The Purge
Chapter 48: Bri

“Being in command means making tough decisions. Not being in command means shutting up and doing what you’re told.”

Artemis Fowl; Eoin Colfer

We can’t all be broken together. One of us should take a stand so others could follow.

And I choose to be that person.

No matter how hard people may think of me. No matter how difficult I can be with, I know being strong will lift their hopes up. I held up my chin and walked away from my team. Behind my thoughts I was hoping that through tough times they would still have the heart to follow me. A part of me was afraid that if I turn around I might not find them there. It took me enough courage to do so. And it was a relief that they still believe in me. My heart whispered a silent thanks to whatever higher power there is. Even though the world for us is coming to an end, at least I still have my team.

Darkness descended upon us like a dark cape. The road seems to lead to nowhere and every turn we have to be cautious because we might run into our last breath. But the maze had ended and what followed was a series of turns hidden in fog. Athren had to make it disappear so that we could see our way. We ended up in what seemed to be an old place during the old times. It looked like the ones my family and I used to venture during my dad’s boat trips. In the olden times, people call it a “town”. A compactly settled area in a rural territory. Houses were smaller and were made of wood or bricks. And although it was desolated, I can still feel the happy aura left by the people who lived in there before everything was destroyed.

Athren stopped in front of a sign that says “Welcome to Esca__n_! D_ie safely.”

He turned to me. “Where to now, chief?”

I sighed as my shoulders sagged from exhaustion. Beside me, Conleth placed the still unconscious Chivas on the ground. He bent over and finally gave up and sat down. Halley stood a few feet away from us; I think the trauma of what happened had made her vigilant of our surroundings.

“I don’t know.” I answered.

“Then what do you know?” Athren retorted.

I glared at him. “All I know is that we need to find somewhere to rest. Even for just a while before we move again.”

“Finally.” He raised his hands up for exclamation.

“There’s a big house over there.” Halley pointed at the eastern side of the town where an old white house stood still in its grandeur. Steel iron bars surrounded the place with a big statue of a lion, an eagle and what looked like a winged horse stood between the house and the gate. A garden of draught filled the place and broken windows peeked right at us.

“It looks… haunted.” Conleth commented.

I felt the air brush coldness in me. I hugged myself. Halley blew some air on her hands and she rubbed them.

“Do we have a choice? I think that place could at least take us all in for the night.” I said.

Halley gasped beside me. I turned to her. Fear already making its way in my skin. I followed her eyes and it led me on the road where the fog was building again. The ground was turning into ice and everything it touched death comes into it. It was fast approaching us that Chivas who was at the verge of his full time sleep almost caught death at the tip of his foot. Halley pulled his shoulders first before Con pulled him right on his back. We all ran towards the house, climbing the iron gates and breaking entry in someone else’s home.

The ice followed us up the front porch capsuling everything in frost. I felt everyone’s breath hold as its hands reached the front door. And then it stopped. Our strangled breaths came lose. Conleth was the first one who stood up and approached the door. I felt my hand grab for him and pull him down. But he let go of me and went for the window instead. I followed suit to find that the frost ended just outside the door. It did not come for us nor did it try to get through the broken windows of the house. It just stayed right there as if it rested.

“Well, I guess we’re stuck here for the night.” Conleth said as he turned to me with a smile.

The knit on my eyebrows disappeared. “Um.. yeah. Maybe. But we still need to move. We cannot stay here.” I turned around and moved around the house.

“What do you think was that?” Halley asked.

“I have no idea. Probably one of Zenith’s royal antics.” Conleth said as he looked out the window.

“The president might have lived in this house. This place is huge!” Athren mused.

I looked up at the grand staircase. There was a time when my family used to own such a grand place.

“Are you all right?” Conleth asked and I was pushed out of my memories.

I turned to him and I forced a smile. “Yeah. Just tired.”

A chaotic shout escaped Chivas mouth and we all moved away from him. If not for the vines that bind him, he might have strangled Halley who was close to sitting with him.

Conleth pulled Halley away from him on impulse. Chivas’ eyes blazed with hatred as he writhed like a wild beast in his restrains.

“It was a bad thing to bring him.” Athren said. “He’s gonna expose us if he keeps on screaming like that!” he moved to take action on his hands but Halley was already right in front of him before he could even do anything. “Get out of my way.” He glowered at her.

“I can bring him back.” She told him.

Athren simpered down at her. “And how will you manage to do that? You can barely do anything useful.”

Halley looked away to Chivas who was still struggling from his restrains.

“The least I can do is try.”

She moved slowly towards Chivas and she knelt before him. He tried to bang his head on hers when she got too close. I forced my energy on Chivas’ aura so that I can control him and hold him still while Halley do her thing. She looked back at me in thanks and I nod for her to continue.

She raised her hands and rested both in each of his temples. There was a sudden force building in Chivas aura and I felt it as it flowed in him. Halley focused on her own stigma as she pushed the strings towards his. Chivas’ body took her energy in by force as his body shook. He held back his screams but when the pain was no longer bearable he let out a scream.

