Innocent Death.

Chapter 9:Strength

Morning rose.The fire had died out when they fell asleep.All that was left was black colored sticks.And ashes.Max was the first to wake.He raked his fingers through his hair,staring at the blackened fire containing his best friend's ashes.He stood up,outraged.He kicked the pile of sticks.Ashes flew with the sticks as he did this,causing him to grunt in fury.Zoe was a light sleeper,and jumped to her feet and was automatically ready to fight.

Max held his hands up,reassuring her."Calm down," he said,"I'm sorry.It was just the sticks being kicked.I didn't mean to alarm you."

Zoe relaxed her tense position."Oh," she said,her voice raspy from fatigue,as if it were croaking,"Why,why are you up so early?"

Max curved his lip into a smirk.

"What?" Zoe said,slightly frustrated as she was tired and did not want to play any games.

"Nothing," Max said,"it's just your sleepy voice.Sexy shit."

Zoe's eyes narrowed."Really?" she said,intimidating,"You're saying that now?I should-" She caught herself.She clenched her fist,then released and lowered her hand."Ugh,"she grunted,"well,thanks."

Max laughed under his breath."You're very harsh," he joked,"but I like that."

"Yeah,well you see my face before you die.Or perhaps my face when it die-"

"No.Don't say that."

"You don't wanna hear the truth?"

"It's not the truth."

"People don't live forever.If they had,I'd still have.."

Max furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What?" he asked,"Who?"

"Nothing.Nobody."

Max walked up to Zoe,and pulled her close to where the toes of their boots touched.He looked down to her vivid,brown eyes.She hesitated to look up to him,and he had her trapped so her fingers touched her chin.

"What," Zoe began,"what are you doing?"

"I don't even know." Max teased.

"Clueless bitch." Zoe joked,giggling under her breath.

"Like I said,harsh." Max said,giggling as he looked down to try and see her face.

She giggled.Max then teasingly swung her around and dropped her once she was about a foot off the ground.He laughed and she began to act like she was hurt.

"Ah!My back!",she faked,"Damn!"

Max's giggle instantly dropped as he ran to her.He held her head up gently.

"Oh shit! Are you ok?!" He asked.

Zoe continued to writhe in "pain".Max leaned in closer to her,as his nose barely touched hers.Just as he was about to apologize,Zoe took his neck and flipped him over her,as his body lands on the ground.He grunts in shock of the moment.She immediately stood up,laughing.He chuckled with her,as she took his hand and helped him up.

"Ha,so," Zoe finally said,"Why were you up so early?"

Max's bright smile quickly faded."Uh," he said,"I was just thinking about..."

"About..."

"You told me not to talk about it anymore."

"What?Alec?"

"Uh,yeah."

"What about it?"

"He was just my best friend.We were as close as you and Sierra.I just can't believe he's..."