The Last Red

Chapter 20: Outlaws

Should I step up front and support Nicky? I mean - he did hold onto his end of the bargain...

Yes.

I'll take a stand - I've made my decision.

But my legs take a step back.

Wait a second... Koben's the new ruler.

My eyes run across the people in the hallway. The blood smeared across the ground, the chaos... and then it hits me.

This could all change.

I'm suddenly terrified. I mean, I was terrified before as well, but now... it's a good kind of terrified.

We don't have to run.

We could actually stay here.

Koben could rule.

That means we can make any laws we want. We can create fairness. Ensure justice.

Establish rules...

These people don't even care about our race, I mean-

Someone grabs my hand.

"Let's go," Koben says in a low voice, pulling me outside of the circle, as I jump up, startled.

"What're you doing?!"

He looks around as if looking for a way out. "I ain't staying here for one second longer than needed."

"What're you talking about? You're the new leader," I insist.

He finally stops, throwing a glance at me that I've never seen, from anyone. "You can't be serious."

I swallow hard. I have to play this right. "Nicolas cannot rule," I state, taking my hand out of his. "The people chose you."

He shakes his head in disbelief, then walks away.

"Wait up!" I run after him, but he doesn't stop.

"Where are you going?" I grab his wrist, now keeping him involuntarily by my side. This guy is going the be the death of me, I swear. 

"I'm getting the hell out of this - mental place. You can do as you please, Red, but I kindly suggest you come with me, 'cause," he throws a glance back there, "you can't really think you'd be safe in there."

"I would if you ruled it."

"Oh my God, you're serious," the words come out his mouth as one giant word bubble.

"What? This place was bad only 'cause Patrick was."

He laughs. "Oh, and the rest were really against violence and unfairness, as shown during the fight! Red!" he shouts now, "Did you not see what happened in there?"

Oh, for God's sake, Koben. 

He's ruining everything. I already envisioned me here - free. Not having to run anymore. Not having to hide.

"Koben, I'm telling you this is way better than the Wild. We can make it better. Together."

"I'm not stayin' here," he says plain and simple, but his eyes are still wide open in shock.

There's one thing he's forgetting.

"You can't go behind the Wall without me," I say. "All I'm asking's a few days. Until my leg's healed," I take hold of my wound, "Besides," I look back to the still crowded hall, "we don't have to hide here," I run a hand over my head. It's not soft. The hairs already started to show. But here... it doesn't matter. "I never had that," I say. 

He shakes his head in desperation. 

But he knows he needs me if he's ever gonna cross that Wall.

"Please," I try.

He exhales with anger, grabbing my eyes with his. Then he nods. 

A subtle smile lights up my face - a novelty for me.

"Hey," he stops me before I get too excited, "but just for a couple of days."

He bites his lower lip in anxiety, looking around the chaos around us.

"Until you can walk again. And then we're gone."

I nod, even though he's not even looking at me.

We're both observing two men dragging Patrick's body outside, as others grab a hold of the other two corpses.

I don't feel well seeing it, and it doesn't feel right, but I've never dealt with a corpse before.

Even though my mother told me people used to dig holes in the ground and bury the dead as part of a respectful ceremony. 

"D'you think you should say something?" I ask staring in front.

Koben finally meets my face, frowning. "No." And then he's gone.

"Where-" I sigh and let it go, bumping my hands over my thighs in exasperation. 

I'll give him some time.

I decide to feed my curiosity and limp my way out to see how they'll deal with the bodies.

After all, they must be really experienced with death around here. 

I lean against the façade, covering my eyes from the now burning Sun as the men throw Patrick onto the soil, followed by loud thumps of the other two bodies.

Oh my God.

They just... threw them all on top of each other, like a pile of wood.

A bony, tattooed lady walks in a circle spilling a transparent liquid over them.

I don't recognize the smell, but it's strong and memorable.

Norton steps up and someone hands over a little package to him.

It's a tiny box containing little wooden sticks. I've seen it in pictures before. A matchbox.

I watch in awe as he grinds one match over the box part and fire is created. Just like that.

If only I had those in the Wild...

He throws the burning match over the stocked up bodies and the three corpses catch fire almost instantaneously.

No one does as much as a flinch. No speech. No ceremony. 

Nothing.

"Hey!"

I turn to a chubby dark woman with long dreadlocks and burned out cheeks.

"You're that white chick that came with the dude who won. Ain't ya?"

"Koben," someone yells back at her. "You should know our leader's name, Nina."

I lick my teeth slowly to gather myself.

I've slowly had enough of this barbaric treatment. All these people care about is who's Alpha and keep calculating who to ally with...

I have to be smart, too. Especially if we're going to stay.

"Yeah," I nod, tucking hands into the hem of my jeans. "I'm the white chick."

Nina nods, satisfied. "Well, where is 'e?"

Good question, Nina.

"He's taking care of something," I say confidently. "Don't worry about it."

She laughs and I see two of her upper teeth are missing.

"I don't worry," she tells me still half laughing. "But you should."

My heart-rate slows down.

"Alright, that's enough, Nina," a man half hugs her, pulling her away from me. 

Just before he drags her away, he casts a look at me, torn between speaking and staying silent.

He conforms on the former.

"A speech would be good," he says it as if giving me advice. "People need to be addressed. Otherwise..." he looks around, "Chaos."

He leaves, dragging Nina alongside.

O.K. That makes sense.

A speech.

But even if I knew where the hell Koben was, I doubt he'd be willing to give one.

OK, let's see... 