When Halley was done, Chivas’ body leaned forward and his head rested on Halley’s shoulder. He was covered in sweat and he was struggling to keep up with his breath. Halley once again raised her hand and tapped his back.

“You’re gonna be okay now.”

Chivas squeezed his eyes shut as if he was still in pain and then he whispered, “Thank you.”

After a few hours of trying to keep our sanity in our body, we all settled on taking a good shower on one of the bathrooms. We found out the water was still working and was somehow clean enough to use. We also borrowed some clothes that we found on someone’s closet. They were man’s clothes and were too big for me and Halley that a shirt could make out a dress for us. The shirt at least hangs down to cover Halley’s legs. But mine only ended almost a few inches down to cover enough of my thighs. It felt so good to be in casual clothes. It felt nice to feel normal for a time being and that somehow made me feel comfortable.

We had left Chivas to rest on the coach in the living room while Halley was tasked to look after him. Athren remained in the kitchen although there’s nothing really edible there to eat. I met Conleth at the hallway who happened to wash himself off pretty good and got a new set of clothes. His eyes dropped down to my bare thighs. I blushed and we both looked away.

“Um… I was just… I was just heading to Athren.” I said. “Do you want anything?” the moment I said that, I felt stupid I wanted to kick myself. What more could I give? There’s not a food to spare even in the cupboards.

He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. “I think I’m good. I got all I need.”

I felt a silly little feeling jumping inside my stomach and it really felt weird. I don’t know why the air suddenly felt so awkward around him.

“Great. I’m gonna check on Athren, see if he’s doing okay.” I started walking ahead towards the kitchen.

He nodded with a smile that made some ridiculous movements inside my chest. “Okay. So I guess I’ll see you later then.”

“Okay.” I nodded back as I continued walking towards the kitchen with a stone face.

I sat down on a stall and let out a breath.

“You look ridiculous, you know that?” Athren commented. I looked up at him and my face went hot. He smirked at me.

“Do I now?”

“You want a mirror?”

“Oh no. Do I look bad?”

He laughed and somehow that made me feel better. It has been a day and all he did was try to be an arse to everybody. But then his smile faded just like a passing wind.

“The first time you fall in love… It changes your life forever. And no matter how hard you try, the feeling never goes away. But it hurts like hell you know.” He said. “Loving someone. When you loose them… it’s a deluge.”

“I’m sorry about Sigourney, Athren.” I figured that I was so focused on anything else that I haven’t even asked him what happened after we got separated or how was he. I suddenly felt like an irresponsible commander and an ignorant friend.

He smiled weakly. “Neh. We can all move on.” He sighed heavily as he played with the spoon in his hand. “In the right time.”

“I hope you find the heart to forgive Halley.” I said as I held his hand. “It’s not entirely her fault. If I haven’t left you—”

“I am not mad at Halley. I am mad at myself, Bri.” He pulled his hand away from me. “I only blamed her because… because I couldn’t admit to myself that I failed to protect Sigourney at that time too. I was scared, Bri. I was scared to die and so I ran. I left her there to fight alone.”

I folded my hands together and I pursed my lips shut not knowing what to say. When I finally looked up at him, he was looking back at me.

“What?”

“Nothing. You just look different.”

“Different?”

“You look happy.” He observed.

“Which is something… wrong?”

“Which is something good.” He corrected.

“Thank you.”

A moment of awkward silence passed between us. Laughter were exchanged at the living room where Con’s laughter rang the loudest. My eyes found his immediately and he smiled at me. I smiled back.

“He makes you happy.” He noticed.

I looked down at my folded hands. “I love him, Athren.”

He raised a skeptic eyebrow at me. Then he smirked. “I already know that.”

“I mean it.” I reached out to pinch him.

“Well, how do you feel?”

“Great. I guess.” I shrugged.

“You seem not sure.”

“I am.” I sighed as I gave in to the things I couldn’t say out loud to Con. “I’m just scared of losing him too.”

“We all fear to loose the ones we love.” He said.

“I let myself break when I’m with him. That’s what kills me, Athren.”

“We all surrender to love, Bri. It’s not something new.”

“How did you know? That I love him.”

“There’s that look in your eyes when you both saw each other on day 1. It’s like a spark or something. And that’s when I said: I have to give up on this girl. Someone has already stolen her heart. Oh no. Someone has already taken her heart. I let you go when I saw you fall in love.”

I reached out towards him. “Athren,”

“I will always love you, Bri. Maybe no longer as more than just a friend but I will always love you and I’m gonna be here for you no matter what.”

“I know, Athren.”

“Just don’t break into pieces.” He winked at me. “And tell him and mean it. The world is already coming to an end for us.”

A sudden jolt brought me back to my senses. The kind that wanted me to shield myself away from everything again. I looked back at Conleth and I see his smiling face. I do love him and I mean it. But the walls, it’s still holding me back. I must learn to let go of my fears so that I can love him freely.

I think back of Zenith, of the Republic, and of Noah Mori.

The world is coming to an end for us. And I have decided.

I am not gonna let anything bad happen to us. There’s no turning back. I will fight back.

They may throw me at the wolves, but I will return leading the pack.

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