Mountains and Buffalo.

Chapter 20: Cold and Composed.

I didn't know for how long we ran, and truly, I was shocked that we did without facing any roadblocks, but we made it to our abode.

The first step I took into that door, I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. Juke placed Rover down and sat on one of the wooden tables.

"We... ain't there yet, kid. One last push."

"...Curses."

I gritted my teeth and got on my feet. When I arrived at the counter, I knocked it in poor imitation of how Dennis did. The backdoor opened and out came the man from earlier.

"Oh, you've returned. Where is Dennis?"

"..."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if I even could. But Juke was there to help me.

"I'll get ya caught up on the situation, man. Yer not gonna like it though."

He furrowed his brows and solemnly nodded, granting us access to our living quarters. We walked in haggardly. The first thing I did was claim a seat on a couch. Juke placed Rover on the one opposite of me.

"I'll go tell the guy the news."

"Alright."

He left the room. I was all alone now. Aside from the sleeping Rover, of course, but she didn't count.

I was alone now. I didn't have anyone to talk to, nor anything to gander at. I didn't have anything to distract myself with.

So, with nothing to stop them, thoughts flooded my brain.

"Damn it. Just, damn it."

I leaned over, planting my face into my hands and harshly rubbing it, trying to sort out the mess in my mind.

"..."

I felt hopeless.

Truly, I felt hopeless.

It was just my luck that things turned out this way, wasn't it? It was just my luck that, despite my efforts to truncate the mission, I still faced such a hideous obstacle. It was iniquity from the very world. Hard-Bringer? What kind of cruel joke was being played here? Somehow, the severity didn't register with me until just now. Hard-Bringer; I had to overcome the clutches of a group so vile and infamous that even an esoteric kid from the boonies like me knew about them.

"Hard-Bringer... why, why now? Why? Why!?"

I hadn't even the strength to flail and squander. The only outlet for my frustrations was this couch; all I could muster up was a dozen slams on the armrest. It did little to assuage my worries– in fact, it only made them rebound harder. I pinched my nose and rubbed my brow. I scratched my skin and stomped my feet. Then, I laid back, gluing my eyes to the ceiling.

It only made them rebound harder. I didn't move this time. I wouldn't repeat that mistake. So, I glared at the ceiling.

"Ya don't look so good."

"Juke!?"

He made me jump. I didn't even hear the door open. I felt embarrassed.

"H-How much did you see?"

"See what?"

"Phew..."

At the very least, that weight was lifted off my shoulders. I sunk deeper into the couch. Juke walked past me and sat on the seat beside mine, leaning his head on his hand and sighing.

Silence permeated throughout the room. The already sullen mood was growing dimmer by the second. If it went on any longer, I would've lost my mind, so I spoke up about the first miscellaneous topic that came to mind.