Chapter 13

Ren Young

I woke up with a face full of dirt. A ringing sound permeated through my ears into my skull, and my head felt like it was in a press. I couldn't say I enjoyed waking up on the ground, but it seemed like I was going to keep doing so. I rolled onto my back and stared at the sky. There was no one staring me down this time, at least. I probably should get up and get out of the street. The ringing was starting to subside, and I could hear a commotion of some kind in the distance. I tried to sit up. It was too quick, and it felt like the world somersaulted. I grabbed my head and closed my eyes. Everything was spinning, even though I wasn't moving.

I sat there a moment until I felt somewhat stable, then shakily got to my feet. In the distance, I could see people running around and panicking. I hobbled over to their area. How hard had he hit me? Was I going to be off for a while due to that fight? Was that even a fight? Now that I thought about it, I had no recollection of what happened after the chase with Cynthia. I had stood up to fight. I think I told her to run, and now I was here.

Well, no matter. She had gone home. It would be okay now, though I doubt she would get out of punishment. I don't think they would have sent that violent one to collect her otherwise. I shouldn't be thinking like this. She was some freak from up there. I shouldn't care about her. I closed my eyes and shook my head, then indefinitely regretted it as I uncontrollably stumbled, off-balance, to my right. I stopped by reaching out and resting against a wall. Or rather, the wall stopped me as I crashed into it. I felt like my body did a flip as a leaned against it. My stomach stung like I was about to puke. I don't think I had anything for a little while; that was the only reason I might not be getting sick right now. Today was going to be awful.

When I finally regained some of my bearings, I began to walk down to the crowd again. How long had I wasted just getting myself together at this point? I would need to get some painkillers for my throbbing head—some rather strong painkillers at this rate. The street opened into a clearing where the crowd was gathered. People rushed back and forth carrying all manner of supplies. One carried food. Another carried a rifle with several fresh batteries for it. I stopped someone carrying a large amount of toilet tissue.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"What! Where have you been?" the tissue man said, with a pile that covered his face from view. "The monsters just invaded. They're coming to kill us all!" Monsters? Was he talking about that fight? I looked around at the frantic crowd and back to the man.

"Why do you have toilet tissue?" The weapons and food I saw people lugging around made sense, at least. He didn't get a chance to reply. Someone in the distance yelled and pointed at us.

"Look! He has it all!" The toilet tissue man cursed and ran off around me without another word. A small group chased after him. What the hell happened while I was out? I stumbled away from the crowd, down an empty street. I wasn't sure I could accurately get myself home, but I should be able to get close enough for now. All I felt like doing right now was sleeping. This whole thing had become a disaster. I should never have agreed to go with York that day.

At this point, I was wandering somewhat aimlessly. It seemed panic had overtaken the town. I could see trails of smoke in the distance. Something had caught on fire. I turned and walked the other way. I can't blame them. I'm sure there were whispers of when Cynthia showed up earlier. A man who could punch through a building was probably the nail in the coffin. Did he punch through a building? I feel like he did. It was aggravating that I couldn't remember.

I continued stumbling until I found my way to the marketplace. I had only taken Cynthia here yesterday. Now it was chaos. My stomach twisted at the sight of it, or perhaps I just wanted to get sick still. I could no longer tell. The shops had all shut their doors, but people kept banging on the doors. Demanding the shopkeepers sell to them. The shops in the center of the plaza had all been picked clean and only remained empty shells of what they once were. I wandered over to the Stoneware's bakery. It was shut up like the rest. The door looked like it had been beaten on. A hastily drawn 'sold out' sign hung in the door's window. A crude picture of a person looking at an empty shelf with sold-out written in small text above. With the sign, I couldn't see in the back. I turned away in the direction of home.

"Ren!" A shout came from the storefront. I turned. Mrs. Stoneware was leaning outside from the upstairs window. I heard movement from the store, and Mr. Stoneware opened the door and pulled me inside.

"Are you okay, boy?" he asked, shutting the door and locked it again.

"Yeah, yeah."

"What happened to you?" Mrs. Stoneware asked as she came down the stairs.

"Uh, I'm not sure. People are going crazy out there."

"Haven't you heard? People are going nuts cause those chimeras are all over the town," Mr. Stoneware told me.

"I see." It seemed likely, considering what I had seen.

"Ren," Mr. Stoneware started to say, "Some are saying you're the one who brought one of those monsters to town. There was talk of a redheaded chimera that disappeared earlier."

"Dear, don't..."

"No, we need to hear it from him. Is it true?"

"I, I," What could I say? I didn't bring either of them to town, but I was heavily involved with what had happened, "I didn't bring her to town."

"But you helped her?" Mrs. Stoneware asked while looking away.

"I..." I couldn't find the words to say. Mr. Stoneware stood up and turned his back to me.

"You can stay here until things quiet down, but you'll need to think about what you've done," he said, then walked upstairs.

"To think, I gave it a cupcake," Mrs. Stoneware said bitterly while sitting in a chair and looking at the ground. Her hair had fallen down her head and was now covering her eyes.

This was too much for right now. I could hardly keep myself standing up. In this situation, I likely couldn't string a coherent sentence together if I wanted to. I turned around and unlocked the door. Mrs. Stoneware did not say anything as I walked out, but I heard the lock snap back once the door had closed behind me.

All I wanted, right now, was to go home. It couldn't be too much to ask for. I started to head in the right direction. My feet were shaky, but I would get there soon. I walked past a group beating on some man.

"You're one of them, aren't you?"

"No, stop. How long have we known each other?" I kept stumbling past them. Sleep was all I cared about right now. I didn't want to be involved with anything else involving her. A little longer, and I walked through my front door. My parents were in the doorway getting shoes and jackets on.

"Oh, Ren, your back," my father said.

"Where's Cynthia? Isn't she with you?"

"What happened?" They bombarded me with questions. Reasonable questions, but my mind was not in the right place for this right now.

"I'll tell you later. You probably shouldn't go out in that." I brushed past them and began to walk up the steps.

"Ren, wait," my mother yelled out. I stopped.

"Aren't you worried about her?" An odd question.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's back home now."

"You don't think she might need your help now?"

"No, she's where she belongs, and I want nothing more to do with her." I slumped up the stairs to my bedroom. When I got close enough, I fell onto the bed. Only my torso and head were lying on it, but that was okay. Everything drifted away.