Don't Forget (Old Version)

Chapter #39

(Sky's POV)

     I can only stare at Max. Ross has a brother? How come I never knew about this? Then again, maybe I do. This whole memory thing is really starting to bother me. So where the heck has Ross gone now? Yes, he did go out on raids with us. No, he'd never attack first or wander off. Ross mostly stayed around in the jungle all day. In fact, I think some of the parrots here can recognize him on sight.

"Ross is gone? Where'd he go?", I ask while turning to look at Red. "Ross left a few days after you disappeared", he answers. At least Red's looking more calm now, and he's not Blue. I could see a few people shooting glares at Max from the corner of my eye. "R-Ross really was here? Where is h-he now?", Max asks, his voice cracking a few times. "Ross came here a couple months before Sky did", Dan mumbles, "Can I have my minecart back?". "Oh yeah, sure", Max awkwardly says as he digs into his pockets. He pulls out the tiny toy and hands it over to Dan, who promptly spins on his heal and leaves the room. We won't be seeing him for a while.

"Why would Ross leave? He's never done that before", I think out load. 'You know how Ross can be', Sub signs, 'He was determined to find you, and nobody could stop him'. "What did he say?", Max asks me. "Ross left to come find me, but now I have no idea where he is now", I explain. "Ross c-could track you! He would've followed your trail to wherever you went! So where is he now!", Max spouts, slightly shaking. "I'm not going back", I deadpan. "But I'm so close! It took me forever to find this place! You can't just s-stop me now", Max snarls at me. "I'm sure you can find the fifth army camp by yourself", I say calmly. "Y-You don't understand! I got myself lost in this stupid jungle to find Ross, I don't know my way back", Max says. He sure seems desperate. How can he care that much about a brother he hasn't seen in six years? I certainly don't care that much about my dead brother. Well...

     "They wanted me to stay too, but I can't help them, not like this", I sigh. "What do you mean", Max asks in confusion. "Um....what were we talking about?", I question. "What Sky wanted to say is that we're all a little broken in different ways. Red has multiple personalities, Sub is mute, Dan goes crazy when people bring up his past, and Sky doesn't remember things. Nobody wants our help. We're called insane for a reason", Vikk states. "Well.... you guys don't seem that bad. Why do you stay here?". "I was forced here, but now this is my escape", I slowly say. "Escape from what?". "You saw the birth mark on my shoulder right?". "Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?". I can't help but smile, " I like you, Max".

     "That's a first, but you didn't answer my question", Max remarks. I laugh, as if I'll answer him. It's nice to have someone still treating me normally. I can already feel my fellow guild members staring into the back of my skull. Jokes on them. "I hope you know that I can't go back. I can't help when I can barley remember you name, Mad Max", I giggle. "Have you tried?", He asks, not missing a beat. "............ What?", I ask him. "Have you tried to act normally or 'push the insanity away'. You must have some control if I can still have a decent conversation with you", Max reasons. "I..... don't think I can. I don't remember how to act normal, I can't remember....", I trail off. I've had a shield from my past for so long, and I don't want to see it all laid out in front of me. My fault. My fault, it's all because of me. I don't want to reminder that all the time. I don't know what to do. It's like everything is falling around me, I can't commit to any one path. I can't make this decision on my own.

     "Well you should really try. Are you helping out of this damn jungle or not?"

(Ross's POV)

I watch Mitch walk away as he leaves me here with my other three new friends. It's been a awhile since I met anyone new. Or maybe I have, I don't know. They seem nice. Maybe I can come back and visit them once in a while! I'll have to ask for a map to get here, since I can't follow Sky's tracks once they fade. I just had to go back to the burned village and follow from there. I was really confused as to why there were so many people, but now I understand . Sky must have made some new friends, too.

     "So Ross, um, what do you like to do", Jerome awkwardly asks me. "I don't do a whole lot. Maybe just running errands? I don't like to hurt people very much, but sometimes I have to", I tell him. "Why are you..... What are you doing with the assassins then, if you don't mind me asking", Jerome asks with a confused face. "I don't really remember. I think I was running from somewhere? Something to do with my wrists", I think out loud. "Y-Your wrists?", Quinten asks. I huff a little before pulling up the sleeves of my hoodie. Thick scars wrap all the way around my wrists, as if something had continuously rubbed them raw. I remember that Sky has something similar on his ankle.

     "Does it hurt?", Jason asks while pulling my arm down for him to see better. "Only sometimes", I truthfully answer. I look up to see Jerome and Quinten staring at me. "What?", I ask them. They don't have the chance to answer as I hear three pairs of feet running at me. I yelp before ducking behind Jerome, watching as Mitch and two strangers skid around the corner of the building. They come to a stop a few feet away from the rest of us. "It's ok Ross, they're just here to come see you. Can you please come out?", Mitch calmly asks me.

     I take a small breath before stepping out from  behind Jerome. I don't really like meeting new people all that much. It feels like no one's there to protect me. Not that anyone's ever been there to protect me before. I fiddle with my sleeves as one of the strangers stares at me. "That's him alright", he finally says with a sigh. "Are you sure? More then one person has the name Ross, after all", the other stranger says. "Nope, this is him", the first one insists. "Well, then I guess we keep him here. See if we can send word that we found him", stranger two says. I guess I'm staying here, then. But only to see if Sky will come back. I don't know what 'Ross' I am to them, but I guess it must be important.