A Place Beyond All Kingdoms

A New Hole in the Group

Chapter 20

Bre:

Flame rips Dew off of Nick. "You okay?" I ask.

"I'm fine," Nick says standing up.

"I wasn't talking to you," I say turning to Dew. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just got a bit too angry."

"A bit?" Nick smirks.

"Do you wanna see me get angrier?"

"Sure sweetheart, let's see what you've got."

"Really? Fuck face? Oh my Lord! I have never hated anyone as much as I hate your dumbass!"

"Nick didn't do anything! Give the poor guy a brake his girlfriend just died!" Fay says.

"She died because of him!"

"They've got a point," Jared says. "It is his fault."

Fay turns around. "That's why we're not together!"

"No! That's not why! We're not together because you're an inconsiderate bitch!"

"You were the one who ditched me!"

"And it was your fault I was so angry."

"Now he's the one with a point for once," Flame says.

"How can you say that? He left her behind!" Snow defends Fay.

Suddenly everyone bursts into argument. Two different sides are split between us.

I back away stay in out of it. My eyes wide, at the sight of how suddenly earnest these people are to rip each other's throats out.

In the process of backing away, I almost trip over Jasmine's body.

"Stop!" I scream.

They all turn towards me.

"Don't you guys see it? Jasmine is dead. She's gone forever, and there's nothing we can do about it now. What's done is done. There's no solving it! But we're not dead. We're still here, alive. And we need to do one thing for Jasmine, we need to get there safely and continue on with our lives. It's what she would have wanted us to be together, and not split up! We need to do this together and not give up."

They all stare at me, almost dumbfounded.

"She's right! We can't split up! We need to stay together."

"Fine," the all say in unison.

"I'll go back the things," Dew says.

"And I'll help," Nick follows her.

Everyone  goes to do something. While I stand here and stare at Jasmine's dead face. Covered in blood. I grab a bottle and a small bowl and rag.

I pour half a bottle of water into the bowl, I bend down and use the wet rag to clean off her face, and arms, and chest.

No matter how hard I try. I can't stop this feeling I have in my stomach that if I do manage to convince them that we'll all be happy together, that there will still be a hole, ready to tear us up.

For that was the very thing that took Jasmine's life and that can happen again any time, to anyone. And I know it'll happen at some point with us, it'll tear us apart and at the time it happens we'll be nothing but enemies.