The friend from Uni.

The slow descend towards calmness.

We discovered that he had taken another person, which meant we didn't have long. We rushed to the abandoned park near the lake to see he was still in the process of filling the hole in. Of course our team was trying to de-escalate the situation but the cops weren't listening to us. They all raised their guns towards him causing him to panic.
"Benny. Look at me." I told making him do so. "We don't want to hurt you. Please put the shovel down and walk toward me, I just wanna help you."
"I can't." He admitted.
"I know. It's scary. Everything is scary, but I need you to listen to me just for a short bit till we can get you help." I told.
"No. No. No. No." he kept repeating.
"Benny it's ok."
"I'm not doing anything wrong."
"I know. I know. But you need to put the shovel down." I told before some moved closer causing him to freak more.
'Please. Please don't let anything bad happen. Let me solve this.'
"Lower your weapons and move back!" I exclaimed towards the police but no one listened to me. "I said lower your weapons and move away your scaring him!"
"Drop the shovel and put your hands up or we will shoot!" One of the cops exclaimed freaking him out more.
As he began to raise the shovel to rub his head with both his hands, I began to see one of the cops begin to pull the trigger.
"No!" I exclaimed before shots were heard and he fell to the ground.
I looked at my feet as tears fell down my face from watching him die. I felt Spencer's arms wrap around me since he knew how much I would be effected by this ending.
"We had no choice." The sheriff told as he came over to us.
"He was just a kid. You had a choice and just took the easy way out." I told before walking back to the cars.

"Are you ok?" Spencer asked as he sat next to me while I stared out of the window of the jet in the corner away from everyone.
"He didn't understand what had happened to him. He was saved before he died, and his brain took that as being reborn. They killed him, because it was easier for them to close the case." I told as tears formed in my eyes. "How could someone do that to a kid, who just doesn't understand what is happening?"
"We tried to stop them."
"That could have be me." I admitted as the tears fell.
"But it wasn't."
"Spence, I knew what he went through. It's terrifying being trapped and you cant spread out, your just trapped in a box with limited air. The only difference was I crawled out and I just went home. I didn't go to the hospital or the police.... I just went home. My father didn't even know I was gone, Peter was freaking out and the twins.... They didn't understand what was going on. I was so broken that I didn't even cry. I.... I just pretend like nothing happened and then as soon as I get home, I have to protect my siblings. I could have turned out like him.... That could have been me, Spencer." I told as I began to cry making him pull me close.
"I'm here. I'm here. I'm going to be here and make sure you are ok." He whispered over and over to make sure I didn't forget it.

"Hey, dad wanted me to get to know you." She told as I sat on my bed and just coloured the book that my supposed uncle gave to me while my siblings did the same in another room.
"Ok."
"Did Sabrina never tell you guys about us?"
"No." I told as she came and sat next to me.
"Wonder why that is."
"She's gone."
"What?"
"Our mother. She's gone. Has been for awhile now."
"For nearly seven years."
"And no one filed a report?" She asked making me shrug.
She didn't say anything after that. We were just in this silence till I saw her lift her hand up causing me to flinch at it.
"Hey, it's ok. I'm not going to hit you." She told jokingly until she saw my expression. "Ashley are you getting hit?"
"No. I'm just very clumsy." I told before going back to focus on colouring the picture.
"Is it ok if I play with your hair?" She asked making me think for a bit till I nodded since I felt safe around her.
She gave me a smile as I moved so I was facing my pillows and she began to play with my hair.
"You have very lovely hair."
"I get it from my Memaw Iris."
"She sounds nice."
"She'll sometimes do hairstyles that she was given growing up. She's visiting family in Africa at the moment with poppy."
"Must be nice."
"I've never been. But she says it's beautiful."
"So any cute boys in your class?"
"Apparently."
"Cute girls?"
"The same. I don't really focus on relationships."
"Why is that? It's ok to get a cute boyfriend or girlfriend if you're into that."
"They are all older then me."
"Ah. By like a year or two?"
"More like around your age.... Maybe a few years older."
"Wow. Didn't know I was in the presence of a super genius."
"I have an IQ of 190."
"Impressive."
"I was scared, but Henry assured me he wasn't going to leave my side through the whole process."
"Henry? Who's Henry?"
"A nice cop from Santa Barbara. He was the dad of one of my best friends from there.... I didn't get to say goodbye to them when we were forced to leave."
"Why were you forced to leave?"
"Just things that happened." I told.
I felt my shirt lower a bit making me freeze before I was showed a piece of hair that fell out of my head.
"This was stuck to your tag." She told making me nod.

After awhile of being alone in my room, my cousin came back with a smile on her face and a suitcase.
"Ok, Ash. How would you feel about having a sleep over with me and my dad?" She asked.
"I can't. I need to be here for my siblings."
"They are coming as well." She told as she came and crouched down in front of me.
"Are you taking us away from our father?"
"We are taking you away." She told with the smile not leaving her face as tears grew in my eyes, causing her to gently take my hands and hold them in hers. "You are no longer going to have to live in fear or be the only one to protect your siblings."
I began to cry as I jumped into her arms and she just tightly held me.
"Thank you." I told.
"I'd do anything for you Ash. Your my baby cousin, and I love you all so much."

We walked into the office and Penelope came rushing towards us. Before any of us could get a word out I was tackled into a hug.
"I heard what happened. I am so so so sorry you had to go through that." She told.
"It's not your fault." I told giving her head a pat before I moved towards my desk to do whatever work I needed to do.
'Maybe Angie would like to spend a weekend or just a week here with me.... I could use her comfort.'

"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
~ Maya Angelou