The Dead Among Us

Dysfunctional family

The second the bell released the students, Benji stormed out of the classroom with a vengeance. She marched straight to her bike and stood there, arms crossed over her chest, anger etched deep into her face.

When Kenji came around the corner and saw her huffing and puffing her chest, foot tapping on the ground, he rolled his eyes.

"Who got your panties in a bunch?" he smirked, throwing a leg over the bike to hop on. Her tone was laced with mockery as she answered, "A couple of people, actually, but mainly Disciple Craig. Know anything about that?"

Kenji's face visibly tensed, but he attempted to shrug it off. "Nope," he replied, then swiftly sped away.

"I'm not finished talking to you!" she shouted, quickly mounting her bike and catching up to him. "I'm serious, Kenny! You know something, don't you?"

"No, I don't," he insisted, keeping his voice as steady as possible. 

"Then why was I called to his office?"

Kenji's bike tires squealed in protest as he skidded to a halt. His eyes turned sharply to his little sister behind him. She followed suit, braking hard and using her legs on the ground to keep the bike straight up.

"W-What did he say?" he gritted out.

"He asked what you told me and what I know!" Benji screamed.

"What did you say?!"

"That I don't know anything!"

"—Good! Keep it that way!" Kenji exclaimed and then quickly peddled away, the sound of the bike chains overclaiming the trees being blown in the breeze.

"Kenny, tell me what's going on, or I'm telling Dad!" she threatened without pedaling forward.

"Empty threat!" he screamed back and took a sharp turn out of view.

Benji mumbled under her breath, "Asshole!" and sped off to catch up with him, opting to stand and pedal rather than sit and gain more speed.

When she finally caught up with him, she screamed, "Tell me!"

"No!" he cried back.

"I'm involved too now, Kenny. I need to know!" she pleaded.

"If you were involved, you'd know, dumbass!"

That was it. Benji drove forward with all her might and slammed her tire into his rear one, screaming, "I'm not a dumbass!" The jolt sent him to the side and off balance, crashing into the asphalt.

Now, she had done it. 

Kenji rarely lashed out, but when he did, she was done for. 

 Her eyes bulged as she tried to race off. Kenji had seconds to get his revenge; he grabbed a stick, and as her bike sped past him, he jammed it into her tire. It spun in the wheel and smacked against the metal bar, instantly bringing her bike to a stop. The back end went flying in the air as she was projected forward, meeting the same destiny as Kenji, sprawled out in the concrete. 

 Kenji limped off the ground, a scrape on his elbow starting to bleed and trickle down his forearm and a tear in his pants. Dizzy Benji saw him coming, but it was too late. She rolled to her stomach and propped her hands on the ground, trying to bolt off. But he grabbed her by the leg, hurling her over on her back, and then clenched with two hands the scruff of her shirt, yanking her up off the ground and inches from his face. 

 "Do you wanna go missing like Bri?!" he roared. 

 "What?..." she could barely process his question. "You know what happened to Bri?"