Survival Of The Fittest

Speak of the devil. Her devil, for once.

Ivy heard the rustling behind her and whirled around, realizing, in a fractional second of panic, that she hadn't taken her bleach spray out of her bag. But it was just Myles, Myles gulping down water like he might drown on air and she felt better, but she didn't. He was back, he was okay, he wasn't hurt. Something was wrong. She always knew.

"Myley?" Her voice was hesitant. She slid off of the rock, her feet sinking a bit into the wet earth beneath her.

He was back, he was okay, he wasn't hurt. Declyn wasn't there. They must have fought, maybe, not physically, Declyn was the one with the real gun and Myles hadn't been shot, so. Something else. She didn't see the point in speculating.

"Did something happen?" Cautious. He'd tell her everything eventually.

"He said he wanted to be alone." Myles winced at how his voice came out, thick and wobbly. It was obvious that he wasn't okay.

He stayed hunched over the bag for a moment after replacing the water bottle, staring into it. He realized, all of a sudden, that he didn't have any spare ammo for the gun. That would also all be in Declyn's bag. Whatever it was already loaded with was all there was.

Ugh, he'd have to carry the bag himself now too. He couldn't leave the weapons in Garren's possession, even if Garren didn't know he had them. Myles let out a gust of breath and yanked the zipper closed again, then slung the bag over his shoulder. Maybe it hid the bloodstain on his shirt like this.

"He's not coming with us, so we should just go."

His voice sounded wet. Her instinct was to reach out, touch his shoulder, pull him into a hug, but he was moving too fast. Breathing too hard. She wanted to say something but Garren was right there.

"Okay," Ivy said plainly but didn't move. She just looked at him. He was carrying his bag, why? Garren was still there, it wasn't as though Myles was dismissing him, and she wouldn't believe Myles for a second if he said he was giving the other boy a break. Maybe he was—her heart shuddered for a moment at the thought, at he was trying to leave them, but he wouldn't. He would never. He could go his own way for a few minutes but he'd always come back. That couldn't be it. But what else could it be?

All she had to do was trust him. She'd been doing that her whole life. She could do it a few hours more. It was just Garren he couldn't talk in front of, right? Just Garren. That was all. Silly her. Worrying over nothing.

"You lead the way."

She glanced back at the lake one more time, frowning. The idea of going swimming seemed so far away in her daydreams now that suggesting they stay, or at least go to a different part of the lake, felt ridiculous. She remembered how happy he'd looked, running toward the waterfall. She looked at her feet as she followed them toward him.

She knew he didn't want to be touched, but she tried to take his arm, anyway, because she always did. He didn't push her away, but he slipped, silently, out of her grasp. She fell one step behind him and stayed there.

All she had to do was trust him.

It had always been so easy.

>> Ivy Langley continued in Right Now, I Feel No Pain

Ivy and Garren didn't argue or ask any other questions, which was good. Myles didn't want to talk. Ivy reached out for him, but he evaded her, because he didn't want to be touched either. He'd just been standing arm in arm with Declyn a few minutes ago.

As the three of them left, Myles didn't look back to check what Emmett and Jonathan were doing. He didn't care.

He hoped that when they found Declyn, they left him alone and didn't add him to the sick joke of a memorial they had over there. He hoped that they let him have some peace, not laid out for everyone to see like he deserved to be lumped in with Lorenzo and Adonis and whoever else. Let his body go back to nature, or something. That was the kind of thing that Declyn would have wanted. They didn't need to touch him.

If Myles had some way to tell them that, he might have, but he couldn't.

He wouldn't come back here again. At least that way, he could pretend that things were the way they should be.

((Myles Roux continued in Right Now, I Feel No Pain))

It was painfully obvious that something was wrong.

Myles was not a subtle guy. Never had been, it was kinda hard when your hair was visible from outer fucking space. It was apparent that something was up the moment he opened his mouth, and when Garren started paying a fraction closer attention, the cracks made themselves known. His voice, twice as slow and deep as normal. The way he moved, simultaneously beleaguered as though he was coming off of the back of a marathon, and frantic, like he was constantly trying to run somewhere.

The moments in between, when it looked as though he forgot where he was, briefly staring into the depths of wherever his eyes fell, before he returned to reality.

Garren slid off the rock, taking a step forwards closer to Myles. His mouth was open, his arm outstretched. He paused himself, freezing mid-stride. Then he continued forwards, closed his mouth, and scooped up the remaining bags back onto his shoulders.

Of course, he wanted to know real badly what had happened between Myles and Declyn. Maybe Myles had wanted Declyn to come more than anything, and Dec had said no. Maybe the circumstances of Declyn’s kill had been way more vicious than Myles had been expecting, maybe he was thinking about killing again.

