Just an Echo in the Darkness

~Chapter Twenty One~

The stage was back again. Ambria wandered out of her cell, checking twice there were no guards around before she left completely. To be honest, she was scared of them, a lot. They smiled when they forced them to work, and even when they shot Ambria's friends and peers.

Ambria couldn't help the habit of looking for Bryce's fluffy brown hair. She looked around. There were about fifty people who looked the right size and had the hair Bryce usually did. None of the faces faced her, so she couldn't tell which one was Bryce's. She wandered over her friends, feeling defeated.

Why couldn't Bryce just talk to her? She could explain everything, and not have this guilt and pain overriding her stomach daily, making her want to throw up. Everyone was looking up at the black stage that was set up again. Everyone seemed to be fidgeting with their fingers, taking sideward glances at everyone. The guards circled everyone into a small area and made them look up at the stage.

Just then, the same person on the wheelchair entered again.

Greylan seemed to be the most fidgety. He kept avoiding eye contact with everyone, and looking pretty much anywhere but the person up on stage.

The person on the wheelchair came forward to the edge of the raised area. He had dark hair and when he turned his head to face the crowd his eyes seemed to have a glint of milky brown. He appeared to be staring right at Ambria, or in her area. Ambria quickly looked away, not liking his eyes on her.

"Welcome!" the man said, he grinned from ear to ear. "I realized this morning that I forgot to introduce myself last time. My name is Tydus Crawford."

The name seemed to bring shivers to everyone. Sky seemed to be shaking the most, but she was also staring at Greylan. Ambria smiled. At least someone's relationship was beginning and not ending, unlike hers.

Ambria noticed each of her friends fidgeting with their fingers. They all avoided eye contact, remembering what happened to Hudson. Ambria suddenly felt like she was going to puke. She had only been caring about herself.

She had barely thought about what had happened to Hudson, and everyone else.

Ambria had barely tried to talk to Bryce. Bryce probably thought that she didn't care and that is why he was staying away.

With each thought about how she hadn't checked on Harper after Hudson had been taken. Harper had even comforted her about Bryce when she didn't even know what was going on but she hadn't done the same for her.

Ambria felt so bad. She didn't even find out or ask about each of her friends how they got there, how bad everything was. She had barely even talked to Brielle.

Each of her friends were always there for her, but Ambria never seemed to be there for them when they needed. Ambria felt so many things. Heartbreak. Guilt. Pain.

Ambria had been so worried about her foot and the work she never seemed to pay any attention to her friends. No wonder their group is falling apart, it was all because of her.

Julia. She was gone.

Bryce. He had left.

Sky. Her eyes filled with non hope like they used to be. She used to obsess over her books and always had a smile on her face. But now she sat in the corner not speaking up, just wanting to be alone.

Brielle. So worried about all her friends, she barely takes time for herself. She used to sit with her notebook drawing sketches of the future designs she would make for the fashion industry. She used to ask Ambria daily to do her makeup and hair for her. Now all she did was comfort everyone, and put on what Ambria could tell was a fake smile.