Unchained

Do Not

"Oh, um, hey Kodi," Fane sniffed. He was sitting on the ground wrapped in a large fluffy blanket. He stood up slowly to face me.

I tried not to stare when I saw his face. "Hey Man, you got a little something there," I gestured to my face.

"Yeah," he replied solemnly rubbing his face. His eyes were red, and his face had tears on them. Something really bad must've happened.

"So, I should probably leave you now. You seem like you could use some alone time. Do you know where Aubrey is?"

He flinched when I said her name. "Why?" he asked stiffly.

"It's a really long story, but she yelled at me because I was "wrong" about something, and I wanted to give her a piece of my mind."

Fane shoved me and pinned me up against the wall.  "You can't do that," he growled.

"And why not may I ask?"

"Because you don't have a mind. You have a pathetic excuse for a brain," Fane sneered.

This was not like him. I was too shocked to say anything.

Fane was larger and stronger than me, but he was really weak right now. He lost something. Something really important.

I pushed him back with all the force I had. It was barely enough to move him. "Fane, what is wrong with you?"

"Fane, what is wrong with you?" he mimicked me in a high pitched voice. Oooh boy, this could take a while.

"Fane!"

"Fane!"

I slapped my forehead. He slapped his forehead.

"Why are you being so imature?!" I yell exasperated.

"Why are you being so imature?!"

"This is obviously about Aubrey, isn't it?" I stated bluntly.

"Don't say her name," Fane replied.

"Aubrey, Aubrey, Aubrey, Aubrey, Aubrey," I said in a sing song voice.

Fane snarled at me, and I stuck my tounge out. We were acting like two year olds. Actually, that's an insult to two year olds. I realized this entire thing was completely stupid. I didn't need to piss off Fane for no reason. He could be immature without me.

"Seriously, what happened?" I said starting to get concerned.

Fane sighed and flopped onto his bed. I went and sat down beside him.

"Aubrey is dead."

~*~

I couldn't get it out of my head.

Fane's soft and hurt voice kept floating around in my head.

Aubrey is dead. Aubrey is dead.

Aubrey is dead.

I understood how much Fane must be hurting. They were best friends, and dare I say, close enough to be siblings.

They had been through it all. About a month after Aubrey arrived at camp, Fane appeared. It was about six months before Shreya arrived. A few weeks later Helena came then later Camdem.

Six months of being each other's company. Nobody else.

They were the dynamic dangerous duo. Nothing could tear them apart. Except if one dies, apparently.

Now one was dead, and Fane got hit hard.

~*~

Everybody was allowed to leave work 5 hours early. I was told to keep quiet about the death, so that's what I did.

But there was something telling me she didn't just die. Something must've happened if she really was dead. She was too strong and healthy to just die out of the blue.

The entire camp met up in the center just like the other day. The platform was still set up, and I started repeating yesterday's events. Hugo and the leaders were on the platform. Now two of them are gone.

It's all your fault.

I tried to focus on the present as Fane saluted to hush us all.

"Unfortunately, Aubrey couldn't join us today. She won't be able to join us. Ever."

There were small gasps across the crowd.

"She died. She's gone," he sniffled. He was trying. "But she's in our hearts. Man, I miss he-" Fane broke down crying. He was trying to reassure himself more than he was trying to help us.

"Anyway, she was in the cave. The rule is don't go in the cave. DO NOT."

The leaders took a step forward.
Fane, Shreya, Helena, and Camden. Four leaders; no longer five.

"This is the first time this has happened. So, I don't really know what to do. I'm the head of the camp now. I'm taking Aubrey's place."
Fane sounded so serious. This wasn't like him at all.

Quiet murmers filled the air.

"Anyway, the next person in line is Kiyoshi. He was the sixth person to arrive at camp. He stepped up to the platform. He was a smaller, strict looking figure. Fane welcomed him as a leader as he took his place in line. He gave a small nod of approval.

Fane looked around the crowd not knowing his first move as the top leader. Then he repeated the line Aubrey said the night before. "Night is coming early, go to your bunkers! But be careful, and do not go in the cave. All it brings is death! DO NOT GO INTO THE CAVE!"

Kinda a weird and crazy chapter. I feel bad killing a character this early in the book, but this is kind of like the inciting incident of the book. What do y'all think about Aubrey? Should I have killed her, yes or no?

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~EverFaith03