Owen Changes His Mind

20. Open Door

written by typoAdventure and HypnoEnvy together
BIG kudos to Hypno

Apo moved quickly once they decided on a course of action. They swarmed down the ladder like a lizard, skipping several rungs. "Owen!" they called, even before they were within hearing range. Apo could feel the oppressive heat through their shoes and wondered how it was affecting Owen, who had been down here the whole time.

Surprisingly, Owen was awake. He turned as soon as he heard Apo's voice. "Apo?"

Apo didn't waste time. "Owen, the lava is rising. We're getting out of here. You have to come with us, come on," they urged, opening the door as they spoke.

Owen gasped, retreating. "What are you doing!?" He grabbed Buddy and held it close.

Apo grinned quizzically. "What do you mean? I'm getting you out of here. Nobody deserves to burn to death. Here," they added, shoving something into Owen's free hand, then taking his wrist. "Come on!"

Owen looked at the javelin in his hand. His eyes widened. Owen looked at Apo, turning away from him, showing their back. Owen threw the spear away from both of them. "Are you mad!?" he demanded. "I'm not coming!"

Apo turned just in time for Owen to yank his hand away. Owen cringed away from Apo, unshed tears shining in his eyes. Apo's expression fell. "Owen..."

"Just go," Owen pleaded, and his expression hurt Apo to look at.

Apo took a step back towards the unlocked prison door. "Alright, Owen," they quavered. Apo set the bow and quiver Red had given them on the floor where they stood. Then Apo quietly demanded, "Look at me, Owen." Apo waited for Owen to look up from the spear. "You don't deserve to burn." Owen's eyes widened. Apo turned and walked down the hallway away from the cell.

Owen watched Apo walk the entire way, their pace unhurried. It was almost too much to bear. The javelin was right behind him. He knew exactly where it was. He knew a thousand different ways to throw it. The javelin's presence burned him.

You don't deserve to burn.

Apo was climbing the ladder. They were gone. Owen let out a shaky breath. He turned on the javelin. "You." He narrowed his eyes. Owen turned back to the ladder. He looked at the door. Owen set buddy down safely on the shelf and ran to the ladder. Apo was gone. They were gone.

"Hey! You're back," Owen heard someone saying from far away. He heard Apo's voice, but not what they said. They exchanged a few more words. Owen tilted his head. Apo sounded... different. Relaxed. Happy? Owen felt his control shatter. He leaned on the ladder and cried, silent sobs wracking his shoulders, his whole body. Apo deserved to be happy. This was right for Apo. Apo deserved happiness.

A rumble shook the jail. Owen heard a fire crackle to life. He looked to find the source. Lava. Lava in his cell, and his bed was on fire. Buddy was in danger. Owen raced across the long hallway and snatched Buddy, who was warm to the touch, too warm. And there, Owen's backpack. It didn't have anything left inside, but it would be nice to have-

Owen was almost pulled off balance by the heavy backpack. He shouldered it, wheezing slightly with the effort. Owen dragged it to the other side of the hallway, kicking the bow and quiver into a lava column on the way. He peered inside. The green backpack was stuffed with food and several water containers. "Oh, it's... full?" Owen stared. It had been empty when Rasbi... How had that happened? When?

Owen held the backpack in his lap and watched the lava fill his cell. He watched the bed disappear behind the slow moving fiery mass. He would stay here. "It won't be long, now. Then I can rest." Owen grinned savagely as he thought of the javelin burning behind the lava. Then he felt the weight of the backpack, anchoring him here, to the ground just beyond the lava. Owen looked down.

Owen could feel something shift in his stomach as he realized who had filled his pack. Or rather, it wasn't even his pack - it was Apo's. But when had they done it? Owen couldn't remember. The pack had been in prison with him the entire time. Owen couldn't stop the feeling blooming in his chest. Hope. It was hope.

"No," Owen said aloud. He would finally be able to pay for everything he'd done- all the cities, all the parents, all the demons. "It's my time. I'll face my fires with dignity. It's what I deserve."

You don't deserve to burn.

Apo. Damn that kid. Bless them. "Dammit," Owen said, "dammit." He couldn't end it. He slid the backpack on. It was heavy on his back as he climbed the ladder.

Owen couldn't stop himself from planning. "Okay. I can do this," he coached himself as he climbed the ladder. "I'll stay out of their way. I won't wear armor. I won't carry weapons. I'll just, I'll follow from a distance." As Owen followed his friends into the dark maze, he did not think of the danger he was in. Owen's thoughts were fixed on how dangerous he could be to his friends.