Butterflies in Winter

::Chapter 13:: Control

This, was not what Kit had been expecting to hear.

He wondered for a moment if this was some cruel joke, that none of it was true. He looked at the man holding onto him with a look of shock.

"What in hell do you think we've been doing here all this time?" growled Kit, almost offended by what had been said, what had been implied. That they might have been doing anything other then protecting the outside world from the terrors within their little island.

Max seemed equally shocked, horrified by it as well.

A knot rose to the back of his throat.

Every person who has died in this awful place, every person who gave up their lives to protect them. Kit felt the anger rippling through him quickly, and he had to hold himself back. He let out a low growl, fury lighting his every word as he said in a low tone.

Growling lowly, his eyes darkening a shade as he turned to stare at the man. "You have just offended every man and woman who has ever stepped foot here," he growled lowly. He didn't know why the anger had lit up inside of him so badly with those words alone, it felt irrational to feel this upset.

Yet he couldn't control it. The more animalistic side of him which made him need to protect everything he cared for.

Even the stranger holding onto him seemed surprised by the reaction, he recoiled a little. Though keeping a tight grip on Kit's good shoulder. "What do you mean, you know full well what you have been doing."

"We have spent the last five years of our lives protecting your stupid asses and the rest of the world from the terrible creatures that live here." It was Max who spoke now, for the first time revealing the anger that he too was feeling.

"More than twenty of our friends have died because of what we do," added Kit with a low voice. Saddened this time, was this the way the outside world think of us?

The stranger loosened his grip very slightly, his eyes widening at what had been said.

In that moment he took the opportunity to pull himself from the man's grip. He stood beside Max and turned to look at them in silence.

He didn't try to retrieve his grip, he just stared at them for a moment more. The rest of the men and women either side of him doing the same.

Only then did something strike him, a little too later considering the magnitude of the realisation. "You know about the monsters?"

Beside him he felt Max tense, apparently it wasn't only he who realised this late. He felt his heart race, and he felt the urge to start running.

Shaking his head, Kit looked back in the direction towards the centre of the island again, "We need to go."

Remembering himself, the stranger straightened and spoke again. "No chance, we're not going to let you just leave. How do we know your not lying."

Kit didn't have the chance to respond, when one of the others spoke up instead. "Yes we know about the monsters, but more importantly. What do you mean, what have you been doing here exactly?"

"Me and my friends," Max said gesturing to Kit and the group behind them. "Have spent the last five years controlling them to the best of our ability, trying to keep them from getting out," he explained lowly.

"This is the first time we have ever heard of any indication that we have failed at this," Kit added quietly.

"If what you say is true, it means that the shield is done," Max explained further. Running his fingers through his hair, the stress coming off of him in waves. "Exactly how many monsters have you come across, in the outside world?"

"At least 7 have been reported, we have managed to keep the word of it quiet, but we don't know how well it has worked."

He could feel his heart becoming lodged in the back of his throat, a part of him wanted to beg for it all to be some dreadful lie. Yet, what little was left of his common sense knew that this was impossible.

Footsteps from behind him told him that the rest of the survivors were now making their way over. Their curiousity sparked, as well as their fear. Kit glanced back at them, gesturing for them to come further forward. They didn't need to be asked to shift, and soon the fourteen men and women were on two legs and waiting.

Now, the first time, Romany spoke. "If you'd have given me the chance to explain," she said with a glare to her eyes. "These are not the people we think they are, something else is happening here."

Looking back to the woman, he nodded his head, gesturing for her to step forward with his arm. She didn't hesitate as she came to stand in line with Kit and Max. Every bit a leader in this disaster as they were, after all she had done to help them.

She crossed her arms, "You came here with every intention of slaughtering the people, who from the sounds of it have been doing everything they could to keep our world safe." Her tone was as disapproving as Kit's or Max's, her anger as palpable.

Even though the young woman had known Kit and Max for less then a day, she was already beginning to feel like a friend.

And Kit protected his friends until the day he died, regardless of the risks.

Max spoke up again, this time managing to keep his tone a little softer. "We don't intend to cause you anymore harm than that which has already been inflicted," he explained with a low voice. His eyes darkening a shade, the only indication of the fury which was building up in side him, in spite of the neutral tone.

"But we need to leave," he further explained. Looking back to where the two great towers of the power plant stood.

"We have your mess to clean up," growled Kit shortly.

"Then we shall accompany you."

Part of Kit wanted to refuse, just to prove that he had the right to do so. These men and women were intruders on his land, and until a short while ago had wanted to kill him. A more shellfish part of him, the more animalistic side wanted to make them feel as small as they had him.

It was Max who pushed him from his train of thought, and answered before Kit had the chance. "If you wish, but keep up, and try not to get yourselves killed."