Hollow Veins

Chapter Eighteen; Is It Too Late To Say Oops?

Prince parked the car near several small buildings. They'd finally reached the edge of a city. Prince opened his door and gave a long yawn. He stepped out, stretched, and gave his door a nice slam. Jasper's door shut, much more quietly than Prince's, "Shhh." One by one, the others filed out. "Careful with the doors," Ari said, giving Prince a look. Prince, unfazed, eyed the crumbling ivy claud building nearest to them, "Looks like it's gonna topple over, doesn't it." Ari shrugged, "You expected it to all be in one piece?" "No, I was just stating a fact." "An unnecessary one." Jasper gave groaned, "Can we not do this?" A silence. Jasper sighed, "Listen, let's just get in stuff inside, we're gonna stay the night here." Slowly, with their bags, they made their way inside. The glass door creaked eerily. There was an expanse of marble floor, cracked and covered in plaster dust. A steep concrete stair case was off to one side. Jasper, in the lead, they slowly went towards the stairs, with Aaron bringing up the lead. Halfway up, Ren slipped. Prince caught her and gently got her back on her feet. "Th-thanks," Still a little shaky, she continued up. Prince glanced back at Jaden , who pointedly looked away. Jaden caught Prince's eye and gave him a not so friendly look. "Move it," Aaron said impatiently. Up ahead, Alice was trying to focus on not falling, instead of the awkwardness of being right behind Jasper. Somehow or another, she'd gotten pushed ahead. Finally, they reached the landing. Once on the second floor, they scattered. Alice immediately went to the far right corner. Prince ruffled through his backpack, then Jasper's, all the while muttering about food. Jaden signed to Jasper that he was going to have a look around. He trudged up the stairs. Yes, he was going to have a look around, but only to be alone. On the fourth floor, there was a tear in the far wall. Jaden sat on the edge and dangled his legs. What was wrong with Prince. I mean, sure, he was an immature nitwit. But that should just annoy him, right. And it was a good thing that he'd caught Ren, or she would have gotten hurt. But the way she'd smiled at Prince... And his arm was still around her. Jaden chucked a piece of rubble as far as he could. His face burned, and he gritted his teeth. Jaden heard shuffling behind him. He tensed, hoping not to hear Prince's accent. "You gonna tell me what's wrong, or do I have to beat it out of you?" Alice sat next to him, holding two small plastic bowls. Jaden shrugged. What was there to tell? He didn't even know himself what was wrong. "Oh, don't give me that clueless act nonsense. Have something to do with... Prince?" He sighed and signed, "I guess. He just..." He paused, not knowing how to put this. Jaden wasn't really an open up about feelings person, but he did like talking... well "talking" to Alice. "He and Ren... always laughing and talking..." Alice looked at him. Jaden gritted his teeth and looked away. Slowly and quietly, Alice spoke, "You like her, don't you." He folded his arms into a tight knot and shook his head violently. She raised her eyebrow. Jaden shuffled awkwardly, then sighed. Very slowly, he nodded. It was as much of a suprise to him as Alice. "And you think she and Prince..." Jaden threw another rock out the hole. As much as he disliked Prince, he knew his anger wasn't justified. Jaden couldn't help liking Ren, so neither could those two. He let out a long breath. If they did, that is. Alice pushed a bowl into his hands, "Eat." Jaden signed the best he could with his bowl, "Ok, mom." She shoved him, "Oh shut up. Who knows, maybe I poisoned it." Setting down his bowl, he signed, "Rude." "Well, poison doesn't always kill you." "Always?" "Hey, at least you'd, most likely, be alive. That's how kind I am." He pushed her, "Oh you're so merciful." She grinned, "I know." Jaden took a small sip of the soup. "It's a very special recipe called Can-edd soup." He adjusted his bowl on his lap, "Wow I feel so blessed." They ate in silence for a minute, then Jaden signed, "It sucks, you know? This is like pretty much the apocalypse. Why is... this isn't the time...can't feelings just kill themselves." Alice laughed, "you're telling me? You can't fully control feelings, I guess. It's annoying. But no matter how dark the situation nature never changes." He smirked, "Ok, fortune cookie." She elbowed him. "Hey, you said it, first. I just said it smarter." Jaden gave her a skeptical look. "Oh shu -" He smirked even wider. "Stop signing! And let's get get downstairs and get some sleep."

Jasper sat up in a cold sweat. Just a dream. He almost went back to bed but then he noticed something strange. Someone was gone. He did a head count. Aaron. Where was Aaron? "Guys. Where's Aaron?" Prince shouted something unintelligible. He sat up too and garbled out, "Wha? Is some un hurt?!" Alice rolled over and opened her eyes, "Wh-what?" Jasper gestured to the empty spot Aaron had occupied the night before, "Aaron's gone." Alice rubbed her eyes, "He- he probably..." "Did he run off?" Ari was awake now. Alice bit her lip and looked around helplessly. Jasper stood up, "Let's not jump to conclusions. He's probably upstairs, I'll go look." Ren got to her feet, "He might have gone outside." Jaden shared a look with Ari, one that Alice didn't like, "He didn't leave us." They looked at each other again. "He didn't!" Prince crossed to her, "Just calm down. He probably wanted to be alone or something. Right. Guys?" He gave the other two a look. Jaden shrugged. Ari looked steadily back at Prince, "Maybe." Jasper ran down the stairs, slightly winded, "He wasn't - Where's Ren?" Alice spoke, "She's-" A voice from the doorway cut her off, "Right here. And I think..." Inhaling, she stepped in the room hands raised over her head, "I found Aaron." Aaron stepped in behind her. He was pointing a gun at her.