Asylum - On the Run Sequel

Chapter 10

Mumbo still saw the twinkle in Grians eyes. The freedom he felt when he flew into the sky. The hope in his eyes when talking about his friends. Mumbo was still very much in love with Grian but he knew the feeling was one-sided.

Platonic picnics and seaside adventures became a daily thing. Mumbo hired a rental boat for a month and he would sail along as Grian swooped in between the boat and the water, careful not to get his wings wet.

Xisuma sat on the back of the boat listening to the chirps of Grian and the screams of Mumbo when the avian was getting scarily close. Xisuma knew that Mumbo was struggling with his emotions but honestly? He was proud of the human.

Night times were Mumbo's favourite time. It was the most beautiful sight, the stars, the moon, Grian explaining what the stars looked like to their blind friend. It warmed his heart.

Grian on the other hand hated night times. The clouds were grey and colourless. The sky had no vibrant feeling. But the biggest thing of all, when he was flying, the stars were always just that little bit too far away to reach. The world was dark and cold again. There was no noise. No people. Nothing.

And the sun rose. The warmth creeping up his skin. The sky painted with pinks and reds and oranges. Worries and fear fading as the moon goes back into hiding. Animals returning from sleep to busy the world. He could fly with clouds swarming him, with birds beside him, his friends below watching from the water.

Near the forest, what did they plant? An orange tree. For Grian to pick in the summer and eat. But that wasn't the last of foods Mumbo showed him, oh no. Ice cream, chocolate, strawberries, cherries, cheese, popcorn, Grian was drooling over it all. He couldn't believe he had missed out on all of this for years! He was happy to have found it, even if it was a little late.

And the three of them stayed clear of Concorp. Never going near that place again. The guilt of their friends dragging them down but the knowledge of their freedom enough to keep them going. Besides it couldn't be that bad what was happening, could it?

No. Concorp was for hybrids by hybrids. Not like any of the other places Grian had been. It was all fine. There was nothing scary about that place. That was what normally happened. That was normal. It had to be. His friends are in that place. They're not getting hurt. They're getting treated nicely. They are. They're ok.

———————————————————————————

Mumbo knew their friends were anything but ok. As much as he loved Grian he could tell that the avian was completely wrong. After saving hundreds of hybrids there was a reason he had stayed away from Concorp. The stories about it. The horrible psychological damage that they could and would do to you if they found out you were trying to escape.

So for them to trap the worlds first genetically modified hybrid, have it under their control, and then a small group of lowlifes and humans to come and break it out, along with the only avian left? They could not be happy about that.

But maybe there was a reason out of everyone he had saved, Grian came with him. Grian came back to the house with him, Grian was sitting with Mumbo and Xisuma right now.

Mumbo sighed to himself and glanced over at Grian. The blonde was sitting with his legs pulled into his chest, talking with Xisuma.

Something had brought them together. Something bigger than either of them could imagine. But, if it meant risking his own and Grian's capture, could he really go for it?

In a life or death situation. Grian or Iskall. Stress or Xisuma. His friends or himself. Would he truly be able to go and help his friends? Or was he selfish? He was getting along just fine without them, why should it be his problem to go and find them?

Don't be such a dickhead. They'd do the same for you.

Would they? What about that day in the forest?

Leaving you for a minute as a joke is not the same as leaving them for the rest of their lives in a torture house.

But I have Grian and Xisuma here. I don't need them.

Don't need them my ass. You got Iskall to tie your shoes until Grian showed up and you wanted to seem cool. Stress would still make everyone meals if she was here. You went crying to Doc when your Redstone didn't work.

Tying shoes is hard and I feel like you don't appreciate that.

I am literally a voice in your own head that you're trying to reason with. And you're changing the subject so I get distracted. You have to go back and get them.

But I can't. I'll get caught. I'll get trapped. End of.

But...

———————————————————————————

So it was mutually decided. Mumbo wasn't going to help his friends due to his happiness. Grian was too deep in his denial to even think about going to help them. Xisuma wanted to bring up the issue but didn't want to ruin the happiness that the three had together.

And yet all three had underlying problems with the circumstances. Not wanting to spoil it for the other two but yet knowing in the back of their minds that it wouldn't, couldn't last forever. Eventually, something would happen with Concorp. With two of the three being rare hybrids it was almost impossible the calm would last forever.

So they enjoyed it while it lasted, as short as that time was.