Watching Clancy pace around the camp is almost as heartbreaking as it is annoying. Josh and I know Arlyn and Clancy were close before Arlyn apparently didn't die, but seeing him like this is almost sickening,
"Clancy, please man, just sit down please," I groan at him, "Making a small trench walking is not going to help Arlyn." Clancy's head snaps around,
"Sit down?" Clancy's voice soft yet aggressive, his eyebrows raised. I know what's about to happen, "Tyler, we haven't done anything other than sit on our asses for a month!" Clancy's voice gets louder and louder, the eyes of everyone in the camp slowly stare at him as he yells at me, "Sitting here doing nothing isn't going to help them jack-ass!" he basically screams, his body trembling slightly with so much anger. More than I'd ever seen him hold.
"Clancy, take a breath, Tyler was just trying to get you to calm down a bit," Josh chimes in. Clancy simply gestures over to me in silent anger before balling up his fists and shaking before dropping it and slumping down to the ground, his knees to his chest, arms wrapped around his knees, face buried within. Clancy lifts his face just enough to be heard,
"It's been a month at most." that tone. It was defeat. "Arlyn was in line to become glorified." he almost whispers, and everything goes quiet. "again," he almost laughs, his voice hitching. Clancy is crying.
"That's why you wanted to get them sooner, wasn't it?" Josh moves over to sit on the ground with him and I join.
This takes me back to when we first heard that Arlyn was picked. None of us were allowed to see the ceremony. After it was done, Reisdro came and told us the news. Clancy, Josh, and I all met up at our little hideout in the tunnels, like when we were kids, and sat around, just like this, in that small room underground.
"I can't lose them," Clancy finally breaths, the tears more clear in his soft voice, "not again." he buries his face deeper in his hands. Josh places a comforting hand on Clancy's back and Clancy leans into it slightly as Josh and I look at each other. I don't think either of us has ever seen Clancy like this besides the day we thought we lost Arlyn 5, maybe 6 years ago.
"Josh, anything on the rescue group?" I ask hoping Josh has some kind of good news,
"They checked through Reisdros district and Keons just in case," he reports, "They did pick up a few new escapees-"
Josh stops as Clancy tenses up, but continues,
"Arlyn's room was empty."
Clancy's back shakes with a silent sob, but Josh isn't done,
"It looks like it was packed up in a rush."
Clancy's head shoots up, his red and puffy tear-stained eyes trained on Josh, an ember of hope shines in them,
"Abby found ripped bits of drawings still on the walls and this," Josh reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of folded paper, handing it to Clancy who snatches it and unfolds it with shaky hands and smiles, whipping a tear from his cheek with his palm,
"It's you Tyler," he chuckles through his now happy tear while handing it to me. I will admit, I may have snatched it out of his hands with a bit more excitement than I meant to,
"Gimme it," I will admit, I may have snatched it out of his hands with a bit more excitement than I meant to. Looking at it made me smile:
A roughly sketched drawing me and Arlyn the day they showed up and tried to stay with me when I got snatched last time.
It took me a moment of looking up to realize why Clancy and Josh were smiling at me like that. I started to cry as well. With a smile on my face, I playfully shove Clancy,
"See? Arlyn always finds a way to get out!" my eyes almost refuse to leave the drawing as Clancy shoves me back lightly. Taking a breath to calm myself, I pass it back to Clancy, "You need it more," I tell him, and he smiles as he takes it back. Rubbing the paper between his fingers in silence for a bit, he speaks,
"What would the chances of Arlyn being out in Trench be?" he asks, turning slightly to Josh,
"Well," Josh starts, "If this is the same Arlyn we knew all those years ago, then chances are that they are already out in Trench," he smiles and Clancy jumps up,
"Could I take a small group to the cavern?" Clancy beams down to Josh who stands as well,
"I can send a group to see, but I don't think you're in the right mindset to go on a rescue run," Josh tells him, but Clancy's face still beams,
"Well one of us will have to go if they are in the cavern," he looks between Josh and me,
"I could go," I grunt while standing up,
"you sure?" Josh tilts his head slightly,
"Why not?" I look over to Clancy, who nods,
"When are we- you guys doing this?" Clancy asks,
"We can try tomorrow around noon," Josh puts a hand on Clancy's shoulder while looking at me, "As long as that's ok with Tyler," I nod, and Clancy almost implodes,
"Thank you guys!" he smiles before walking away, probably to go put the drawing in his tent.
"Are we actually doing this?" I ask Josh who thinks for a moment,
"I'll see if you or I can go, but Clancy can not leave camp for a bit."
"Why not?"
"Arlyn gave him his bandana back when they tried escaping."
"Brave yet stupid. Sounds like the old Arlyn."
"Exactly, meaning Clancy is going to be reckless."
"Good point."
"So we leave at noon tomorrow?"
"Yes, cavern at noon. Got it."
"Good luck Tyler."
"Thanks, Josh."
YOU ARE READING
Rebel Red Hope
FanfictionTRIGGER WARNING: mentions and implied self-harm and mentions of su*c*de! WARNING: Some of the contents of this book might be triggering to some! My name is Arlyn. I am a resident of Reisdro's district in the city of Dema and this is my story. My sto...
