✓ promise • harry bingham

énouement

énouement

-

the bittersweetness of having arrived in the future

but not being able to tell your past self how things turned out

❀

"I mean, there's only so many options." Gordie began, shrugging as he leaned against the wall. The group of five who discovered that they were trapped were now joined by Allie and her clique. Adelaide was sat cross legged in the middle of the road, staring at the trees in front of her. "Maybe we're dreaming." Addy sighed, looking around, "It's the best option." she gestured around. Harry looked up from the ground, inhaling before he spoke, "Maybe this is just some, elaborate fucking game." everyone furrowed their eyebrows towards him, "Like someone built an exact replica of our town and just put it in the middle of nowhere. And if we just walk, like, this way or that way or any way," he stood up "then, eventually we'll get back to the real world." Addy shrugged at his idea, it was far-fetched, but what else could be happening?

The group sat in silence before Harry continued, "I'm not saying it makes any sense." Cassandra walked closer towards the group of teens, thinking intensely, "There was a smell and then it went away. And it came back, and the buses came for us." Adelaide rolled her eyes, standing up, "You can't just work this out, like some math problem, Cassandra." Harry nodded at her input before adding, "Yeah, I mean, not a flicker of a doubt?" he mocked Cassandra, quoting her lines from the previous school play.

Cassandra glared between the two, "The world doesn't just turn upside down without a reason. We're not in some play-within-a-play." Both Harry and Adelaide laughed at her response but she continued, "Okay? Clever is not the same thing as true. There is a point to everything, there are answers." Harry sat back down on the hood of his car whilst Addy remained standing, leaning against the bridge. "Thats right." Helena began. Adelaide rolled her eyes knowing she was about to say something religious. "God doesn't just play games with people for fun." Cassandra smirked at Harry, knowing someone was disagreeing with him.

Luke butted in, "All right, look, Grizz and I will get a group together and we'll go hike out here through the woods, okay? Like a search party." Addy looked up at Grizz and Clarke. Concerned for Grizz's safety she said, "Do you think it's safe?" Grizz looked at her nodding his head in a reassuring way, "Yeah sure." Addy nodded, hoping he wouldn't get hurt. "Yeah, Grizz knows what he's doing. And if there's people out there, we gotta find 'em right? You know to get help?"

Harry stood up, clearly bored already. "I'm leaving. I'm hungry." Adelaide nodded, agreeing with his point and standing up to walk back home. Allie got out of her position on the wall, "Your leaving?" Adelaide turned and folded her arms, Harry sighed, "Yeah, I got a house with a refrigerator with food inside of it, and I'm gonna go eat it." Addy nodded. "Come on." Harry said to Adelaide as they were about to go home. "You can't just leave." Cassandra stated, standing up. Addy furrowed her eyebrows, "Well what are we supposed to do instead?"

Cassandra looked between the two, clearly getting frustrated. "We have to figure out what is happening to us." Harry nodded, smirking, "You're not student council president anymore." he added. "God," Cassandra begun almost shouting, "you really need to get over that." Harry ignored her comment and turned his attention towards Kelly, "You coming with, Kel?" Adelaide jumped in the car waiting for Kelly to join. "No." she stated. Addy rolled her eyes and shrugged, "Jesus Christ, just get in the car Kelly." she said shaking her head. Will angrily looked up at Addy, "Leave her alone." before she could defend herself, Harry jumped in, "Hey, fuck off, Will." he pointed at him, getting riled up. The group sat there in silence, surprised Adelaide was following Harry.