Survive

Defenceless

The sun shone brightly through the crack in the wood, refracting off the manufactured plastic, creating shadows that danced in the breeze.

Minho's eyes flickered open and he took a breath as he stabled himself, fearful of what the day would bring.

He knew it couldn't be worse than- than well...the attempt had been 2 weeks ago today, and Frypan still hadn't talked better yet forgiven him. He didn't know what he could do to fix their relationship, but had accepted deep down it may never be repaired.

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His short lived laugh echoed in the bedroom as Robin cracked an irritating joke.

"Come on. we ain't gonna get anywhere sitting here"

Minho sighed, regardless of how little motivation he possessed, he dragged himself out of bed and stepped into the sunlight.

"Where's Harriet?"

"Oh, she's with the kids, you know, teaching the survival skills we were all put through in the maze"

The pair, walked through the jumble of cabins and makeshift homes. Although Robin was popular, seeing her with Minho turned everyone away. But that didn't stop her, she embraced the abuse. Whereas Minho, Minho let it consume him.

She would bring him down to Earth, she could save him, help him fix what once had been destroyed.

But he didn't, he didn't feel anything for her. Minho knew she was desperate to help him, but he never saw her as anything more than a friend.

He felt something hit the back if his neck, pain shot through his head, releasing him from his thoughts.

He turned, hand rubbing his neck in a futile attempt to disperse the pain.

"Robin"

"Yo"

She froze as she saw the brick in Minho's hand

He stood up, shaking.

TRAITOR

"Hey, Minho, HEY!"

He stood, staring at the ground, mind whirring.

"Minho, it's not true, this is not your fault"

Robin knelt down, gazing up at him, briefly attempting eye contact.

"Minho look at me"

The boy raised his head, and she was shocked to see how much this was affecting him.

"You know, ever since I've met you, I've only ever believed you to be the strongest person I've met, even that night, I knew you were doing it because you believed you were right, you knew it was going to be hell but you were strong enough to do it anyway, fight for what you believed in even though it was the total opposite"

Minho's expression became one of puzzlement, confused as if she was encouraging him.

"Dumb shank, I'm not telling you to do it again, hell no, it was the stupidest thing you've done, and that's saying something"

His mouth twitched slightly, forming what might or could have been a smile, but it passed as quickly as it came.

"But I'm trying to tell you that- that you can beat this, you can beat the people here, you can beat the people in your head, it will be ok"

Minho's head rose, although internally defeated he wouldn't let his barriers be broken.

"I'm fine"

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Stand
breath
Walk
breath
Survive

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Frypan paced the centre of his cabin, questions speculating throughout his head. Blood dripping from a freshly cut wound on his arm. His eyes were scrunched in pain, and although he had caused the pain, caused it to bleed; it reassured him that he was still alive, that he was still human even after throwing Minho aside.

Jorge came running in, halting at the sight of his friend.

"Fry- I-"

Frypan rapidly pulled down his shirt, in a desperate attempt to hide his side of the truth of reality.

"What?"

"I..."

"Jorge chill, I'm fine" Fry insisted, laughing away the elephant in the room.

"Brenda did it, she, she said it"

Anger flared in Jorge's eyes allowing Frypan to see the truth.

"I'm gonna murder him Fry"

"Hey woah-woah- Look Jorge, sit down, explain, then we can plan revenge"

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The days passed in a blur, a constant repetition of the one before. Denial, abuse, ignorance and fear. Minho's routine was consistent and organised, no room for failure, any mistake leading to total annihilation.

But it would be ok, it would be ok.

Because one day he would take that step back, no one knew when,
no one knew how,
no one would stop him.

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"No way!!"

"Hey I thought you wanted him to pay for trying to leave you, for abandoning you, for SHUCKING BETRAYING YOU"

Frypan muttered something inaudible, battles raging in his head.

Would he have done the same as Minho? The boy had thought that it would save everyone - save everyone else...

But NO! Frypan would never stop being there for his friends, the ones that didn't abandon him...

"Do it"