Tradition Comes Third

Already Cracking

Author's Note: It's a short update, sorry! I promise the next update will be a lot more interesting

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Ava was in a large T-shirt when I came to the room. Her hair was tied up, and she was pulling back the sheets on the bed. She didn't look at me when I closed the door.

"I couldn't find Mom," I said.

"Jimmy probably made her stay in their room," she said.

She crawled into the bed, and pulled the covers up over herself. She curled up into a ball on the edge of the bed. Her arm was up to her chest, and I could see blood soaking through the gauze.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I'm alright," she said.

I sat at the foot of the bed, and I could see she had her eyes closed. I put my hand on her knee, but she had no reaction.

"We should talk about how we're going to get out," I said.

"Leah, Julie, and I will come up with a plan tomorrow while you guys are outside," she said.

"What about me?" I asked.

"We'll tell you the plan when it's finished."

I stared at Ava for a few minutes before getting up, and trying to find myself a pair of pajamas. Once I was changed, I flicked off the lights and slid into bed. I put my arm around Ava, and she wiggled herself closer to the edge of the bed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I just want to be alone," she said.

I propped myself on my elbow and looked down at her. The moonlight peering through the bars casted shadows on her.

"You haven't said anything to your Dad, right?" she asked.

"You think I would tell my Dad about us trying to escape?"

"I don't know."

I grabbed Ava's arm and rolled her onto her back. She opened her eyes. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and left my hand on her cheek.

"Ava, I promise that I am not one of them," I told her. "I'm just trying to take care of you."

"You're already cracking."

"No, I'm not."

"Have you forgotten what you've done? You killed Chris. You've cut me. You've eaten human meat. You've even force fed it to me."

"Do you think I wanted to do that?" I asked. "I only did it to keep us safe. I don't want either of us to get punished."

Ava sat up, and I followed her. She opened her mouth to speak, but just shook her head.

"This is how it starts," she said. "They start by forcing you to do all of this, and then you slowly start doing it by your own free will."

"That's not happening," I told her. "I'm not one of them. I'm getting out of here with you girls."

Ava flopped back, and rolled onto her side. She pulled the blankets up and clutched them to her chest. I lied down next to her, and put my arm over her waist. Her body tensed up. I let out a deep breath and rolled onto my back.

I turned my head and watched Ava curl into a tighter ball. I stayed awake for most of the night watching her.

--

I pressed my fingers against the faded bruises on my nose. The steam from my recent shower was fogging up the mirror. I ran my fingers through my wet curls, and changed into clothes I found in the closet.

When I was back in the room, Ava had made the bed and was sitting on the edge. She was braiding her wet strands. She had on a floral dress that she found with buttons running down the front.

There was a knock on the door, and I turned around to see Mom. She was leaning against the doorframe.

"Breakfast is ready, kids." She leaned in further and smiled. "It's just oatmeal."

"We'll be right down," I said.

My heart jumped when I felt Ava's hands slip around my waist. I put my hands on hers, and she rested her head against my back. Jared walked by the door with his arm over Leah's shoulders. Neither of them looked at us.

"Please," Ava said, barely above a whisper. "Stay sane."

"I will."

I took her hands off of me, and turned around. I kissed her, and was taken by surprise when she slid her hands up around my neck and pulled herself closer to me. I tightened my grip around her. She smiled before giving me another kiss. I slipped my fingers through hers, and walked down into the dining room.

Dad and Jared sat at the end of the table and were talking as they ate. Leah was aimlessly stirring her oatmeal, and her eyes were focused on the bowl. Mom stood up, and poured Ava and I a bowl.

I sat down next to Mom, and ate my food. She pushed a bowl of brown sugar toward me. I used to pile a mountain of sugar into my oatmeal as a kid.

Ava sat down next to Leah. They exchanged a silent glance. She pulled Leah's sleeve up, and ran her fingers along her wrist. Leah's skin was red and torn. Jared pushed his empty bowl away from himself.

"I'm going outside," he said.

"Hunter and I will be out there in a few moments," Dad said.

Jared nodded his head and left the dining room. Dad reached out over the table and took Mom's hand in his. I finished up the last of my oatmeal. Ava barely touched hers as she was staring at Leah's wrists.

"Ava, you need to eat," I told her.

They were letting us have breakfast without eating meat, so I wanted her to take advantage of this. She looked up, and her eyes glisten with tears. She bit down on her lip before nodding her head, and picking up the spoon.

We finished our breakfast in silence. The girls started cleaning off the table, and I followed Dad into the kitchen. He hooked his finger on the chain around his neck, and stopped when the sound of someone running across the porch filled our ears. The lock jiggled before it flew open.

Jared was panting for breath, and his face had turned red. He took off his cap and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand. He smirked, and I felt my stomach twist.

"I've found two," he said.