Arc 3 - Chapter 31: Bestest of Men

(Reverence 4, 59 / 8:22AM)

An automobile parked near the van. Metalized in black coat paint, it conveyed no roof, with the windshield barely protecting their heads. Once its engine ceased roaring, the doors swayed open, as both a young man and an old teenage girl walked out.

The man wore a thin brown jacket, his ponytail hair being blonde. As for the woman, she wore a black skirt dress, the tip of the fabric reaching her knees. Having whiskers, cat-ears, and a button nose, she smelled the whiff of chemicals within the abandoned factory.

“They’re inside.”

“Then no doubt about it.”

Holding her hand, they both ventured straight into the entrance. Sand being replaced with rustic metal, the first thing Johnny noticed was the missing door.

‘So he came here before us…’

Tightening his hold, he inhaled a gust of air, before blowing it all out. Dropping his shoulders, he looked around the inside of the crippling factory. The warm air seeping into their clothes, Johnny coughed once, as the dust stung his pink lungs.

“cough cough … can’t believe they hunkered up here.”

“You okay Johnny?”

“Yeah. Let’s just find them.”

Johnny noticed a man sitting on top of a crate. Seeing that he was staring at the floor, the couple soon turned their direction toward him. Each step settled more warm air on their skin. Sulking out any moisture from their bodies, Johnny was used to it.

“I don’t think we met, but I’m Johnny. Doug Zirardge’s son.”

“Is that right…”

“But I don’t support my group at all. Sometimes, I feel like I’m more against them at most. Anyway, where’s the rest of the group?”

“Inside the freezer room.”

Turning his head away from Christian, he noticed ice along an old window. Pushing his left hand into his pocket, he had his right still holding Elizabeth’s hand, as they began their walk. Their boots continuing to trickle the air, Johnny could tell Christian’s eyes were darkened.

But glancing at his right, he noticed a small presence of dry blood.

‘Something went down here…’

Reaching the door, he gripped the handle, and he felt some of his skin slightly stick. Once he opened it wide, a gust of frozen wind slammed his face, and Elizabeth’s too. Taking a step back, he adjusted his knees and legs, before venturing in.

Inside, the Dark Angels sat all in random order. Some of their knees tucked into their chests, some sprawled out, it was clear that they were all tired. Being the closest to the door, Miles turned his head toward the new visitors.

“What brings you guys here?”

“Is Sean with you?”

“It's a long story but uh, Christian took him to the station near the port. Booked him a ticket back to Dodgerock. Why?”

Johnny felt his stomach sink down.

Balling his left hand, he let go of Elizabeth’s hand as he shook. Frost cracking beneath his boots, his head tilted low to the ground, he stared at the floor covered in ice. While Miles furrowed his brow, his knees pushed out from his body.

“Are you guys serious … really…”

“Like I said, it’s a long story. We had no choice but to—”

“He’s on his way to raid the train by himself!”

The frozen air couldn’t expose their silent breaths.

Rising from the ground, all of Miles’s chest and stomach came to an abrupt halt. No breathing, only his heart pounded against his chest. Once his whole body was up, with legs and knees tightened and straightened out, he hissed out air through his blue lips.

“You got to be shitting me…”

“I wish.”

“So that duel is all for nothing then…”

Miles whispered the words, but it was loud, loud enough for Johnny and Elizabeth to hear. Crinkling his forehead, he looked up slightly at Miles, as his height dwarfed his by a longshot.

“A duel? What do you mean duel? Like a fight?”

“It was between Luke and Sean. It was ugly. Too ugly. One of them almost got killed.”

“Damn … never thought Sean would go to such—”

“It wasn’t Sean taking that beating.”

Johnny placed both of his hands onto his head, as a low groan escaped his mouth.

Scrunching his blonde hair with his fingers, he ignored the cat-girl who was on the border between the freezer and main building. He had glanced back, but he also took note of the dry blood from where he turned.

“D-Damn…”

“He wants to be left alone right now. He feels guilty, but anyone would. He almost killed someone out of malicious intent.”

“But I really need to find him. I need to tell him about Sean.”

“If you really want him, then he’s upstairs in one of the office rooms. I highly doubt he’ll listen though.”

From out of the doorway, a red-haired man walked inside. Keeping his hands in his pockets, both of his cheeks were pushed up. Ignoring Miles, he kept his eyes on Johnny, who turned around to face the freshly recharged sniper.

“He’s holding himself up in there. Ever since last night, Luna has been waiting outside that door, trying to get him out.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Hey, better than someone telling me what happened half a day later.”

He looked toward Miles, and softly glared at the dark-complected man. Moving his pupils toward the floor, he heard Jack sneer. Folding his arms, he leaned his shoulder near the wall, even when he felt the cold prickle his shoulder.

