The Dead Among Us

The announcement

As Benji left her fathers' room, she was overcome by the need to get out of her jeans and into a skirt pronto.

    The friction was unbearable. Every step was a reminder that her butt was very possibly about to burst into flames. She quickly dashed into her room and changed, inspecting her blistered rear end in the mirror before slipping on the skirt.

    She then took a second to wipe off her face and appear more presentable before heading downstairs—downstairs where the family was, and just heard her getting her ass handed to her on a silver platter.

    Her heart thumping with embarrassment, she trekked down the stairs only to be met with a solo Kenji, a bittersweet revelation, who had just finished sweeping up all the glass.

Kenji knew she was there, but he wouldn't talk to her or acknowledge her. 

    Gulping down the dryness in her throat, she approached him. "Kenny?" she asked softly. Her voice was still shaky from crying.

    He brushed past her, his silence a thunderous rebuke, and headed straight for the last big shard of the lamp, his every step a declaration of his anger.

    "Kenny, please," she called out, following him. "We need to talk."

    "No, we don't," he finally answered, slamming the door behind him in her face. She disregarded his aggression and kept following at a rapid pace.

    "Kenny, I'm terrified of what Disciple Craig might do to us!" She blurted out, her voice quivering, as she grabbed his arm and forced him to face her.

    He stopped walking and took in a deep breath, his frustration evident. "Just do what he says, Ben," he said, finally making eye contact.

    "He didn't say to do anything!"

    "Then you're golden. What do you want from me?" he strode past her and threw the last piece of the lamp into the trash. As he attempted to make his way back inside, she blocked his path.

    "If I have nothing to worry about, then why did he paddle you?"

    "What?"

    "He paddled you for no reason! You're getting unfairly punished, and soon I will be too!" 

    "—It wasn't no reason!" He screamed.

    She took a step back at the harshness of his tone and his proclamation.

    She spoke unsurely, "You never get in trouble, Ken.... those boys aren't even your friends..."

    Kenji knelt forward, his hands on his knees, his eyes level with hers.

    "You don't know all my friends, Ben. And you don't know me as well as you think you do."

    Her face scrunched up, "You're my...brother... Of course, I know you."

    He scoffed, "Obviously."

    Benji wasn't done yet. As he tried to walk away again, she jumped in front of him.

    "And Bri?" she spat out.

    He let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know what happened to Bri. That's not what I was trying to imply."

    "What were you trying to imply then?" she probed, crossing her arms.

    "That you're digging a grave you can't crawl out of messing with Disciple Craig."

    She watched helplessly as he stormed past her, paying no attention to her mouth opening to speak or her hand desperately reaching out to grab him.