Garren could theorise all he damn well pleased, because he wasn’t going to say a word about it to Myles. It wasn’t his place just yet, it wasn’t his role to pry. He could tell that some of the icy barrier that separated himself and Ivy had melted now. If he started to interrogate Myles now, both his own and her barriers would solidify again, and he’d be right back to Square One. Or worse.

And besides, common fucking courtesy, dude. Myles was obviously upset. You gonna go ask a dude ‘Hey, why the long face’ after their dog just died?

He followed the other two, trying to ignore the growing feeling of discomfort in his chest as Myles slipped away from Ivy.

((Garren Mortimer continued in Right Now, I Feel No Pain))

Emmett trailed behind Jonathan, an increasing sensation of nervousness running through him. Emmett thought he had nothing left to care about, but clearly he was wrong as there was simply something not right about this whole thing.

Where was everyone else? Why did we all split up in the first place. What the fuck was going on?

Jon vocalized his distrust for Myles. “No shit.” was all Emmett replied with. Myles was always a rat. That didn’t change. Maybe Declyn was two faced all along too. Maybe he bailed on them. Maybe Emmett didn’t have a reason to feel bad after all.

“Bet you he took Declyn with him and ran to get away from us. Bet you Declyn didn’t care enough to let us know.”

Jonathan knew that only negativity would be vomiting out of Emmett's foul mouth and he knew that he could- might be right about Declyn bailing on them. Declyn had been so happy to see Myles even if Jonathan had been distrustful of that boy and if he had ruined their reunion by voicing how much he disliked Myles with a burning passion.... Declyn might have gotten upset at him and he could have gone off with Myles and the others. However, even if Declyn was leaving with someone that he clearly cared about.... Jonathan knew that Declyn would have come back to tell them and then they would have all gone their separate ways.

He would have been alone again.

"Even if Declyn had gone off with Myles; I don't think he would have left without telling us." Jonathan remarked in a calming manner and he continued to move his feet forward without looking back at Emmett, feeling like something was wrong. It was quiet out in the woods. It was too fucking quiet and Jonathan felt his heart beating a little faster with a surge with paranoia. "Not everyone is an asshole here, Emmett. But it's not- n.....not...."

Jonathan felt himself slowing down to a complete stop and he didn't even care if Emmett bumped into him from behind. He could see the bright green-like hair and he felt he was about to throw up from the sight. He felt the chainsaw dropping from his hand uselessly and he didn't even flinch as it clacked heavily onto the ground beside him. He felt like he was suddenly drowning into a dark, lonely abyss of crushing guilt.

"Dec.... Declyn...?" It hurt to say his name in a despairing swamp of scared emotions that were taking over his body. "H-Hey.... Stop messi… messing a..... around...."

He didn't even realized that he was pleading so desperately and he could only drag himself forward in a zombie-like state. He noticed that Declyn's lower half was turned awkwardly to the side and that the rest of him was carelessly laying on the ground, making Jonathan's chest hurt more. He felt like he was about to break down and have a panic attack due to seeing the blood. Vomit and blood....

Myles...

Myles....

Myles had killed Declyn.

Jonathan didn't understand.

Why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why?!!

Jonathan felt his legs giving out from under him as he collapsed down to his knees beside Declyn and he reached out to touch the other boy's corpse. The warmth from Declyn's body was fading away and he wanted to deny with all his heart that Declyn was really gone. But he couldn't. He couldn't be in denial as he was trying to wipe away the puke and blood from Declyn's mouth and chin with his hand and he honestly didn't care about the world watching him anymore. All he could do was cuddle and hold onto Declyn's body into his arms.

He felt something wet on his face.

He was crying for Declyn. He hated this. It shouldn't have been Declyn. Why hadn't he stopped Declyn from going with Myles? He felt like it was all his fault. He should have warned Declyn. He should have.... He should have.... He.... s.....should.... h.....h....have....

He couldn't even speak anymore. If Emmett wanted to say anything to him now, he honestly felt like he was too tired to care.

No, Declyn didn’t abandon them after all. This was worse. For a moment, Emmett had doubts. In the time between his talk with Jonathan and the walk here, Emmett thought about if he was making the right choice. For a moment he wanted to give it another chance.

Now.

Now there was no doubts. He watched Jonathan break down. Emmett felt nauseous. Most of all he felt fury. No more doubts. He knew what he was going to do.

We deserve this.

No good can come from this, we’re all damned. We deserve this.

“No one goes home.”

This was the last moment Jonathan and Emmett would have as allies. The next time they meet, they would be enemies. The next time Emmett met anyone, they would be enemies.

Emmett turned around. He walked away, his grip tightened on his weapon.

(( He wandered off alone.))

No one goes home...

Those were the words that Emmett had left him with and Jonathan just sat there for a very long time while holding onto Declyn's broken corpse.

He didn't have the energy to even move to stop Emmett from leaving.

We should have worked together.

…

Right...?

((Jonathan Meyers continued in Where You Are))