occasionally he would unthinkingly cradle his left hand to his chest. It was going to be a long day.

He hadn’t spoken to Lunx since he had regained conciousness, nothing more than what was necessary. He had heard what the other had said about the events of the devastation, but he had known instantly that Lunx had lied. It made no sense for Alexei to do something like that to his power source.
What hurt the most wasn’t that Lunx had lied, or even that his reckless actions had almost killed Blu. It was that his brother hadn’t told him what he had been going to do. Because for once, just once, Blu felt he had understood what Lunx had been trying to do.
In truth, Blu agreed with Lunx’s decision. It was far too dangerous for someone like Alexei to have access to a power source like that, and Blu had been considering means of destroying or removing it even before they had discovered Alexei. True, Lunx’s methods had not been what Blu would have chosen, but at least he had done something- in his own way. But he hadn’t told anyone what he was doing, and it had almost killed them all. And now he wouldn’t tell Blu the truth. Blu clenched his hands into claws as the anger filled him up again. It wasn’t right! They were supposed to be family. A twinge made him glance down at his hand, and as always his eyes were drawn to the bare ring finger.

“Are you hurt?”

Blu blinked, looking up from his left hand. Jenny sat across from him, staring. It had been a while since she had said anything. They would often talk at night when everyone else was asleep, usually of trivial things. Tonight had been largely quiet, however, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Not anymore. Why? Am I bleeding?” he glanced quickly over himself.

“No, but you seem to touch your hand a lot. Is there something wrong with it?”

Blu smiled a little wryly, relieved. “Not physically, no. I just… feel a little bare sometimes. I’ve been feeling it more keenly lately.”

Jenny raised her eyebrows. “Uh… bare?” Recognition dawned. “Oh, your wedding ring, right. You gave it up, didn’t you? If you miss it, why don’t you just get a new one? They’re not hard to find.”

“It wouldn’t be the same. Mine was special, unique.”

Jenny laughed, a sharp bark. “What, did you get the one encrusted with jewels instead of Xiggy? Cos I have to say, it doesn’t usually work like that.”

Blu smiled ruefully. “Alas, no. We were a little too poor back then for anything fancy. But I marked it, so that I would always know it was mine. And now I will probably never see it again.”

“Marked it? How? With magic?” Jenny leaned forward, interest showing plainly on her face.“That’s pretty neat.”

“No, nothing so complicated.” He paused, glancing across at his sleeping wife. “Her name is engraved on the inside. It was so that she was always close by me, even when we were apart. At least that was the idea. I suppose it’s a little ironic now, given how easily I gave it up.” He looked back down at his hand again, lightly touching the empty finger.

Jenny sighed loudly, and leant back against the wall. “You know, sometimes you guys are so cute it’s fucking depressing.”


“Oh, you know what I mean. You hold hands when you think nobody is watching, you’re always checking on each other to make sure your both still OK and nearby, whenever you look at her your face goes all soft and soppy. Plus the whole thing where your brother is an absolute nutter,”- she held up a hand a Blu’s protestation-" no, he is, don’t deny it, and yet despite only having a little time left after you GAVE UP YOUR SOUL for him, she’s still there. She still wants to be with you despite the scars, and the looming death and all the rest of us. You just go on as normal, and you look at each other like you two are the only people in the world. Man, I would give anything for that. I think anyone in their right minds would." There was a long pause, before she sighed again, waving a hand. “Sorry, I’m being a bummer.”

“There are a few eligible gentlemen in our group. You could maybe…?” Blu ventured, half-joking.

“Seriously? Let see… Boring, uh, I mean Borin loves his weapon more than any person. Garret is a prejudiced psycho. And Lunx is a little short for me. I’d rather people didn’t think my lover was a child I had kidnapped. So that’s a no. Besides, that wasn’t my point.”
She looked at him, eyes fierce, and gestured forcefully towards him. “I guess what I’m trying to say is… You’re so lucky. We both know you know that, but I don’t think you know how much. Don’t ever waste it, OK?”

“I won’t.” Blu smiled, a little sadly.

“Good. I’m going to sleep now. Wake me up if anything exciting happens.” She lay down on a bunk and rolled over. Blu sat and stared at the wall, absent-mindedly cradling his left hand. He was lucky indeed.



A quiet conversation
