XANNY ▹ Harry Bingham

IT'S A SOCIETY

mention of alcohol, mental illness, drugs, and abuse. this is a trigger warning. please do not read ahead if you'll be negatively affected.

chapter twelve

"we are the masters of unsaid words, but the slaves of those we let slip out."

_

Allie Pressman sat in the front row of the church, closest to the altar, watching as her sister prepared for the role of leadership. To her left laid Eden, shivering in a pool of her own sweat. She rested her head in Allie's lap, closing her eyes as Allie played with her hair to help soothe her discomfort. Eden's lower legs rested in Grizz's lap, and he sympathetically set his hands on her calves, unsure of how to help better her situation.

Only Harry was beginning to suspect her symptoms to be the source of something more than just a concussion, but he'd already distanced himself to the back of the church, next to Campbell and Wren.

Cassandra began her speech once everyone from the town had settled into the church seats. "We need to know what we have, and what we're at risk of running out of, so, there'll be an accounting of resources. We'll begin to ration food based on that, and meals will be held in the cafeteria. Limited supplies mean we will probably have to share houses..." She faded off as she went through her mental checklist before continuing. "Also, we'll have rotating work lists so no one does this alone. Finally, we'll have a committee on going home... to find out why we're here, and how we can get back."

There was a quiet bustle of noise filtrating around the crowd like everyone had something to say regarding her plan. She looked over to Allie for reassurance, then finished off. "I think we should put it to a vote. All in favour of this plan, please raise your hands."

Eden felt her hair fall out of Allie's hands as she raised them. She noticed Grizz's left hand lift up from her lower leg and into the air. A flutter of shuffles from around her echoed in her ears as if the entire church had lifted their hands to follow Cassandra.

With the sudden churning of her stomach, Eden wanted to cry to Allie and Grizz for help, but there was no strength in her voice, just a whisper. Still, they heard her plea and agreed to help her up while everyone continued to vote. Grizz agreed to take Eden outside so Allie could stay by Cassandra. He lifted her up onto her feet and allowed her to wrap an arm over his shoulders for support. Her breath quivered in short, quick gasps every time she inhaled, her lungs having no choice but to painfully and rigidly take in the dry air around them.

Harry caught sight of her propped up against Grizz-- she looked morbid. Campbell and Wren noticed too. They all watched as the two headed out of the church doors. To Harry's surprise, he saw Campbell even stand, squeezing past the people on the bench to follow after.

•

Following the vote of both Cassandra's plan and authority, everyone had been assigned jobs on a worklist, including the Blanchard sisters. Wren and Eden had been chosen to clean up the remnants of beer bottles and solo cups from inside the church. So there they were now, silently sweeping through the church hall.

"You got better. Fast." Wren broke the silence first, examining her sister's appearance. Eden was no longer the febrile, shakey girl from mere hours earlier.

Eden stayed quiet, but her mind flashed back to what'd happened outside of the church once Grizz had walked them out. Campbell had casually followed after with a small handful of his pills, sneaking some to her while Grizz had his back turned. He knew the symptoms of withdraw, and he knew Eden was getting the worst of it.

"Campell got me a dress." Wren continued after Eden's silence.

"A dress?" Eden paused what she was doing.

"Yeah, for prom."

"Prom?!"

Wren took a seat on the bench nearest to her, "Are you deaf now too? That's what I just said." Eden had no response, instead, she looked at her sister with a look of pure stagger. Wren took this as a cue to explain. "Cassandra and Kelly set up the dance. I'm surprised you haven't seen the posters everywhere."

"Huh." Eden shrugged off the idea of a petty dance and continued to pick up some empty glass bottles by the altar.

"Is Harry taking you?"

"No."

Wren kicked up her feet onto the bench as well, making it obvious that she was more interested in conversation rather than work. "And why's that?"

"We aren't dating, okay? I don't know if he put you up to questioning me, but leave it be."

"Jesus, alright." Wren lifted her legs in the air and laid on her back, done with the conversation, but still leaving Eden to the rest of the work on her own.

•

The sun fell beneath the sky, and so night came. Inside his room, Harry ran his fingers over the smooth fabric of his clothes. He'd begun to fold them, cleaning off his floors for those who would be moving in the next day... thanks to Cassandra.

He looked to his right at the pile of clothes ready to be folded and put away, and he noticed a silk, ivory blouse underneath one of his polos. It stuck out like a sore thumb; he didn't wear blouses.

A quiet chuckle left his lips as he realized who it belonged to.

Eden Blanchard.

She'd worn his buttondown that afternoon, so she must've left her shirt here, by his own. He picked it up to fold it, when he noticed something small slip out of the fabric and onto the ground. He bent down after it to slide it onto his fingertips. It was a small, plastic baggie, dusty on the inside, but with its contents still visible: pills. They were small. Rectangular also, coated in a dull shade of white. He immediately recognized them.

They were Xanax.

And it wasn't long until he'd figured out who they had belonged to.