Experiment of Madness

65-Devil's night begins-Aerra

I stood beside Dag, our hands intertwined as we stood before his sister's grave. A bouquet of flowers in my hands felt insignificant against the sadness that weighed in the air. Dag's gaze was fixed on his sister's grave, a mix of sadness, longing, and unspoken regret evident in his expression.

I gently placed the flowers on Octavia's grave, feeling the weight of the silence. Then, I moved on to Madden's grave, leaving the flowers there, too.

Dag finally spoke, his voice cracked with emotion. "I miss you so much, Tavi. It's really hard," he muttered, his words filled with a rawness that echoed his deep sorrow. It wasn't just his words that carried the weight of his feelings but the pain in his eyes and the way his hand tightened on mine.

I turned to see Jett approaching, her figure standing out against the gray landscape, holding bouquets of black roses. She moved quietly, her long, dark hair flowing in the breeze, and her dark  brown eyes filled with quiet sadness. Jett placed the black roses on Octavia's and Madden's graves.

The silence around us felt heavier, each person lost in their own pain, grappling with loss, grief, and unspoken words. No one knew exactly what to say, how to comfort or how to move forward. The air felt almost suffocating, the weight of each person's pain merging into a palpable tension.

My eyes caught sight of Fane and Sasha approaching, their hands clutching bouquets of flowers. Their steps felt slow and melancholic as they reached Octavia's and Madden's graves. Fane stood there, looking down, his expression stoic yet heavy with grief, while Sasha's eyes were red, clearly holding back tears, her emotions more openly expressed.

Fane's question broke the silence, his voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and grief. "You were here too?" Fane's eyes fell on Jett and Dag, his expression guarded, a moment of tension hanging in the air.

Sasha placed the flowers on Octavia's grave, her emotions apparent in her silent gestures. Her red eyes glimmered with tears, a clear sign of her struggle to contain her sadness. Fane stood beside her, his expression guarded, his own pain hidden behind stoic silence.

Fane's gaze shifted to Madden's grave, his expression hardening. A hint of bitterness, mixed with a glimmer of regret, flickered in his eyes. His thoughts remained unspoken, his emotions masked behind a tough exterior.

Fane's reaction had caught my eye, his change in expression perplexing. I wondered to myself, "What's wrong with him?" His shift from sadness to bitterness toward Madden's grave left me curious, wondering what thoughts were swirling within his head.

The bitterness in Fane's eyes softened as he gazed upon Octavia's grave. It was a subtle change, but his eyes held a tenderness that seemed reserved for her alone.

Jett's voice broke the silence, her question hanging heavily in the air. "So, no flowers for my brother, huh?" she asked, her gaze still fixed on Madden's grave. There was a hint of bitterness, a tinge of hurt in her tone, as her eyes remained on her brother's grave.

Fane's response was brief, almost dismissive. "He didn't deserve it," he muttered, his tone laced with bitterness and a hint of resentment.
Jett turned to Fane, her laughter sharp and bitter. "Say that again, fucker," she sneered, her emotions barely restrained.

Dag's  voice cut through their exchange, stern and unwavering. I couldn't take it anymore of their bitter sniping back and forth. "Enough.Stop this right now," He interject firmly. "You both start this fight over and over, without giving a reason why. So both of you, walk away from here if you can't stop this bickering. This isn't the right time or place for this."

Fane sighed heavily, the sharpness slowly fading from his expression. Jett, however, crossed her arms, her gaze still fixed on Fane, her bitterness still evident. Dag's voice had cut through the escalating tension, but the underlying issues remained, leaving an uneasy silence hanging in the air. We stood there, surrounded by the somber reality of the graves, while the cousins avoided looking at each other, their silent conflict a heavy presence.