Stonebrook High School

Chapter 44

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~*Ω*~

Out of breath, the ragged group was exhausted and had to stop. Luckily, they had just made it to Soren's mountain base. The daunting double doors loomed over them, but they were not as troubling as the teenager hoisted over Axel's back.

An uncomfortable silence draped over them and they could feel its weight crushing their shoulders. Yet, despite the pressure, no one dared talk.

"Guys, I know you want to say something."

Everyone looked at Jesse, some faces falling after.

"Please don't make this harder for all of us," said a voice in the back. Everyone looked at the speaker and covered their eyes from the rising sun behind her. "Jesse, we've already lost Petra and Jess. We can't leave you behind either."

"Olivia, I can't go. I'm not saying I'm a burden or anything, but I am a burden. My leg isn't gonna get better this way. The more I continue on, the less I'll be able to continue. Do you see what I mean?" Jesse looked up at the ominous entrance and eyed it carefully. "I can stay here, in Soren's place. It'll be much safer than out there or with you guys."

"But what if the Witherstorm comes?" asked Axel, craning his neck to look at his friend. "You won't be able to run away."

"I'll think of something. But I'm not the item of importance here. What we need is the TNT. The Formidi-bomb. We can save everyone if we just get that."

"Jesse's right, everyone." Gabriel stepped forward and everyone turned their attention to him. "As much as we don't want to leave him, we have to focus on our main objective, and that is to destroy the Witherstorm. We can't do that without Soren's bomb." A quiet groan escaped his lips in between his sentences and he tried to cover it but it hadn't escaped Lukas.

"Well, that's very much true and all, but what about yourself, Gabriel? Are you okay?" The Ocelot leader scrunched his brow in slight worry and the Warrior shook his head vehemently. The dark-skinned male grabbed his arm out of instinct. "I'm fine, Lukas, friend. Just a bit tired from running."

Lukas nodded but kept an eye on him anyway.

"So, I'm staying, even if you guys tell me to follow you. There's no way I can go any further without damaging myself even more." The twin slid off of Axel's back and hobbled over to the front of the doors. "Once we go in here, it's up to you guys. I hope you guys find the bomb."

Solemnly, everyone nodded. Axel, face pointed to the ground, walked up to Jesse and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. Jesse, grateful for the gesture, hugged his friend back. Olivia ran up as well and fit in between the two. For the last time before they set off once more, they whispered goodbyes and nodded to each other.

"Good luck. I believe in you two."

"We'll be fine, Jesse. Take care of yourself."

"See you after all this is over!"

The doors opened and they all stepped in, ready to split paths.

~*Ω*~

"It feels weird."

"It does, doesn't it?"

Axel and Olivia were mumbling to each other behind the rest of the group as they entered deeper into Soren's base. Without Jesse by them, there was a strange aura around everyone, as tiny black holes were slowly sucking up reality.

"I mean, it feels like we only left his house or something except there's a serial killer behind us and in his house. You know what I mean, right?"