“That was a shitty call dude. Letting them fight to the death?”

“I told you, what’s done is done.”

“Yeah yeah yeah. You repeat that line nonstop, and yet, you don’t feel any guilt do you?”

Miles felt both of his fingers twitch, his knuckles shivering under the frozen air. It wasn’t because it was cold, but because of the growing tension that hovered beneath ice.

Narrowing his eyes, lifting his head, he pushed his strained pupils on the red-haired man. Both men frowned, both men felt cold. Their voices, vocals, it froze whatever warmth they had at that moment.

“It was the best for all of us! Get that through your thick head you leech! I thought it would teach Sean a lesson, a wakeup call, but I never thought it would turn that ugly!”

“Oh what a load of—”

“Enough!”

Tucked away in a dark corner, was a blonde-haired woman. Their heads turned toward her, she had her forehead pressed on her knees, while her arms wrapped around her thighs. Curling her fingers into her shins, she couldn’t look up.

“No more fighting … just … no more …”

Her words shook, her syllables lowered like a dying mouse.

Jack blew air through his nose, before turning away with a gruff. Still frustrated, he wasn’t angry, as he calmed himself down by walking away. Miles slowly nodded, his eyes unable to look at anyone, especially not at Hope. Johnny rubbed his temples, his fingers ice-cold.

“Miles. Wanna follow me upstairs?”

“sighs … alright.”

“Benn. You coming?”

Benn remained silent, but he rose from the ground.

Looking like everything affected him too, he himself knew just how much this group meant to him. To have it all falling apart, he knew they were good people, while the whole world wasn’t.

“Uh … Hope?”

Once Benn walked next to Miles, Johnny stared at the silent woman. Looking like she wouldn’t budge, he rubbed the back of his neck, before he noticed heels clicking the ice. Being right next to him, she tugged at his jacket, and they both knew immediately…

“Oh alright … here.”

Taking off his thin brown jacket, he handed it to her.

Putting it on, it was a means for her to be warm, to be close to him. Inhaling in the soft scent, he patted her head, and allowed a soft smile to plaster his face. Their eyes were locked at each other. Blue and brown, pale skin and tan skin, whiskers and no whiskers … it was them. In a world of mud and water.

Until Johnny began his walk out of the freezer, leaving Elizabeth to be the one to bring her Hope.

________________________________________________________________________

The blinds covered the burning rays from outside. Papers piling up the desks, some of them littered on the hardwood floor. But most of all, the inside of the room was desolate in a nighttime darkness; opposite of outside.

Outside the room, a tanned woman laid her back on the wall. Keeping her eyes on the handle, her hands were clutched together, softly.

‘Come on Luke … open that door…’

She heard footsteps.

Walking up the stairs, spider-webs littered their shoulders and chest. Spitting out some of the silk, it wasn’t long before they walked through the hallway at last. Noticing Luna, she had her eyes turned toward them. Unwilling to speak, she quickly moved her hand on the handle.

“Luna. Is he in there?”

“Yeah. Just waiting for him…”

“Sorry, but uh, we need to see him.”

“Alright.”

Without nodding, Luna turned the knob. Opening it slowly, the nails allowed the wood to creak. The hinges held by a single thread, the back of the door pelted the wall, giving her the chance to take a step forward.

Ink and dust molested her throat. Along with everyone else, they noticed the stale air that hovered near the blinds. Waving the air with their hands, it didn’t take long before they noticed Luke.

Having his forehead pressed on his knees, he was in the same position as Hope. Cradling his legs with his arms, he had his nails dig into his shins. Walking toward him, Luna was the first to hover near him.

“Hey…”

Kneeling down, both of her knees pinned the wood below. Rubbing her calloused hand on his shoulder, he still kept his face hidden from everyone.

“It’s not your fault.”

Feeling his throat jump repeatedly, he puckered his lips, and did his best to withhold tears.

Miles pushed a hand into his pocket, and took out a can full of soda. Looking like it wasn’t opened, no dust or dirt lingered. Having the logo ‘Mr. Pepper’ on the front, he lowered his hand.

“Hey uh … if you want, you could have this. It’s to hydrate you.”

“He’s not thirsty Miles.”

“I just want to help him out, same as you.”

“Fenix sir…”

With Luna to Luke’s left shoulder, and Miles to Luke’s right, Benn stood right in front of him. Folding his arms, Benn had his arms tightened beneath his jacket. Like he was showing off his biceps, the crevices of his lips created an almighty frown.

“Get the hell up from there.”

Luna turned her head to the left, and glared at Benn with tightened hands. His frown matching hers, she was close to thrusting both of her hands to his collar.

“You heartless bastard.”

“We need to hear Luke's decision, his output on everything. We need guidance, support, but he’s just … sulking.”

