Together Till.

Ten

It's been three weeks since the last incident between Daniel and Max. Neither one of them mentioned it to David or anyone else for that matter. Max noticed that Daniel especially kept away from him. Every time Max got close Daniel would move away fairly quickly. Even when he was next to David as soon as Max got near he made up an excuse and didn't return to David until Max left. David soon caught onto Daniel's strange behavior.

"Daniel." David said.

"What is it, David?"

"Are you okay? You've been acting strange for awhile now."

"I-I'm dandy!" Daniel quickly responded.

David stared at Daniel for a bit until he put a hand onto Daniel's back.

"Daniel if something is wrong you can just tell me."

Daniel stared at the ground for a bit before saying something.

"I..." He paused and kept his eyes away from David's. "I've been thinking about my family." He lied.

"You homesick?" David smiled.

"I'm sick of home if that's what you mean."

"What! Why?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "I miss my little brother... My sister too."

David smiled a bit. "Well I'm sure I can take you home to see them!"

"That's not possible."

"What do-"

"He's dead." Daniel interrupted, looking over at David. "And my sister ran away. I have no idea where she is."

David stared at Daniel before giving him a swift and tight hug.

"I'm sorry!"

Daniel huffed as he laid his head onto David's shoulder. He just idly sat there accepting the hug that was carrying on a little too long.

"David."

"Yes?"

"Let me go."

"R-Right." David said as he moved away from Daniel, his face red from embarrassment.

David soon ran away as soon as he heard Gwen calling for him. Leaving Daniel to stare at the waters of the lake. Max soon came out of some bushes, scaring Daniel in the process.

"Max!" Daniel said as he stepped away from him.

"Stop that." Max scoffed at Daniel and sat down at the log he was at earlier.

Max adjusted the collar of his hoodie and slouched down, looking at the ground. Daniel slowly returned to the log and sat down beside Max.

"I... I didn't mean to hurt you..." Daniel said looking at the young child.

"It's no different than what happens at home. Still pissed about it since you almost killed me."

Daniel cleared his throat a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm trying to change... especially for David."

Max looked at the cultist with wide eyes.

Daniel smiled. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I still have that lingering feeling to finish what I started but... My chest hurts when I think about hurting David... or the campers."

Max glared at Daniel. "I call bullshit."

Daniel looked at Max. "I'm really sorry about that! I got angry and I have trouble controlling it!"

Max scoffed again and turned away but his attention was turned back to Daniel when he saw him get up and put his arms up.

"Hit me. Where ever you like or however. Just do it. I deserve this."

Max stared at Daniel confusingly, trying to process what he just said.

"Alright." Max said as he stood up and looked at the man. Focusing on the right spot.

He walked away for a bit leaving Daniel confused, that was until he came back scooting a large rock and a log. He put the log on the rock, the edge of the log under Daniel's groin. Max stood on top of a larger rock and jumped onto the log causing it to fly up and connect to Daniel's groin. The man groaned in pain as he fell onto his side, cupping the damaged area in his hands. "I... I d-deserve... t-that."

"DAMN RIGHT YOU DO!" Max yelled out with a wide smile and arms in the air. He felt accomplished, like he could frolic in a field of daisies that were on fire. But for right now all he could do was laugh at the man curled into a ball.

~~~

Daniel was driving to town. He told David that there was an old friend that wanted to meet up with him and he wasn't wrong. It was an old friend. He was old, and he was a friend. He shifted in the seat a bit, still a little sore after the log incident.

"I'll get back at the damn brat."

Soon he stopped the car on the side of the road and continued his way on feet. Looking at the buildings he never really got to examine before. Soon he came across the restaurant they were meeting at.

Daniel walked in and noticed the man he recently shared texts with. He sat down across from the man with a smile.

"Daniel. It's nice to see you again, sitting here and not in a hospital bed."

"You too, Father." Daniel happily said as he leaned forward towards the man.

"Daniel." The man's voice was low and commanding.

Daniel snapped his back straight and spoke. "Sorry. Right, Alexander, right."

"Now. Have you gotten rid of that camp?"

Daniel sighed. "No. I'm still working on it. Trying to get their trust is hard after the first time."

"But what about the camp man?"

Daniel chuckled. "He thinks the Kool-aid had just gone bad and didn't think I was trying to hurt anyone. He's quite..."

Alexander stared at Daniel. "Stupid? Idiotic?"

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-Yeah. That."

Alexander glared at Daniel. He knew what was happening. He was going soft.

"You know what happens to those who quit helping people reach ascension." He lowly growled.

Daniel nodded. Father Alexander was a large man and refused to have quitters be the reason ascension doesn't happen.

Daniel put a hand up to his neck and swallowed. He watched his mother suffer that fate. He had to do that to his own brother too. Max almost went that way.

"I'm giving you the end of summer to finish the job, Daniel. If you fail this you will be punished." Alexander said as he stood.

"B-But there's a child-"

"Then get rid of them. It doesn't matter how." He said as he walked away.

Daniel nodded and looked down at the table. Summer ends in a week. He needs to be quick about this or else it's the end.

He soon got up and ran out going back to his car and drove back to Camp Campbell as fast as he could. He refused to end this way. If he died like that then he wouldn't reach ascension.

"But what should I do with David?"