The Century Project

viii

::IMPORTANT::

I despise author's notes, but you should really read this one. It concerns the book.

So.. hey guys. It has been forever since we have updated this and I apologise. The group has disbanded. Some of us have gone through a rough patch, or gotten busy, or simply left. I will work on getting (most of) us back together, but I do not know how well my attempts will work. Until I can make progress with them, I will be writing the next few chapters.

Also, since I do not believe Swordsman wishes to do this anymore, I will take over as leader for this book - if we get it to be a group effort again.

Thank you for staying loyal to our book and to us~

-Ray

Chapter 8, written by multicoloured-, published by multicoloured-.

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"Anyway, enough about me. What about all of you?"

[Ryder]

I paused in my bite of the ribs from the box of food Neil had given each of us. Actually, all of us stopped eating when he asked that. We all looked at each other, silently communicating on what to tell him. He seemed nice enough, but I figured that some of the very limited amount of people here would do anything to get an alliance for a time.

"It's.. complicated." I stated flatly, putting the rib back in the box. I wasn't that hungry anymore, not after remembering how we had all gotten here.

"Yeah? What happe-" He began asking, but cut off as I tilted my chin towards him to bore my gaze into his own - the same blank but threatening stare that had got me into asylums labelled as a homicidal maniac - which effectively made him quieten.

I spoke again, in a matter-of-fact way. "I suggest you don't ask. I don't trust you and until I do, no one here will be telling you shit."

"Ryder!" One the girls scolded. I didn't bother to see who it was, instead tucking the food away in the bag I had found among the ruins, that was now strapped to my back.

Ryan groaned, a sound I had heard enough times to recognise. "Why can't you play nice with one person?"

"Because playing nice with one person usually results in betrayal. And death." I growled back, not caring that Neil could hear me. Hey, I really didn't trust him. I didn't care if he knew.

"..You'll have to excuse his behaviour. He's like a child." Nat would scoff, her gaze burning into my own when I met it. I didn't flinch, instead staring back just as intensely.

"Oh, right, I'm the child here. Excuse you, sweetheart." The pet names I used served multiple purposes. For one, Nat hated them. For another, they were just my way of calling people. This way, I didn't have to remember names.

"Oh my god Ryder," She almost growled, gritting her teeth. It was fun to see her like this, as often as it happened around me. "Stop with the bloody n-"

"Guys." Neil interrupted. I was tempted to ignore him, but Ryan gave me a warning stare. I wasn't scared, but it's probably not a good idea to disobey your leader. Even though I had done it. Many times. Oops.

So instead, I tilted my chin towards Neil just slightly to let him know I was listening, though I wasn't too happy about it.

"I get it, you don't trust me. I hope that I'll be able to make you trust me soon, though. I honestly mean no harm." As if everyone didn't say that when trying to gain the trust of a group.