Chapter 19: Dust
Evan had been pacing back and forth after he sat Adonis on a stump. He only did this when he was truly worried about something, which, given that fact, made Adonis terribly uneasy.
"You've been attacked," he said, stopping in one place. Adonis was a bit delayed for an answer. "O-oh! Yeah, well, it wasn't that much of an attack. An ambush, surely, but an attack?" He blew raspberries. Evan did not break his piercing stare, making Adonis gulp.
He went back to walking continuously between points. "A minor ambush does not bring about a bloody strike across the profile," he said sharply. Sage and Maxine had been whispering back and forth to each other about something, Adonis feeling embarrassed once again now. Wayne was staring at him the whole time.
"What!" Adonis snapped. Wayne's eyes dilated a second, then glanced away. Adonis smirked, proud of the power he at least knew he had. "Hey! Don't get mad at Wayne!" Preston chipped. "He's only concerned about you! We all are.."
Sage and Maxine broke away from their private conversation to nod in agreement. Adonis couldn't help but squeeze his hands tightly inside of each other. He gritted his teeth, biting back every inch of anger that bubbled up inside of him like a sudden volcano of rage. He didn't know what made him so emotional today...
One moment he feels like he's been injected with pure bliss, breathing in the sunshine and absorbing the power of the forest. Now, these past few moments have been nothing but malice, fear, and hurt. What power an emerald holds...
What power an emerald holds...
Through all of this, Evan still examined him from afar. Adonis managed to calm himself down enough to utter a few words.
"Listen. All of you. I've done something horrible... Some things horrible. I hurt too many people. I can't... I truly cannot..."
Before he could stop himself, the rollercoaster of emotion had now come to a severe drop, as did his tears down his face. He couldn't stop crying for his life. He blocked out all sound, all chatter around him, all help he could possibly want, need, or desire. There wasn't a better feeling than a good, big cry. Just letting it all out was something that nothing could compare to.
Not even "nothing" could compare to it. Bawl.
He then felt a warmth come over him. A hug, yes. He cracked open his eyes, letting go from his inner dimension of sadness, and revealing a big softy squeezing him tightly.
"W-Wayne?" He croaked. Wayne was sobbing as well, not even answering Adonis' calls. Adonis managed to peek over his friend's shoulder and glance at Evan, who still had a stone-cold glare on his face.
He was starting to lose oxygen as he pleaded with Wayne to let him go. "What? Oh, sorry," Wayne said, releasing his tight grip. He rubbed his own eyes and backed away. "Wayne, I'm fine. I just... It would be better if I told you all the whole story."
Evan finally broke his static stare to raise his eyebrow acutely. "We're listening?"
"I was ambushed, please give me that. An arrow swept across my face and almost hit me. I tried running away, but someone out of nowhere just fell from the sky and pointed his bow at me. I guess that was his arrow.. Anyway, he threatened me, telling me to 'Leave now or cease to live.' I replied with saying I had to get you guys first, and he pulled his bow string back even more. He was going to kill me if I didn't do anything..."
Adonis had been looking down, but now he glanced upward to see everyone's reaction. Sage had been sitting on the ground, holding her legs. She looked like she was enjoying this.
When he didn't get an adverse reaction, Adonis continued. "I used self defense techniques. We fought, and I twisted his... Left hand? I think so. He grabbed something sharp with his other hand and slashed me across the face. He released himself as I was holding my face in pain. He went for his bow, grabbed it, and shot at me. I dodged.. I jumped on him and we wrestled.."
He had to stop for a moment, no realizing all he had just said. He didn't notice how traumatizing it was until he sat down and conversed about it. It was a horrifying experience, to say the least, thinking about everything that happened.
He couldn't just stop, though, so he went on. "We punched and kicked each other until he was on top, and then... Out if nowhere... A stray arrow, flying at high speeds, stabbed him in the back. It just appeared, okay? I had nothing to do with it... But.."
"Where's the body?" Evan asked shortly. Adonis was taken aback. How could he not have questioned anything that came out of his leader's mouth?
"...I-I don't know, but why does that matter?"
"You can't just leave it in the middle of the forest! Did you listen at all to what the President said? If we get reported for bad behavior, we might being staying here forever. Let alone be responsible for a death."
"I didn't do it!" Adonis boomed. "See? I knew I couldn't tell anyone! I knew, I knew, I knew you would be like this!"
Evan opened his mouth to say something, but Maxine interjected. "Did he say anything about who he was? Anything before he died?" "No... Well, yes, he did. He said something about it being, 'Our territory', or something like that. I don't know if that means there's more of him or what..."
"Where's Shawn and Shera?" Said Webner. Adonis forgot that the twins were right here.
"..OH circle, I FORGOT ABOUT THOSE TWO!"
"Lead us to the body first!" Evan commanded. "We don't want any evidence left behind!"
Adonis was lost again. He had no idea where everything was, which was a bit of a panic problem if they ever wanted to find something (or someone) specific. "A dead body would smell, right?" Winnie asked. "Don't ask me, I've never seen or had experience with something dead before!" Sage replied. "Oh, wait, except for chicken. I've seen LOTS of dead chicken... Dead delicious chicken... I'M HUNGRY ACTUALLY—"
"You seriously thought through to it being the right time to ask for the next meal?" Evan responded irritably. Sage frowned. "I can't control my stomach, grumpy pants."
"This is where it happened."
Everyone bumped into each other as Adonis stopped abruptly. He was the one who made the statement, grimly so. It looked like the center of the forest, which was illuminated by sunlight, having trees surround, but not cover, it. As if it were reserved for something... Important.
"Hmm," Maxine pondered. She scratched her chin and walked around the fairly big circle of blooming life. "I don't see a thing in this area."
"But.. It was right here! It brings back nauseating memories of what happened.. How could it not be here?" Adonis quietly said. He walked to where he remembered to be the crime scene. He saw blood there... And ashes.
"Guys, wait! I found ashes!" He exclaimed, beckoning everyone. Everybody gathered around to see what was going on. Evan examined the group of ashes and blood stains extremely close, kneeling on the ground. "No real body, but few wispy ashes.. I see a pattern."
"What do you mean?" Adonis asked. Evan closed his eyes, then stood up. "I observe things very intently. The only thing that I've seen actively perish is the ghast we encountered in the Nether—"—Wayne winced—"and the same thing happened to that. So, what I'm guessing is, everything that dies does not stay for long. It goes straight to the afterlife, leaving no evidence of its existence. Except, of course, maybe blood."
Adonis looked back down at the dust. He had been so caught up in his guilt of death.. But now knowing that no one would notice a few little dust particles.. Maybe the person's absence, sure, but death? They would never suspect it...
What was he thinking?! He shook the crazy intrusive thoughts out of his head. He wasn't truly getting any ideas, was he?
...Was he?
End of Chapter 19.
Oh wow look
Someone has done their work like they're supposed to
YOU SHOULDN'T TALK KEVIN NOW GET BACK TO WORK!
noob face.
Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this (super long, sorry guys XD) chapter! I thought this would make up for the two days I didn't do it by making it long!
Lemme know what you think!
Love ya'll
nobodyimportant out—
