UPRISE

032

When they go to drop off the Blues at the apartments, they see ten bodies piled in the doorway. Next to them, there is a message written out with stones, stolen from the woods and the park.

On Blue hands.

Needless to say, the Blues decide to go back to the Compound. As they leave, Rinn's eyes rest on the bodies. They've been stripped of their clothes. Rinn knows what it's like to freeze to death, and while the Clears need the clothes of their dead friends, she can't help but hope her friends would've left her with the little dignity they could.

Reagan squeezes Wren's hand tighter. Wren still doesn't respond. The bodies remind him of Viola, buried in the snow. He abandoned her after a knife had whittled her away. The worst of it all is their last conversation. He had been a jerk, as he usually was. He has heartburn.

When Noah sees the bodies, he can't walk anymore. The grief of losing Viola, who he barely knew, and losing Edison, who he barely knew, and probably losing his own money, takes over. Jasmine helps prop him up. She doesn't cry.

When they get back to the Complex, they commandeer Harper's room. The few roommates that are there see the group coming in, bruised, and don't ask questions. Instead, they slip out. Harper doesn't know where they are going, and he doesn't have the energy to care.

However, he needs to breathe. While everyone else settles down, he slips into the hallway. Harper pulls out a book from his backpack. This one belonged to Edison.

And so, he begins to skim the pages. As he does, his eyes widen.

~~~

Wren storms out shortly after, and he is followed by Reagan. Both step over Harper. Though Reagan offers a quick apology, Wren is still on the run. He needs to get out of here, and fast.

He climbs up on to the rooftop, aware that Reagan is following. He doesn't care. Up there, he sits on the edge, his feet dangling in the air. Wren is surprised when Reagan copies his sits next to him, hanging over the edge as well, but not as surprised as Reagan. He climbed up all the way here, and he could slip at any moment, and-

"I want a fucking cigarette," Wren takes the snow next to him in his fists. He rolls up a ball, before chucking it off the roof.

Reagan feels his stomach do flips. He swears that the building shakes.

"I'm really sorry you had to see her like that," Reagan puts a hand on Wren's shoulder.

Wren grabs on to Reagan, and folds himself into Reagan's arms. He begins to shake as he cries, the tears spilling all over Reagan. The snow still hasn't let up, so a soft layer falls in Wren's hair as he bends over.

"I..." Wren sobs, trying to control himself. "Who would... how could..."

"It's okay," Reagan cries back.

Wren pulls away and wipes his eyes with the gloves he nicked from Edison's. "No, it's worse. I'm just getting over a drug habit, and all I want right now is to numb my whole body with coke. And, the only other addict is dead, and I can't sleep because all I see is her body. And, I'm going to be a Dad."

"A what?" Reagan pauses. He forces himself to continue to wipe the tears off Wren's face. "I beg your pardon, but I'm a little confused."

"Pluto's pregnant."