Where it all began ("Bend or Break" Book 1)

Chapter 16

"Chris? Chris?" I whispered.

No response.

"Please, Chris..." I broke off and sobbed

"Please, please"

I tilted my head to the sunlight that seeped through the small open space in the rectangular terracotta ceiling. I caught a glimpse of the flickering sun and its flat milky clouds circling it.

"Are you with me?" I uttered into the frigid and soundless emptiness of the cell

In that exact moment, I heard a half - a cough, half - gasp originate beside me.

"Chris?" I whispered.

He fluttered his ice blue eyes open. He reached for my hand and gave it a week squeeze.

"How are you?" I asked

He nodded. His eyes then drifted to Ray's languid and lifeless corpse.

"How..." he started

I cut him off briskly, "I don't wanna talk about it" I muttered, my eyes watery. I leaned into him and he wrapped his robust arms around me and squeezed me tight.

I huddled in his arms for a while and cried till there were no more tears left in me. I struggled to my feet and slowly and fearfully approached Ray's stiff corpse.

"What is it, Al?" Chirs asked

"I won't leave him here," I said firmly

"You and Andrea did this once already, remember how that went?"

"Of course I remember" I uttered briskly "But this time's different. We have nothing to lose"

"Are you sure? I mean, are you sure you're up to it?" he asked softly

"Yea, I'm up to it" I nodded and took a tremulous breath. "He deserves a funeral and a proper burial"

"What's your plan?"

"I'll return Ray's body back to his family" I explained simply

"You're not going," he said firmly

"Yes, I am" I argued "The police convicted us for Ko' murder. It doesn't matter if we killed Ray too or not. It doesn't matter if the police think we killed him. " I explained, in any case, we're going to jail" I snapped "I'm going to do this Chris, if you like it or not"

"I can't stop you." he sighed "Common, let's get out of here"

"Not "We" I corrected "You're not going with us, are you?"

"Yes, I am. I'm not letting you go alone. Not again. Plus, it would be hard to deliver the news to his parent that their child is dead, especially when your a "murderer" in the public eye" he explained

"Fine" I gave in

I then stooped down again beside Ray's languid corpse and slowly leaned my trembling left hand in to shut his hickory colored eyes that were gaped wide open. Even though life had drained out of him, I could still see the fear and despair he had felt right before he ran out of oxygen and died.

"You're in peace now" I whispered

I felt a hand on my right shoulder and looked back to see Chris, bent beside me.

"We have to leave now" he announced and placed one arm behind Ray's back and one under his legs. He scooped the body into his arms and I followed him out the cell and into the open space me and Lab had fallen into. He steadily climbed up the wooden ladder, which creaked at each step he took. Me and followed.