The Broken Ones

Chapter 24

Taylor:

"So, basically, there is no way out of this forest and we're all going to die."

Felix gave me a look as if to say really? I shrugged slightly.

We were seated against a large oak tree a bit of a ways away from the wedding. The music was only so loud from here and I could just make out a few lamps glistening in the distance. The forest was completely dark at the moment. I shivered as I wrapped the cloak Felix had given me tighter around my shoulders.

This dress made me feel very vulnerable. The way it tightened against my waist and fell down in waves around my legs, exposing most of my arms and dipping down slightly underneath my collarbone. I took out my hair at some point during the party; a dress was one thing, but a braid with flowers was a whole different story. Dressing up like this was alien to me.

Felix seemed awfully grim as he spoke. I had to admit, the idea of heading basically straight for doom with no way out was very discouraging, however, it wasn't like we didn't already know this was going to happen. We were prepared for it even. I guess hearing it flat out made it all feel very real. His rusty eyes seemed a lot dimmer under all this new informal, trained to the ground. I didn't like it. It hurt me to see him like this.

"Hey," I said with my best attempt at a smile. My cheeks ached a little from the party and all of the smiling I had already done. It was weird, very strange, but it felt . . . good. Probably that pudding. "It's going to be alright, Felix. Tyson wouldn't send us in here if he knew we couldn't do it."

"How do you know that." He picked up his head, facing me. His almond eyes glistened with hurt. "How do you know he didn't just send us in here blindly, only hoping we could make it out. That we could fix everything, not really knowing for a fact. Why are we so special anyway?"

He almost seemed on the verge of hysteria as he spoke, throwing his hands up for emphasis every now and then. I listened calmly. It was a good thing I was usually patient when it came to things like this. Gently, I placed a hand on his tense shoulder. He flinched at the sudden contact slightly but then relaxed against my hand before sinking against the tree. My eyes trailed the outline of his face in the dark.

I answered in the softest voice I could muster, although I wasn't too good at comforting people. That was Kat's job. "We don't know anything. It's terrifying, and scary, and utterly stupid, but I guess that's why we need the hope right now."

He looked at me, eyebrows furrowed. I continued, "Above everything else, we need to keep that in mind."

After a long moment of listening to the party in the background, the slight chirp of crickets around the forest breaking the silence, he let out a long breath. His head wobbled against the tree. "Why are you so perfect, Abby?"

This caused me to chuckle. I sat back against the tree with him. "I am far from perfect, I think. But I'm honored."

We listened to the noises of the night for a few moments longer before a thought hit me. I opened my mouth, then closed it, debating whether or not to ask my question, then decided to ask anyway, "Tyson kept bringing up something about being 'broken' when we spoke with him. Kat being the final 'Broken One.' What do you think that all means?"

A small smile graced his lips. I watched him closely, watching his straight hair fall onto his forehead, his jaw clench as he thought, his fingers twiddle on his lap-a side effect from the years of smoking, I was assuming. Felix had these quirks to him I couldn't help but admire. Finally, he said, "Maybe that's his secret weapon. The Broken Ones."

At this, we both chuckled, which turned into a laugh to echo through the trees. I barely even noticed myself laughing. It felt nice.

Felix turned his head to look at me. "I like your laugh," he whispered.

Our faces were closer than normal, close enough for any passerby to question. I didn't back away. "Don't get used to it."

"Aw." He pouted in fake hurt. I grinned. After a lingering moment, he slowly turned his head to face forward again. I watched as he shrugged a little. "I don't know." He was silent before he said, "I guess in the end, we're all a little broken. One way or another."

Something snapped inside of me. I don't know what it was, an unfamiliar little feeling, but it came from my stomach, traveled to my heart and melted all the way down to my toes.

And then something flew at me and I blacked out.

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