fearless

Chapter 71: Go, go, go.

Back to Back- Drake

The dining hall is packed when we arrive. Hannah squirms in my arms as I carry her, standing beside Ty.

"Let's go find a table." He says, his eyes non-averting from the loudness and craziness of the dining hall, his eyes scanning for empty seats.

I nod, my eyebrows furrowing as I step on the uneven rock, trying to get a good footing. We step through the hall, squeezing through the narrow aisles that are in between the metal tables- some eyes glance up at us and some don't.

We continue to walk through the hall, and Ty finds one seat; one. "You can sit on my lap." He smirks. I look at him, raising an eyebrow.

"No thanks, I'm good." I say, smiling brightly. We continue to make our trek through the dining hall, the walk seemingly unending. Finally, we approach a table against a wall where a hooded person sits.

"Sir, can we sit here?" I ask, looking at the man. The hood shadows his face, making it uninvitedly hard to recognize him. No response. I hand Hannah to Ty, and decide to pull the hood off of the man's head.

I know exactly where this could lead, from experience, but I ignore the past. The only time is now. The hood flies from the man's head, revealing a clobbered Alexander.

I gasp. It's the only thing I can do while still keeping my composure.

"Alex?" I look at him. He stares up at me. His face swollen in many places. I caress his cheek while giving him notes of reassurance.

"I-I was standing by the chasm," he begins. The story unfurled, each passing detail more gruesome than that of the last.

He was standing by the chasm, thinking about life... And death... And everything in between. He claims that two masked men came and tried to push him in, beating him until he could no longer resist.

"I was going to let them throw me in the chasm. Death is easier than life." Alex says, pulling his hood back up and leaning against the wall.

"No, no Alex." I say, my face twisting into a disappointed look. "You can't let that happen. We won't let that happen to you." I pull his sore body to his feet and hug him tightly.

"Don't lie, sis. My life is anything but worth living- a dwindling relationship, choosing ceremony which I'm not looking forward to, initiation to pass- it's not worth living." He sighs, pulling away.

"I don't- I don't know what to say, except that you'll come around. It doesn't last forever." I say, and let go of his body. I feel a wetness on the arm of my shirt, and look down. My hand and arm have blood on them.

"Alex, what's thi-" I say, but he collapses.

"Oh god. Ty keep Hannah. I've gotta go take him to the infirmary before-" I start rambling, like I always do in emergency situations, and Ty cuts me off.

"You're wasting time. Go, go, go." He shouts at me, and I sling Alex's small arm over my shoulder. He's very lightweight and bony, so it's easy to get him to the infirmary.

I arrive there, and look around. "He's passed out and bleeding-" I start, but no one pays attention.

"GET THIS INJURED MAN A STRETCHER." I shout, and doctors scatter, rushing to Alex's limp body, and eventually rolling him away from me, but hopefully not from life.