Sons of Night

Andy’s POV
I was shaking with rage. Rage and a blistering pain through my chest. I felt like my lips where burning from the kiss, and not a good burning. It was like she set me on fire and only another kiss would put it out. Another kiss that would not come. I would not allow for her to touch me again, for her to draw me in closer. I was so mad that I could hardly see. She didn’t realize that I was already in so much pain from day to day. She didn’t realize that she found me stranded in the desert and parched with thirst. She gave me barely a sip of water and now she was sauntering away to go on with her life while I stayed and dried up, alone. I hated her for it. Right then I wanted to kill her. There was a hatchet stuck in the tree. She could be dead before she knew that I had moved.
She stood in front of me, unmoving even though I yelled at her to go back. My heart ached and told me not to yell, it told me I was scaring her and that wasn’t good. Part of me wanted to apologize, pull her into my arms and keep her there forever and not let her leave. Another part of me knew that if I apologized and let her get close again I’d have to tear her away and leave her. That part of me knew that I had to send her back home and keep her away from all this. Another part of me wanted to killer her for teasing me with loving advances. I was sure that she didn’t want me. Maybe she just decided to tease me for her own fun, to see how much she could hurt me before she left.
“Don’t take me home, Andy. Let me stay here with you guys,” She said, her voice barely a whisper. I stared at her uncomprehending as my heart fluttered, she wanted to stay. Then the logic stopped me before I could let myself down.
“No. Don’t say that. I’m taking you back where you belong. I don’t need kidnapping on my rap sheet too,” I forced out, even though I wanted to keep her.
“I know this is bizarre and happening way too fast because we’ve only known each other for two days but I really, really like you and I don’t want to go back home because I’ll never see you again. I know it’s dumb and I know you don’t care, but I think I love you” She rushed, stumbling over a few of the words. So that was why she kissed me. She actually had feelings for me. I felt like my heart was being wrenched out of my chest but I had to focus, remain calm and emotionless. Somehow this girl was tearing down the walls that no one else could, she was making me feel again.
“You’re right, that is dumb and I don’t care. You’re going home and you’re not going to speak to anyone about any of this. You were upset when you ran away from school. You hid inside the woods just until dark and then you snuck back into the school and stayed there for the weekend because you didn’t want to go home. You showered there and washed your clothes in the sinks and bought some food from the vending machines. That’s what happened. You did not meet us, we are not here. I do not love you, and I never will,” I said. With every word I could practically see her heart breaking. I was harsh. I had to be. I couldn’t leave even a glimmer of hope in her that would lead her to think that it was okay to touch me again. I did it to protect myself. I hoped that my face portrayed the steely coldness that I was trying to put out, because inside I was sobbing.

Mayden’s POV
His face was stone. His blue eyes were cold and unrelenting staring me down. I wanted to open my mouth and argue, to say more. He had kissed me first not the other way around. I couldn’t though. His stare scared me, and his words cut like knives. This was the first time I’d ever expressed any love to anyone outside my family since Mackenzie was killed. I felt myself begin to crumble as I thought of her I told her I loved her, but no one else. I decided I’d never do it again. I wouldn’t let Andy see me cry I refused to. Then he’d know that he had hit someplace that hurt. I bent down and gathered the sticks that I had dropped. Hoping that he didn’t notice my tears melting the snow. I felt his eyes on me and I couldn’t look back up at him. I turned and walked back to the camp as fast as I could without running.
As I walked back I tried to contain myself. I tried to shove it all back before the rest of the band saw me so upset, but I couldn’t. Soft sobs were starting to echo from my chest when I made it back. Everyone heard me coming. When I got on the site someone, I think it was Jake, took the sticks out of my hands. He made some inquiry as to my current state but I ignored him. I wanted to collapse and hide from the world, bury my head into my pillow and cry myself out. I wanted to break down, but I thought my situation would not let me. My head hurt. I managed to look up to see through blurred vision that the rest of the group, excluding CC, was looking at me with worry. Jake had just dumped my sticks into a pile in a cleared area in front of the cave but had turned back around to look at me. I stood stiffly, trying to breathe and compose myself but I really wanted to just curl up and cry.
