Antiquities: A Short Story Collection

Extenuating Circumstances

Eten pummeled the door. His fist echoed in the limited space.

"Forget it. There's no way out." Zya leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched Eten pace, wondering how the dainty boy had so much stamina.

"Mother fuck!" Eten seethed, lashing out at the walls. "I told you, I fucking told you that coming here was a bad idea!" he turned on Zya. The boy's panther ears pulled flat to his head. His eyes blazed, vivid and blue like the lowest, hottest point of fire. His tail bristled and jerked in odd directions.

"Relax, Garfield. They don't know we're here." Zya bit back his irritation, but it leaked out of him.

"That's the problem. If we had gone to them, we wouldn't need to run and hide like fucking sheep." Eten's hiss was formidable. It built in the back of his throat like a dragon and burst out of him with the rest of his fire.

"Get a grip." Zya shoved off the wall.

"I'm not going to die because of your piss poor leadership skills." Eten's eyes locked onto the lanky boy. They pinched together in the corners and Zya swore one of them was twitching.

"Excuse me?" A threat rode the wave beneath Zya's tone.

"You fucking heard me. This is a disaster!" Eten threw his hands up. If not for his mannerisms Zya would have forgotten the age gap.

"Fuck outta here. Your mouth is what is going to be what get us killed. If you're so worried about it, start looking for a way out." Zya clenched his jaw. A headache was forming behind his eyes. He wanted to be shut in a room with Eten about as much as he wanted to take a cheese grater to the face.

Eten's biting personality was an acute contrast to Gradie. His boyfriend had a timid demeanor. Eten's friend, Colwyn, was the same. Zya didn't understand how any of Eten's friends could deal with his scathing conversation.

"How the fuck did we not see them coming?"Eten traipsed on.

"If you spent more time listening and less time talking, we would have heard them." Zya suggested.

"I was trying to work out a plan." Eten turned on him, savage as any cat. "Colwyn had an idea,"

"That's another thing," Zya interrupted. "If you weren't so fucking occupied with your little man crush, we wouldn't be here."

"Are you blaming all this shit on Colwyn?" Eten flashed his teeth.

"No, I'm blaming you." Zya clarified, jabbing a finger in the boy's direction. His words hung in the air, adding to the thick tension. Eten turned away first, breaking eye contact.

"Fine. Nobody else did anything wrong in the least, but I'm the fuck up here." he thrust up his hands and let them crash back to his sides.

"When you're done sulking about it, we should try to figure out a new plan." Zya wilted, feeling his energy leave him. Eten was more exhausting than he thought.

"When you stop blaming me for every fucking thing that happens, then you can think of a plan. There's no "we" here. We're not on some fucking team. If you want to live so bad, then do it by yourself and I'll let you know when I start to give a fuck." Eten went to the opposite wall and flopped to the ground, his ears flat.

"Don't be angry that we aren't friends. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings. I would, in fact, like to survive this Most of this is your fault, but I don't want you to die. I'm willing to work around my disgust for now. Stop letting your pride fuck with your judgment."

Eten was quiet for a moment. "Gradie and Colwyn could use some help if they're still out there." Zya continued to try to reason with Eten. His ears had migrated in Zya's direction.

"You want to help them, don't you? The others need us." Zya took a step in Eten's direction. "Come on, man."

Eten twisted his head, seizing Zya's pale, emeralds. They glinted with determination. Dark shadows shrouded the skin beneath them like a haze.

"I won't forget this." Eten returned, watching Zya's expression lift. "You didn't win."

"I'm sure you won't, but suck it up for now. We don't have the time to be petty." He said. Eten narrowed his eyes.

"Fine, but I'm doing it for Gradie and Colwyn. Not you."

"Great. Now get off your ass and help me.' he held out a hand to Eten, who refused it as expected.

"Bite me." Eten batted Zya's hand away and got to his feet. Zya searched the room with diligence. It was like an old freezer, sealed tight and stark on every wall.

"Eten, how tall are you?" Zya inquired.

"Why?" Eten glanced over at him, his ears fluttering.

"Just answer."

Eten choked back a frustrated hiss. "I'm 5'5."

"Perfect." Zya grinned. There was a wild edge to his expression that Eten didn't like.

"Perfect for what?"

"The vent." Zya pointed. Eten followed his finger up to a small vent in the corner of the room.

"No." Eten's ears fell flat as he realized Zya's intentions. "I'm not going to fit in that."

"You'll fit fine." Zya argued, stepping closer. "with room to spare."

"I don't want to." Eten stepped back, narrowing his eyes.

"Scared?" Zya challenged, placing a hand on his hip. He looked Eten up and down.

"I'm not claustrophobic." Eten hissed, even though, to a point, he was.

"Eten, if I may remind you, time is not something we have an excess of." Zya resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Eten scrutinized him. He knew Zya was right; again.

"We don't even know where that thing is going to lead." Eten shuffled his gaze and his weight. A shiver ran up the base of his tail.

"Who cares? Out is out at this point." Zya threw his hands up. Eten sighed. He knew he had to take the risk if it gave them even a fraction of a chance.

"Fine." He forced himself closer to Zya. He inspected the vent. It looked viable. It also looked filthy. Zya beckoned Eten towards him. Eten shot him a look.

"You can't reach it by yourself." Zya raised an eyebrow. "And you'd look stupid trying to climb up the wall."

"I hate you." He hissed as he forced himself to move into Zya's waiting arms.

"Great." Zya grunted, prying the grate off the rusted vent. He pitched it aside. The clatter made Eten cringe. He covered his ears.

"My bad." Zya sucked his teeth.

"Yeah, right." Eten gripped the short ledge over his head and prepared to pull himself up and into the vent. Zya's hands found his waist, ready to lift him when he made the jump.

"Aren't you gonna buy me a drink first?" Eten mocked him.

"Funny." Zya scoffed. He lifted Eten off the ground when he leapt and heaved him into the vent.

"Hey!" Eten yelped. "slower." He did fit into the structure, more or less. It was murky and the air was Stale. He army crawled further, coughing as grime entered his lungs.

"You okay?" Zya called behind him.

"Fine." Eten called back. He shimmied forward, pausing.

"Eten?" Zya's faint voice reached his sensitive ears.

"What if I don't make it back?" Eten called back to him, his ears flattening.

"You will."

"What if I don't."

"Then you don't, but we'll have no hope if you don't try." Zya said. Eten's heart drummed, thrashing his ribs as he continued to move forward.