Chapter Text
When I woke up that morning I had a deer staring directly at me. Cons of sleeping outside, you get random forest animals staring down at you when you wake up.
I could tell that it was a doe, and she let me pet her before running off. It was a weird encounter but weirder has happened. I got up and stretched, knowing it’d be a while before Neo woke up.
The sun was already up, and the grass below me was damp due to the humidity of Trench. Even in the fall we still had humid nights and dew droplets on the grass in the morning, at least my bag was mostly waterproof so my notebook was dry.
Neo usually didn’t get up until around noon, giving me a little over 6 hours to look for more supplies that we could use back at camp, but I also felt like I shouldn’t leave Neo alone because of what happened yesterday. I was worried about him, but he trusted me, so I should trust him in return.
I ran my fingers through my hair before resting my forehead on them. I was thinking the worst. I didn’t want to lose anymore family.
Suddenly I heard the tent behind me open and Neo stepped out.
“I thought you weren’t going to be up until noon like you usually are,” I said, and he shrugged. “I wanted to get an early start.”
I nodded, and he sighed.
Luckily the fish survived, and I carried the bag that they were in.
“We should leave that tent there, just in case,” he said, and I agreed. I’d be less stuff to trek back to camp.
We started walking and I had to bring it up now rather than later.
“I wanted to talk to you,” I said, and he put his hands in his pocket and nodded.
“Josh, it’s just hard to break the habit,” Neo said, and I saw the numbness in his eyes. “After my parents died I wanted to join them, but Alexis stopped me. She got us out because otherwise I would’ve been 6 feet under.”
“My sister was a victim of Vialism,” I said, and he looked at me. “I was 14 when I escaped. It took 3 tries.”
“I also wanted to die after she did, and you’re strong for still being here, Neo, I know from personal experience how hard it is to keep going.”
He dropped his things and hugged me. I hugged him back.
***
When we got back to camp I gave all the fish to Jacob, our cook before going to my tent. I reeked of fish so I decided to grab a towel and head east to the hot springs located near camp. While not the most hygienic it had to do for now.
I wasn’t surprised to see another guy there, Marcus.
I took off Clancy’s jacket and my shirt before getting in the water in just my boxers.
“Surprised to see you outside of your tent,” he sneered, and I tried to ignore him. “You’re still defending your traitor of a boyfriend I heard.”
“Shut up, Marcus,” I said, dunking my head in the water. I hated how stuck up he was.
“The vultures have taken a liking to me,” he said, and I was confused as to why he said that, until it clicked.
I wasn’t thinking as I lunged at him and grabbed his throat.
“YOU SOLD HIM OUT TO THE FUCKING BISHOPS?” I screamed, I only let him go when the whites in his eyes started turning red from lack of oxygen.
“Had to prove that you’re an incompetent leader,” he rasped, grabbing his throat. “And now I just proved that you’re fucking insane.”
I punched him, breaking his nose before throwing him against the rocks behind him. He retaliated by getting the salt from the springs in my eyes and shoving me under the water. I was stronger than him though, but he still got a few good punches in as the water was red from our blood. My lip was spilt and gushing blood as well as my nose.
He slammed my head into a rock and I felt my skull crack as blood trickled down my neck, it stung. I had the high ground again and I broke his wrist before slamming him into the rocks again, and again, bashing his head against them until his breathing stopped and I could see bits of his skull in the water.
I quickly got out of there and got my spare change of clothes on before running east more.
I threw up at the edge of a forest at the realization of what I just did. I just killed someone. I just killed a fellow Bandito.
I felt sick. I felt like I failed. I killed one of my own.
I killed one of my own.
I used a tree to support myself as I stood back up. I couldn’t go back to camp, not now, not ever.
My head was still gushing blood, and I couldn’t get far as I fell to my knees again, losing consciousness quickly after.
I killed a man.