Save Us!

Chapter Fifteen (Bain)

November 9th, 2059

“tol·er·ance / noun 

The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.”

            Oxford Dictionary

“I can’t believe you,” Connie said quietly. “I can’t believe you would turn out an injured person just because –”

“Just because he was a murderous traitor to all of humanity?” I asked, not looking at her.

“That’s not why you did it, Cedrik,” Connie said quietly.

“Yes it is, Connie.”

We were in the cave – all of us. Me, Gale, Scooter, Matt, and Connie. When they had come home and discovered he was gone, there had been much yelling and crying and rampaging. Scooter had commented on having more room to sleep, and Connie had slapped her. Scooter had almost pulled a knife on her, but Gale restrained her. Now, Connie and Gale were sitting on one side of the cave, Scooter was fingering her blade on the other next to Matt, and I was leaning against the wall.

“We’re a family, Bain. We don’t just make decisions like that,” Gale said.

“You hypocrite,” Matt said. “Connie brought ‘im in here without any of us agreeing to it.”

“We already have enough runaways here,” Scooter said, eyes flicking to me. “Any more will just make us more of a target.”

There was another bout of silence.

“I just don’t understand,” Connie said, standing up. “I don’t get why you all are so damn close minded! We are supposed to be rebelling against that type of thing, but you’re just the same as them!”

I turned and stared at her. “Never – ever say that again,” I murmured. “We are very different.”

She faltered under my glare. “I’m sorry, I just –”

“You just favor your idiot traitor brother over your friends?” Scooter asked, still looking at her dagger. She was moving it back and forth, catching the candlelight on the metal.

“That’s not true, Katty,” Connie said, starting to go over there.

“Don’t call me that,” Scooter snapped, gesturing angrily with her knife.

“Scooter,” Matt said warningly.

Scooter glared, but lowered the knife.

Gale glanced at me, at Matt, then back at Connie, and sighed. “Let’s just… compromise,” he said piteously.

“I can’t, Gale. You just don’t understand –”

“I do understand, Bain,” he said. “I understand that you were best friends, and I understand that he abandoned you. I understand that you’re still mad at him for that.”

“Shut up,” I said, advancing towards him. “You have no right to just –”

“Just what? Say the truth?”

Matt glanced over at me. “Is that true?”

“No,” I spat, staring at Gale. “He wasn’t just my best friend, he was my only friend. And he didn’t just leave. He left –” I stopped short, clenched my fist, and took a deep breath. “Nevermind.”

“What are you talking about, Bain?” Connie asked.

“Nothing, Connie. Nothing. Look – he’s not coming back here, okay? End of story. It’s 3/2. We win. The end.” I scuffed my shoe on the ground and went back to leaning against the wall, then slid to the floor.