Divided

Chapter 18

The next morning I was so stiff it took me 20 minutes just to put on my shoes, pull up my hair, and walk down to the cafeteria. I spotted Fallon and Will over at our usual table, thankfully Rick was no where to be found.
Fallon made room for me and I winced sitting down beside her.
"Hey, are you okay?" She asked rubbing my back. I nodded, then Fallon eyed the shirt I was in, "nice shirt." She smiled. Just as I opened my mouth to speak I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I turned around: I was face to face with Rick. He had a split lip and a bruise on the side of his face.
"E, please, can I talk to you?" I felt a fire go through me. I was on my feet and shaking my head.
"No," I whispered at first. "No. And if you ever talk to me again I will kill you." There were tears running down my cheeks but I stared him down through them.
"E, please." He whispered, his eyes rimming with tears.
"You are a coward! You're weak. I will never forgive you for what you did." He bit back his tears and nodded, I could feel some eyes on me but I didn't look away from his until he turned away and went back from where he came from.

Fallon was just as pissed after I told her about Rick, she even gave Four sass when he yelled at her for walking too slow. I was the last in the simulation waiting rom and was staring down at my hands. When the door opened Four had to clear his throat to get my attention. I looked up and made myself smile as I walked over into the room. He closed the door just as I went over to the metal chair and sat down.
"You don't have to do the simulation today, you've already been through a lot an"-
"Well I want to." I cut him off and laying back on the chair, "we have the final tomorrow and Jeanine is going to be there and.." Four sighed and rolled his eyes grabbing a syringe, he slowly moved my hair away from my neck. I swallowed and tilted my head to the side my head and groaned feeling the needle pierce my skin.

I opened my eyes.
I was in the pit, all alone, and it was pitch black. I looked over, I saw a light at the end of the hall, I started toward it.
God, it's cold, I thought to myself.
Just as I made it toward the light a hand snatched me back roughly and I fell against the concrete. I gasped and blinked away my dizziness staring up at the foot that was coming toward me. I gasped and rolled out of the way only to get kicked in the back. I cried out and propped myself onto my hands and knees. The figure above me smirked and grabbed my feet and began to drag me. I could hear the rushing water.
"Time to take a swim," the voice sounded like Peter's, or Rick's. I couldn't tell.
"No! Stop!" I heard myself scream. I kicked at the mystery person and tried to grab anything that could slow him down, but nothing seemed to be working. I felt my body being brought up and my back against the rail. "I don't want to die." I felt my mouth move and words come out.
"You're already dead." My head tipped back first, then my whole body was falling.

I gasped and opened my wet eyes. I brought my knees to my chest and closed your eyes.
"Take your time," I heard Four's voice: It sounded genuine, soft, and pitiful.
I didn't like it.
I got up and wiped my face with my hands.
"I'm fine, really, it's nothing." I said putting my feet back on the ground. Four eyed me for a moment then slowly walked over. He stood in front of me and tilted his head as he looked down at me. He hesitantly rose his hand pushed back the curls out of my face and stroked my cheek.
"You don't have to be brave all the time, you know," he mumbled down at me.
"If I won't then who will?" I whispered closing my eyes and relaxing against his touch.
"Let me worry about that." He said as I opened my eyes and looked down at me. "Come over, after your final simulation. I have to tell you something, okay?" I nodded and slowly stood up. His hand stayed against my arm as I stood up, I looked away feeling my cheeks redden then slowly took my arm back.
"I'll see you later," I mumbled as I walked around him and out the back door.

I had been roaming the halls for hours, I was trying to keep Four out of my head, but the harder I tried I just found my feet walking back to his apartment.
Finally I could hear the familiar rush of the waves below the chasm. Just as I was about turn away from my fear I heard a sniff, followed by a wince... Was someone crying?
I looked down the long hallway and slowly walked toward the chasm. Someone was leaning on the railing, looking down at the water. I squinted through the shadows as the person began to move, they swung their leg over the rail and stood on the edge.
They ran a big hand through their dark brown hair, their usual brown eyes were now red and puffy from tears.
"Oh my god..," I whispered to myself.
Rick.
"Rick!" I heard myself yell. I sprinted down the hall and towards the boy who was once my best friend, then almost murderer, and now a victim of suicide.
Rick pulled out a steak from his back pocket and closed his eyes. "Rick!" I yelled. He breathed and in a blur the wooden steak was plunged into his heart. I stopped, no more than 5 feet away now, his body slowly turned a gray color. It was like someone sucker punched me in the stomach. I couldn't breath, I couldn't do a single thing, but watch.
"I'm sorry." He whispered to me. His body fell back, and I watched helplessly as it crashed against the waves.