Lego House

vii. Rushed

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Autumn folds her arms and glares at Irisa. Her foot is healed now; it had only taken three more days. “Irisa,” she begins, “we are all ready to leave. You have not even packed a single bag. Why?” Irisa grabs a duffel bag from Autumn’s bed and unzips it. She begins to pull things from it. “Ris, stop.”

“Aleyah’s staying too. Neither of us are going because it’s not safe.” She has tears in her eyes and Autumn doesn’t know what to say anymore. “And what if it turns out, her parents are dead and that man was lying to get her there?”

“Irisa. I know your parents are dead, I know you don’t need or want to come with us but Ley’s parents will be there. They’ll be waiting for her.” Autumn forces much emotion into her tone, pleading with Irisa for at least Aleyah to come along with them. “If the tables were turned and my parents were found burnt to a crisp but yours said to be alive – I would let you and Rose go to them. To save them from Pyllagement.”

“I know. But it’s safer here, Autumn. She’s seven years old and she’d be dead the moment you stepped inside of Pyllagement. And, besides, they need some people protecting Grist, fighters. I’m a fighter and they need as much help as they can get.” She pulls the final item from Aleyah’s bag, a t-shirt, out and throws it onto the top of the pile of her belongings.

“So, evidently, it’s still dangerous here. Ris, I won’t make you come but Jarrett will want Aleyah with us.”

“No, I won’t.” Jarrett opens the door and comes in, followed by the rest of them. Aleyah’s hand is in Jarrett’s. Michael, Roselle and Pedro enter with Peter shutting the door after he comes in. “Aleyah and Irisa will stay here, with protection from all of the Grist guards. They’ll be fine.”

- 

“No.” Roselle glares at Irisa with fire in her eyes. “You are not safe here. Our home was burnt to the ground, our parents torched.” Tears fill her eyes, killing the fire. “The same thing can and will happen here, Ris. There’s no protection from the spies already here.”

“Rosie,” Irisa whispers, obviously unknowing of what else to say.

“Irisa! You’re staying as a coward. You’re letting Pyllagement win.” Roselle’s eyes are filling with tears and her lips have been drawn into her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from crying. “No one is safe, Ris.”

“Aleyah will be safer away from the fights, though. I’m not saying all of you should stay – I’m saying Aleyah should and I will be here to protect her. They want her, we’re beating them by saying they can’t have her.” Roselle whimpers slightly, her lips loosening as she releases a shaky breath.

“Jarrett, please, back me up,” she begs, her eyes not moving from Irisa. Aleyah releases Jarrett’s hand, however, at this moment, and runs straight into the arms of Irisa. Jarrett and Rose stare at each other for a moment, Roselle with hurt and betrayal in her eyes and Jarrett with an expression that read, ‘what more can I do?’.

“Rose, are you okay?” Michael sits down beside her, eyebrows furrowed and worry evident in his features. She shakes her head to and fro nervously, trying not to cry. Michael gently wraps an arm around her as he whispers, “Sh. It’s okay. They’ll be fine.”

“It’s not even a big deal, Michael,” she admits quietly after a moment. Autumn is trying to reason with Jarrett and Irisa and Aleyah are happily giggling as they unpack more bags. “It’s just that I need to be there for Ris. She’s still so young, she needs guidance.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Autumn interrupts. “Sorry, but none of us need guidance. We know what we’re doing, and they’ve made the right choice. This is something Pyllagement won’t be expecting. They’ll think we’ve moved with everyone, or at least everyone they want.”