The Banner Siblings (DISCONTINUED-REWRITTEN VERSION OUT!)

Chapter Thirteen: The Run Part 2

"Hey Ash, Logs." Aiden said as the two sat down in their respective seat on the bus. "Rough night huh?"
Ashlyn simply groaned in response. She was too tired for this shit. Logan's head practically fell on her shoulder as he sat down next to her, practically falling asleep.
Aiden hummed to himself and pulled out the homework. He flashed it in the Banner's faces.
"I finished the homework. Wanna copy?"

"Thanks," Ashlyn said as she bugged her brother awake, wondering how the hell Aiden had so much energy. Aiden smiled.

Class came and went, and before she knew it, it was lunch. Ashlyn sat next to her brother in awkward silence. They were sitting with the rest of the group, but it still felt so awkward. No one was saying anything.

"I think we should go back to savannah." Tyler said.

"I thought everyone agreed it was too dangerous?" Logan said.

"So what? We're just supposed to be stuck here forever?"

"I'd rather be semi stuck then permanently stuck," Ashlyn said.

"Well maybe if you told us the truth from the beginning, we wouldn't be stuck at all!"

"I already explained why I didn't—"

"Aren't you one to talk? Your the one who brushed it off as a prank and walked off." Aiden said. "If she had said anything? Would you have even believed her? With your personality, I seriously doubt it."

Tyler slammed his hands down on the table in rage.
"WERHER I WOULDVE BELIEVED IT OR NOT SHE SHOULD OF SAID SOMETHING! NOW WERE STUCK IN SOME DEMOIC DIMENSION RUNNING AWAY FROM FLESH EATING DEADLY CREATURES! IVE LOST COUNT OF HOW MANY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES IVE HAD! NONE OF US HAVE SLEPT IN DAYS—WE CANT TELL OUR PARENTS OR ANY—"

THUD!

Ben slammed his hand down on the table, startling everyone. He held a finger up to his mouth, telling Tyler to be quiet. Tyler took a deep breath.
"If we don't go back to Savannah where this cycle began, then what else are we supposed to do?" Tyler asked. "I still think we should go back to Savannah."

"Alright." Ashlyn said, tapping her foot in annoyance. "We'll have another vote later tonight."

"Why not after school?"

"Because I have dance," Ashlyn said.

"So, just skip it—" Tyler said.

"Uh Ty? We have stuff to do to." Taylor said. "You have baseball practice and I have a mechanics meeting."

"I um....I promised dad I'd help him out with something after school.." Logan said quietly.

"See? Logan's busy too. Even with what's happening, we can't neglect our futures—"

"We aren't going to have a future if we're dead!" Tyler said.

"It's not just about our futures." Ashlyn said sternly. "If we drop everything to focus on fantasy like events we can't prove, we're going to end up in a psyche ward. Do you think that would make it easier, or harder for us to have meetings during the day?"

"She's got a point y'know. Generally we're what people would call, y'know, crazy." Aiden chimes in.

Tyler stood up and grabbed his tray. "Whatever." He stomped off, only to turn back around and grab Taylor.

"It's not like I don't agree with him. It definitely feels stupid going to dance class when we'll be fighting for our lives later tonight. But if we don't keep some sort of balance, we'll end up ruining our lives. If both worlds." Ashlyn thought, looking across the table at her brother. She eyed his arm suspiciously.
"Hey—where'd you get that bruise?" Ashlyn asked. Logan looked startled and quickly pulled his sleeve down.
"O-oh nothing! I j-just tripped and fell!" Logan said.
Ashlyn eyes him suspiciously. She knew he was lying, but she didn't press on it.

The rest of the day went by without a hitch. Aiden and Ben followed Ashlyn and Logan off the bus, Aiden claiming he wanted to know where Ashlyn's dance studio was located.
"Oh Aiden and Ben are over? I thought you had dance Ash?" Emma asked.

"They wanted to see where the studio was located." Ashlyn explained.

Mike and Emma looked at each other and nodded. They grabbed Logan and Ashlyn's shirt collars and yanked them over the couch.
"Give us a second~!" Emma said, then turned down to face Logan and Ashlyn. "What is going on?!" She asked.

"That's what I'd like to know!" Ashlyn snapped.
"Why'd you yank us over the couch?" Logan asked.

"Look, I'm glad you two are making friends, but aren't you getting close a little too fast?" Mike asked. "After 15 years of your," he pointed at Ashlyn. " 'Yeah dad I like being alone.' And your," Mike pointed at Logan. " 'People scare me.' Is super suspicious."

Ashlyn and Logan glanced at each other, having a silent conversation with each other. They didn't want to lie to their parents, but hanging out was the best explanation they had for day meetings in the graveyard.

"Are they bullying you?"

"What?! No!" Ashlyn said, not noticing how her brother tensed.

"Y'know threatening you to be their friend?" Mike said.

"Blackmailing you? They got dirt on you?" Emma asked.

"What? No! I-it's not like that—" Logan stammered.

"What are we talking about?" Aiden asked.
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".....sorry, got bored waiting."