Surviving Reality: Allegiant | ✓

Marlene

A/N: Double update because I want to and because I feel bad for not doing this more for you guy and also because I really want to finish this story soon so here you go. 

"So what's the jelly for?"

"Oh," Shauna grins sheepishly and takes the jar from my hand. "We needed that for Hec's lunches. We were running low and I didn't feel like going to the store."

"And the rope?" Uriah asks, holding it up.

Lynn snatches it away from him. "Meghan's plan was a bit more brutal. We don't need that, but I'll take it." She tucks it into her jacket.

"For your torture chamber?" Four asks, a smirk sliding across his lips. And the Four I know is back, ladies and gentlemen.

"Actually, I was thinking about using it for you. But I guess stringing you up in a tree would be a little too obvious. Maybe I'll use it to tie Hec up when he's being a little bitch."

"Don't even think about going near our brother with that rope."

"Too late," Zeke groans, glancing up to look at the rest of us in the rearview mirror. "She already did. Should I type up a eulogy now?"

"When you get home," I say. "I'd like to get there in one piece, thanks. Where are we going, anyway?"

"The park," Shauna says, twisting around in the passenger seat to face me. "Apparently they're planning on terrorizing small children this evening."

"Great weather to do that," Lauren says. "Warm night, there's a nice breeze...and let's not forget that the moon is covered by the clouds."

"You would know." Uriah scoffs. "You've helped Lynn terrorize Hector and that one girl more than enough. What was her name, anyway?"

"Kee," I say quietly. She and her four friends died six months ago. Carbon monoxide. It's a shame, too. The oldest was a few months away from being fifteen.

Everyone falls silent. We all had known Kee quite well- she was my neighbor, and I often watched her for her asshole parents while they were out getting trashed. Some people just shouldn't be parents, right?

Right.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Zeke shuts the door and leads us into the trees. "Okay, Lynn, you're handling the climbing into the trees and shooting them in the back or whatever to get their attention, right?"

"Right." Lynn nods. Zeke hands her the loaded airsoft gun.

"Actually, could I do it?"

Everyone stares at me. I close my eyes for a second and force myself to stand up straighter.

"Yeah," Lynn says. "Marlene, are you sure?"

I nod. "Positive." I hold out my hand for the gun. "Let me do it."

She watches me for another minute or two before placing the plastic gun in my hand. "Pick someone to help you out."

"Uriah." I say without thinking. I immediately regret it.

His eyes light up, and he moves to stand beside me. "Thanks." He whispers.

I roll my eyes but don't reply. 

Four uses his gun to gesture towards the trees. "Take your pick. They're on the swings." He waves for the others, and they disappear into the woods.

Uriah grins, his teeth surprisingly white in the darkness. "Just me and you now, Mar."

"Shut up," I grumble, sticking the gun in my back pocket and grabbing the lowest branch on one tree. I swing myself up and start to climb.

I stop at a suitable spot and move around so that I'm facing the park. I use one hand to hold onto the tree and take the gun out with the other.

Molly, Peter, and Drew are standing in a triangle-like shape by the swings, like Four said they would be. Drew is the only one facing me.

I aim at the back of Molly's head first. Deep breath in, exhale, pull the trigger.

She jolts and whips around, clutching the back of her head.

Peter next.

I aim for the back of his neck. Inhale, exhale. Pull the trigger.

He jumps and looks around, whipping around and staring up at the sky. I don't have to be within earshot to know that they're mumbling strings of profanities. I aim at Drew's torso. His head is big enough to be an easy target, but I don't feel like being responsible for blinding a person. I don't bother with my inhaling trick, because he's going to move and I might miss, so I pull on the trigger.

I stick the gun back into my pocket and move around to the back of the tree before climbing down. At the last branch, I move to sit down and drop down from there. The branch bends and creaks a little before snapping.

Rather than hitting the ground, someone catches me. Uriah.

He smiles. "You okay?"

"Fine," I snap. "Now put me down."

"Did you do it?"

"Yep. Let's go back to the car."