What are my options?

* * *

At nightfall, I'm already stressed out. Wondering if he's alive even. Where the hell are you, Koben?

"Noooo!" A heartbreaking shriek cuts through the air and echoes the vast hall.

I run out, along with many others from the neighboring cells.

"What happened?" I ask, not really directed at anyone specific, but showing my honest concern.

No answer.

I start to walk to the cells across, but the bald girl grabs my elbow. 

"You do not want to be there right now."

I frown. "What have you done?" I let myself loose and rush towards Nicky's cell.

There're a few people in there, but I manage to push my way in.

Oh my God.

Nicky's lying on his bed, a huge pool of blood over his mid-section, and a piece of thick glass, a broken mirror, stuck into his abdomen.

"Who did this!?"

"Who would do something like that?"

"We'll get our revenge!"

Shit.

I suddenly feel wobbly.

I need to get out of here.

I step back slowly until I collide with a mass.

So many people surround the cell now. I try to push through, but it's quite impossible.

C'mon.

Use your mediocre skills, I tell myself.

Given my years at KTL I should know how to move in big crowds. This place is a desert compared to it.

"It's all your fault!" Somebody points a finger at me.

Oh, s**t.

"No," I shake my head, "I had nothing to do with this-"

But she grabs my neck before I can finish. "The hell you didn't!" She scratches my face, and tries to bring me down, but I somehow fight back.

I feel a grip and a gentle pull, and then I'm out.

I look around me, but don't see anyone I recognize.

"Go, girl," an old man whispers.

I don't need to be told twice.

I run back to our cell. 

We actually might have to leave, after all.

Panting, I open the cell door and -

Koben!

"Finally!" I yell. "Where the hell have you been?"

"You look upset," he states matter-of-factly.

"You think?" I shriek, "They killed Nicky!"

He nods. "I know."

"We have to leave. You were right," I start collecting the few things I had brought with me.

"Red," he grips my wrist. "A few hours ago you begged me to stay and now you're urging us to leave?" He lets go of my arm. "I don't think so." I watch him lie down to the bottom bed and open a black booklet of some sort.

"Where'd you find that?" 

"Hidden under the mattress," he wiggles with it proudly.

I have to admit his being back, and his cool has calmed me a little bit.

I finally exhale the stress I've been holding in.

"This is horrible," I mutter.

"Why?" he asks simply, his eyes glued to the book.

"No one's safe here," I shrug. "If they could kill one of the strongest memb-"

"He wasn't the strongest," he cuts me off.

"Yes, he-" Oh my God, I realize. No, this isn't horrible at all - it's awfully convenient.

I swallow hard and turn to Koben. "You killed him, didn't you?"

He finally throws the book away, standing up. "You said you wanted to stay here, didn't you?" He walks up to me, leering over me. "Well, now you can stay."

My throat goes dry. Did he kill him because he fears for our lives or because he's thirsty for power? No, I immediately dismiss the idea. Koben's only thirst is for that damned Wall.

My eyes find the book he cast away. It says The Rules of Ruling A Lawless Place. I sniff, shaking my head. "You didn't find that book under your mattress, did you?" I meet his eyes. "You took it from him."

Nicky must've written the book himself.

"I did what I had to do," is all he says.

His proximity makes me at unease. "Why?" I ask but it sounds like a whisper.

His arms are spread, one blocking each side of my body, hands clenching the bars of our cell and me panting breathlessly in between them. 

"So I can fall asleep without fearing you'd be dead the next morning."

I try to swallow, but there's no spit left - he needs me to get over that Wall. "He was gonna be our ally."

"He was gonna kill us to assume the title back," he lowers his arms and I get the hell out of there as calmly as possible.

Well, this was new...

"No," I shake my head. "It was Patrick who introduced the fight to the death rule. Nicky was never that kind of a leader."

"Says who? Him?"

He lies back down on his bed, opening the book he stole.

I wonder how many he's killed up until now. And if he would tell me if I asked. 

He actually might. I'm just not sure if I want to hear the answer.

Sometimes it's better to live in denial.

"Good job in allying with him before, though," he nods. "You saved our lives."

"Nicky did," I correct him. And now you took his.

"No. You did," he insists. "Nicky only used the opportunity to get rid of Patrick without being blamed," he takes a bite of dried phigee meat. "Let's call things for what they are."

I inhale, then exhale sharply. "I'll take that as a thank you."

"You should," he fixes his b****y shirt. "It was."

I almost forgot he got injured in the fight. 

"Let me help you with that wound," I sit on the bed next to him, but he puts his hand up.

"It's been take care of."

I frown. "By whom?"

He almost chuckles. "Myself," he lifts his shirt to show me the bandage he put over it.

"Fine," I twist my lips in irritation.

"But you gotta give a speech," finally I declare.

He frowns, then shakes his head. 

"Koben. People are in the unknown. Norton announced you as the winner and therefore the new leader, and no one's heard from you since!"

He gives me a deep stare and I know he knows I'm right.

Then he speaks, infuriating me again.

"We'll be gone in a couple of days, so I see no need for that," he sits on the bed, 

That's not how things work around here.

He's digging our graves and I can't just stand here and watch.

I walk out onto the hallway, not really having a plan.

The commotion around Nicky's cell is still on full display.

Koben should address it as the new leader.

If people find out he killed him at this point, we'll be dead in a matter of seconds.

We need allies.

And we need them fast.

I cross the valley of death towards the staircase to heaven.

Only up there, the angels might just be the death of me.