SOJOURNER (III): tmr gally

39: I shouldn't hit her

Michelle 39        

  None of us move until the girls disappear into the mountains. I preoccupy myself with scanning our group, counting us over and over. It's as if I expect the number to change. We are less in number than them. Smaller and more fragile. I don't like it. This doesn't suit me. Maybe I should have stayed with the girls instead of running away. Those girls seem to have a knack for staying on top of us, mostly due to Teresa.

"Why would you do that?" Fry moves in, shoving Doug into the sand. He flies into the dirt, glaring up at his attacker. "They could've hurt one of them or shot you."

"They aren't going to," I move in, staring Fry down. He doesn't flinch. The rest of the group has their eyes on me.

"Isn't it obvious?" I look around for any familiar faces. Doug doesn't even seem to properly read mine. It seems he was just yelling obscenities to get under their skin. "Leo isn't collateral. They need a medic, probably for Sonya."

"That doesn't make Thomas safe," Fry argues.

"Yes, it does," I turn away from Fry, my eyes searching the group. They land on Aris. I take a step towards him, but Dawn blocks me. "If they wanted Thomas dead, they would've just had Aris kill him."

"Me?" Aris looks up from his hands. His small eyes dart everywhere, only making his face look mousier than before. What a weasel.

"What does his tattoo say?" Doug takes the opportunity to stand up. He brushes himself off. I watch his eyes run over my face before turning to Aris. I'm happy that he is taking the heat off me. "Teresa's is the Betrayer, and if it's something damn similar than you shanks have some explaining to do."

"He's the partner," Jay jumps in. He steps forward, blocking Aris from us. Jay continues to shake his head back and forth. "But you can't be serious. I'm the Rat, the whole thing is a load."

"Maybe we shouldn't trust you either," I snap.

No one offers anything to help defend Jay. He and Aris stand to their own, away from the rest of the group. Aris cowers behind Jay. Both of us know what he has done then, I take it. This whole time, Aris and Teresa. Did anyone for a second buy his lies?

This is why we need Gally. He would see through this mess.

"Michelle, you are upset," Dawn steps in.

I swipe her arms off. Her face goes softer and presses her lips together. I stare around at the people surrounding us. The sun is hot, and burning, and I'm on fire.

"Of course I am," I shout, staring back at them. "It's Aris's fault that Leo is gone."

Jay squares his shoulders, taking one step closer to me. I try to move further towards them, but Dawn grabs my arm. For a second, I stiffen. Everyone is watching us.

I spin around, throwing her to the ground. She lands in the dirt, and I run towards Jay.

Everyone flies around me. Minho's fists cut the circulation off on one of my arms, while Fry struggles to hold the other back. Beneath me, Doug grabs my waist and begins to tuck me back. Jay holds Aris behind him, staring at me. This shank is going to shucking die. I try to pry my hands out of their grips, kicking my feet in the air as I dangle. My hair swallows me whole, and I struggle to see. I can't tell if it's my hair turning my vision red or my anger. It doesn't help that I'm blind in one eye.

"Let me go," I shout

Doug pulls me back. The other two let go, and he drops me in the sand. As I pull my hair out of my face, Doug crosses in front of me. His head slightly ticks to the side. Really, he's shaking his head at me?