Welcome To Trench

Chapter Twenty One | The Monster At Fault

I've literally stressed myself to tears with my anxieties and I needed a distraction really bad so here you guys go.

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In an unseen blur, Tyler charged at the woman. He was a swift vehicle moving at one hundred fifty miles per hour on a highway. Boot heels hard and rubbery like the black surface of a tire. He knocked into her side, which from the woman received a loud huff. He held her down, cheek pressed to the floor and wrists constrained over her back. The porcelain-cloud fingers that once weaved with yours now restricted the stranger's mobility.

"Y/N- the knife!" Tyler called out. You noticed that the blade had slipped from the woman's threatening grasp when she was tackled unexpectedly. The sharp metal now sat a short distance away from her clutch. Its dangerous point glinted in a ray of scary sunlight. You picked yourself up off your feet and dashed over to retrieve the weaponry. Removing the knife from the ground, you looked over to where the woman kicked and thrashed.

"Get. Off. Of. Me-!" She hissed through tight jaws.

"Funny," Sal snickered. Arms crossed over her chest and her hip stuck out to one side mockingly. "I said the exact same thing to you about pretty boy over here, yet you didn't budge." Ben stood aside and wiped dirt from his knees and shoulders.

Josh walked closer to the stranger, gazing down at her silvery-ocean eyes with uncertain sympathy. "Listen. I hate that we have to settle things like this, but you can't blame us for not trusting you." She bared arctic fox teeth. "Tell us who you are, and why you attacked one of my people without reason. Maybe we can handle this easier, then."

"You really expect me to talk?" She scoffed, matching Sal's previous tone, but with more angst. "Yeah, no thanks. I'm not giving out my name to a group of red-cloaks."

Everyone exchanged confused stares.

"We're not Bishops." Tyler's voice was serious and full of truth. Stern like the branches of an aged tree. "Don't even look the part, either."

"Doesn't mean you aren't undercover. For all I know, you could be sent by the Bishops themselves. Numb skulls who have been brainwashed for their own dirty work. Their entertainment." Her voice held a deep sense of trauma behind it. Locked away from any prying eyes or nosy beings.

Ben groaned from behind as he straightened his ached posture. "If we were so called numb skulls, would we even be having this conversation right now?" The woman's eyes flickered towards you and you could have sworn your heart would freeze in a capsule of ice within the coming seconds. Instead you stared deep into those trusting pools of November skies. Reflective blue stained glass of church windows, transparent clouds tinted with pale silver. 

You understood. You had once felt what she was now feeling. A fragile smile graced your lips. Warm like the skies that kiss July and reassuring like evening clouds dusted in hues of peach. She peered into your E/C eyes for another moment longer before relaxing her tensed muscles. "Fine. Okay, I.. I believe you. Now can you get the hell off of me?"

Tyler pushed himself off from the stranger, no longer pinning her uncomfortably to the dirt covered floor. You stepped forward and held out the blade to which she wielded minutes before. It may have been a foolish gesture, considering it'd be easy to swipe the knife and strike the nearest person, puncturing a throat or two easily. The stranger didn't bother, though. 

"What's your name?" You asked as she took back her tool.

Her November stained eyes met yours once again, and a small grin splayed upon her face. "Jenna Black."

*****

When it came time for dinner,  you were the first to finish your meal. Aside from Jason who wasn't very hungry to begin with, but he still sat amongst his friends and joined in their conversations. You removed yourself from the table (after further investigating the building, a small cafeteria had been discovered) and you now sat up against the window sill.

Everything was so still, you thought to yourself, gaze fixed on the quiet outdoors. Even from inside, the earthy undertone of rain hung in the air. Maybe it was from the damp clothing that stuck to your shoulders and sat on your waist. Or maybe it was the yearning for freedom that intoxicated your lungs.

You felt the presence of someone crouched at your side, making you feel crowded and bothered. As if someone just interrupted your conversation, yet no one had confided their opinions or words to you. It had been just you. And now it was just you, and Jenna.

"Hey." She greeted in a more genuine voice. You preferred this one over the aggravated tone she hissed between clenched teeth earlier in the day. The poison was replaced with a cool sweetness, and you welcomed it. "It's nice to know i'm not the only girl around here. Would have been pretty hectic with just a bunch of boys."

"But Sal's here?"

"Sal's not sitting all alone by the window."

You pursed your lips. Jenna crossed her legs and scooted closer. "You're thinking." She mouthed aloud, which caused you to gnaw on your bottom lip.

"Only a little."

Back outside is where your eyes went. She stared, not through the smudged glass, but at you. Her expression was unrecognizable through your peripheral vision. "I know what it looks like when someone's really thinking." said Jenna, but you remained quiet. You didn't want to discuss your mind's train of thought. I bumpy ride, it was. More of a roller-coaster than a train.

It was utterly silent for so long, you had begun to think Jenna abandoned you ages ago. Yet, she remained cross-legged on the concrete floor by your side. She joined you in gazing upon the depths of smudged glass, which lead to buckets of blurry hills and distorted mud puddles. The sky looked the same, however. Water colored in blue's, gray's, and silver's. A splendid mix of color that reminded you of the platinum-headed girl with November eyes. What month is it?

Though you couldn't read the girl's face, you knew she was thinking with you now. The empty silence spoke for itself. Her head would never catch up to yours, though.

And then the contemplating was over. "I heard someone saying something about there being two beds per room- Josh, I think. The one with the green hoodie. Anyway, if you're okay with the idea, I think it'd be nice if we were roomies for the night." Her friendly grin was tempting-

Tyler approached

- but it wasn't tempting enough.

The taller man locked eyes with you first and you quickly responded with a subtle smile. He took notice of this and waved at you warmly. "Y/N," He greeted, voice like soft butter spread onto toast. "Uh, I don't know if anyone told you yet, but we're sharing rooms with someone for the night. Are you taken?"

You sat up at the offer and dismissed the unnoticed frown that ghosted Jenna's lips. A look of hurtful disappointment struck her features. "I'm free."

"Sick. I'll see what's going on, and maybe we can check out our place later."

"Sounds good." Tyler walked off with a small nod and you averted your eyes over to Jenna. She had left as well, but something in the way her shoulders slumped caught your eye. Invisible hurt, almost like a paper cut that dug down too deep for comfort. You recognized the feeling, as it was a feeling you once experienced, and now Jenna was experiencing it.

And you were the monster at fault.