-This chapter is not targeted at anyone nor based off real events. It is simply a work of fiction-
"Starr! Starr, come back here!"
"Just stay away from me! I'll only make things worse!"
"Come on! This is stupid!"
"I'm trying to protect you guys!" I spun around on my heel, staring Brittney in the face, though she was still far away. "Don't you see? I make the bad things happen!" Brittney jogged over to me.
"What do you mean?"
"While you were all busy hoping I wasn't dead, Max got hurt! He'll be the one who won't survive!" I was shouting, but I hoped no one could hear me over the loud gusts of wind.
"Why do you always blame yourself?! Is it because you think people need to pity you?! Is it because you're the center of attention?! The sun of our messed up solar system?! Is that it!?"
"How could even say that?" I didn't hold back the hurt in my voice, letting the emotion drop from my words like acid. "After what you did? How could you possibly judge me so harshly?"
"You judge yourself! Why can't you see that everything isn't, 'Poor Starr, her problems always come before everyone else's.'?"
"Stop trying to make me seem like an egotistical monster!"
"But that's exactly what you are!" Brittney raised her voice. "No wonder your own sister hates you! Why would anyone care about you?!" I took a step back as if she had just punched me in the gut. A wave of anxiety washed over me, like it always did when I wanted to lash out, the fear made me hesitant. But the anger won out.
"You don't know anything! You're just a coward! You left just so you wouldn't have to deal with me!"
"See?! There you go again! You think I left because of you?! Not everything is about you!"
"I'm allowed to feel guilty! I'm allowed to be hurt and scared. You just cannot stand that I feel emotion! Obviously you don't! You just let yourself pretend things don't happen and then you run away!"
"I don't want to hurt anyone else with my emotions! Because I actually care about people!" I have never wanted to scream so badly in my life. So I did as I stormed away into the woods. "Go ahead, go! Run away!"
"I learned from you!" I yelled back. I trekked through the forest, anger boiling inside of me. I walked relentlessly until my rage subsided and I could think properly. I had a hard time gathering my thoughts and soon gave up, climbing a tree almost bare of leaves. I watched the birds flock from trees and buildings, admiring their life of freedom. How I wished so desperately that I could be as free as the birds. To forget about the people I have killed. But I am not a bird, I had to face my problems whether I wanted to or not. I inhaled deeply, hoping fresh air would help to clear my mind, but instead of fresh air, there was a scent of burning flesh. I looked around wildly to see where the smell was coming from. That's when I saw it, a raging fire in the heart of camp.
