kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ

“Because–” as the trees thinned, a plume of thick, black smoke became visible through the foliage. “Look.”

His lips parted slightly. “Oh. Oh…”

“That’s probably not good…” she started running toward the smoke.

Ev leaned back against a tree. “I’ll… I’ll be right there.” He’d paled and ran a hand through his hair.

Soon, the path ended. Blackened, crumbling buildings still smoked. The smell of ash and burning flesh floated in the air, and Hadley pulled her mask up over her mouth and nose to block it. Dead bodies lay scattered across the scene, and Hadley just stood there for a minute, staring, unbelieving. 

Ev came up next to her, clutching at a tree. “I knew it would be like this,” he whispered. The words weren’t intended for her, but she got them anyway.

“How?” She whispered back, taking a few steps toward the village. 

He shook his head almost imperceptibly.

She glanced back at him, wondering if he was going to follow. 

“I… I think I’ll just… wait. Back there.” He took a step back. “S…see you, Harlow.”

She watched him with a look of concern for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Of course. Yeah. I’ll try to be quick.” She walked farther into the village, then stopped to pick something up, cursing when it burned her badly. She slipped on a leathery glove and picked up the object again, a small flat disc made of silver, and examined ity. She came back moments later, her voice sounding tight. “No survivors. We have to go back and tell the others.” She paused. He said I killed them all. Everything was burned. “Hey, Everett?” She pulled down her mask and hood and stepped closer, watching him carefully. 

He nodded, trying to keep his eyes from flicking to the smoke plume. He wasn’t doing very well. “Yeah?”

“You said… when I attacked you…. Did this happen to your village?”

He clenched his jaw, pain in his eyes. “Yeah,” he replied quietly. “Nobody survived. Just me.”

Her mouth opened slightly. “I… I don’t know what to say. I’m really sorry.” Her own eyes were pained as she stared at the small coin-like object in her gloved hand. 

He turned away. “Let’s go. We need to find Rissa and Olux.” 

“Okay. Yeah.” She tested the temperature of the disc on her other wrist, then slipped it into her satchel along with the glove. “…am I allowed to ask if you know who did it?”

“It was… it was… it’s not important.”

“It might be,” she pushed. 

“Mira! It was Mira, okay?” He sped up, hoping to get away from her and these question, these painful questions.

“Who…” So not Jaeger. But that doesn’t make sense. 

“Stop! Just… stop. Let’s just go, okay?”

“We’re dealing with something bigger, Everett.” She set her jaw. “And the man I thought you were? He’s involved somehow. So I need all the details I can get.”

“Fine!” He rounded on her. “She was my best friend. I loved her, and she loved me back, and then she killed them. And then she left. I don’t know any more, and I hope you’re happy!” He turned and fled off into the forest. 

Hadley sighed through her nose, then followed him in silence. 

Eventually, not aware that she’d followed, he settled next to a tree, dropped his head into his hands, and cried. 

She saw this and felt she should give him some time. So she hauled herself into a tree and waited. 

Eventually he went silent, closing his eyes and leaning his head up against the tree behind him. Tear tracks remained on his cheeks. 

I know how that feels. She slid out of the tree and slowly came up behind him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt or upset you. I just… I’m sorry.”

He jumped to his feet, suddenly hostile. “You were spying on me! Why would you do that?” 

“I wasn’t!! But I couldn’t just leave without you, could I? Besides, we’re even now.” She glared.

He threw up his hands. “Whatever! Let’s go.”

“Great!” She stomped off, pulling her hood low over her face. He followed, still very angry with her.

The tension hung in the silence as they continued blah blah blah eventually they came upon a small camp with two small tents and a fire pit.

“What do we do now?” Hadley whisper-hissed to Everett. 

He ignored her and walked right into the camp, then entered one of the tents. After a quick, hushed conversation, he came out with Olux, who watched Hadley mistrustfully before going into his sister’s tent, leaving Everett standing in the middle. 

Hadley did not speak.