“So what if he’s sulking?”

“Sean’s going to raid the train by himself.”

“Then he could eat dirt for all I care. Why should we get in trouble for something we did?”

“Cause in the end; you all are a team.” Said Johnny.

He stood on Benn’s right shoulder, as his eyes took in all four people. Taking a step back, Luna loosened the frustration she held, but she still kept her eyes trained.

Miles and Benn didn’t speak, their eyes still on Luke. Having his face hidden beneath his knees, he loosened the grip he had on his legs.

“You guys are supposed to help each other. If that isn’t what’s happening, or what’s being decided upon; then that’s no team to me.”

Luna remained silent.

Having a frown that wrinkled her cheeks, she couldn’t look at Johnny’s eyes. Blowing a big chunk of air out of her lungs, she darkened her eyes, and quenched her breath…

“Benn’s right…”

They all turned to look at him. Sealing their lips, clenching their muscles, all of them locked eyes on the young man. Rising his head an inch, they could see his face…

“What I’m doing is just sulking here, and for what? Because of my mistake?”

His eyes began to lighten, as no darkness was grown. With small traces of light trying to push through the blinds, Luke laid his knuckles on the wooden floor.

Arching his head, he pushed it against the wooden wall. Dust clinging onto his hair, his lips looked parched, like he hadn’t drank water in many hours.

“I just wanted things to go back the way they were, but I wanted to know the truth. It was two different things, two contrasting goals. It’s like choosing between free gas or free food, you’ll be sacrificing a good thing over another.”

Gazing his eyes on the ceiling, it was like he was staring up at space. Nothing to contrive, nothing to decipher, it’s as if he was analyzing a blank sheet of paper.

“Does that make me a sheep? A pushover like Sean said? To be honest, I don’t even know myself anymore.”

Moving his eyes toward the floor, he arched his head down. No smile or frown, no sparkle of fire in his irises, Johnny subtly widened his eyes. Miles, Luna, Benn; the three of them softened their stares the more he spoke.

“I can’t lead, I can’t command… I’m practically a kid when it comes to deciding things.”

He was indecisive.

Lacking no executive dominance, he follows the wishes of his friends rather than his own. Following the crowd, pleasing those who are upper, or even lower than him; Sean articulated his whole personality thoroughly. And worst of all … he was frustrated by how easy Sean did it.

“And now I can’t decide what to do now.”

A single tear rolled down his cheek. Coming from his right eye, it wasn’t long before it dribbled to the floor. Raising his right hand, he sniffled, and used his sleeve to cleave away the leftover water.

Johnny raised a hand to his face, and brushed away a couple of strands of hair. Softening his face, his cheeks, he pushed one of his hands into his pocket.

“If it makes you feel any better, I was just like you.”

Luke had his eyes engulfed in Johnny. Loosening all of his joints and muscles, they were relaxed on the floor. Along with everyone else, they saw Johnny clear his throat, his boots clamped together once he straightened his back.

“I pretty much had no dreams, no goals, no motivation at all. Hell, I acted like a cloud on most days. I was border-line nihilist, and felt like I wasn’t a part of this world … until I met her.”

Panning the camera to a different conversation.

Feeling the air freeze against her fur, the jacket she wore couldn’t absorb the heat well. Her nose turning pink, the tips of her whiskers began to form soft bits of ice. But nonetheless, she walked straight toward Hope.

“Do you blame Luke?”

Hope kept her forehead pinned on her knees, even when she was asked a question. Not bothering to look up, her throat was cleared, as no nervousness dwelled in her throat. All the while Elizabeth cocked her head to the right.

“He almost killed someone. He was about to… but he made an oath to me. A promise to not get enraged. And he broke it… he broke it.”

“Then that’s your first mistake. Men are the worst in keeping their promises.”

Lowering herself down, she tucked her knees in, so that way her skin didn’t glue to the ground. Having them buckled, she had her arms wrapped around her shins, and then giggled. Both of her cheeks making a smile, her eyes sparkled in a mystical of youth.

“But the bestest of men would try to fulfill them.”

Hope lifted her head. Seeing the reflection in her eyes, her parched lips crackled under the freezer air. Her grip on her legs loosening, she laid her knuckles on the ground.

And sprawled out her legs in front of her.

“You see, everyone makes mistakes. You, me, Luke, Johnny; we all mess up from time to time. Well, you, me and Luke that is.”

“But you said all men can’t keep their promises?”

Elizabeth smirked.

Raising a finger to her lips, she tapped them, and then rose from the ground. Giggling continued to emerge from her, and she shook her head, making Hope furrow her brow. Narrowing her eyes, it led Elizabeth to straighten her back, along with her footing.

“Well then, let me tell you a little story.”