I heard a few footsteps crunching through the snow in front of me, getting closer. As I looked up I saw Ashley stepping my way. He opened his arms and I didn’t hesitate to take his offer. I buried my face into his chest and gave up on trying to calm myself down. I let the sobs rack my body, his arms held me tightly. He didn’t ask any questions or try to hush me or even tell me that I was okay. He just gave me someplace to hide while I cried my eyes out. After a while of labored breathing and standing with my knees locked I began to weaken. Ashley felt me leaning against him heavily and he picked me up. I kept my face in his shoulder, not wanting to see anything and eventually he set me down on the cave floor that had been cushioned with copious pillows and blankets.
Ashley sat down with me and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. I leaned on him, but I wasn’t so much hiding anymore, more using him for support because I couldn’t support myself. He let me, without saying a word. I looked at the floor without seeing it as tears slowly fell, but I was calming down. Slowly between shaky breaths I was beginning to be able to think again. I was embarrassed suddenly, I’d shown him how weak I was. Still he held me without even questioning. I felt guilty for selfishly taking up his time when the rest of the group, like maybe CC who was curled up in the other corner half dead needed help.
“I’m sorry,” I croaked.
“It’s okay sweetheart. We’ve all done this for each other before, it’s not good to hold it all inside. Sometimes it feels good just to cry yourself out, and sometimes it feels better when someone is there,” He said rubbing my back.
“Thank you,” I shuddered. His hands were so gentle. They all were a part of this group because they committed a crime, but I was sure that he hadn’t killed anyone. He was far too soft and caring. I heard heavy footsteps outside the cave, it was Andy coming back. I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to here is harsh, grating voice again.
“Dude, what the hell did you do to her?” I heard Jake said accusingly. I flinched and Ashley’s arms tightened protectively.
“I put her in her place,” Andy bit and I heard the dropping of sticks heavy dead sticks. I made the mistake of looking up. Jake was building the fire while Jinxx got out food in the falling twilight. Standing between me and them though was Andy. He was staring right back at me with a more dead face than I had ever seen on any other person. He was void of all emotions but hate. His eyes drilled me and they were grey, not blue like they were supposed to be. It scared me. I looked away quickly as Ashley gave me a securing squeeze. I heard Andy come into the cave and he sat on the other side with CC. CC was not asleep but not awake either. He’d fallen back into a semiconscious fever driven state and barely moved but his half opened eye looked from person to person in the now firelit area.
There was a great smell as Jinxx put some meat and some sort of flavoring in a pan on the fire. It smelled a bit spicy and it made my mouth water. We all sat in silence as the snow began to fall again with soft pats. The boys had hung up blankets around the mouth of half the cave to block the wind. That was the side of the cave that Ash and I were in. It was quickly warmed by the fire and soon I was able to shed the hat, gloves, and scarf I was wearing. I would have fallen asleep but for my growling stomach. A few minutes later Jinxx came over with two plates, three tacos on each. He handed one to Ashley and one to me. For the first time in probably an hour Ash and I untangled ourselves from one another. As Jinxx was leaving he knelt by me for just a moment longer, he took hold of my chin and pulled it up so I looked him in the eye. His expression was like how it had been when he dressed my head wound, concerned and caring. After he studied me for a moment, then brushed my cheek with his knuckles, a silent but caring message that made me feel like a little kid again. He stood, went back to the fire, served everyone else and then washed out the pan with snow.
Jinxx sat between Andy and I. I was glad. I watched Jake try to spoon feed CC little bits and pieces of food, but when CC started moaning and complaining Jake stopped, only forcing CC to take what water he could before he was saying he was going to get sick.
“Okay man, just try to keep that down through the night,” Jake said, before he sat down to try and feed himself. I finished the delicious meal and pushed my plate away. Everything was fuzzy as I got drowsy. I scooted away from the wall so I could lay down and put my head on some pillows. I felt Jinxx take my plate and then get up. A moment later Ashley slid down too so he was laying next to me. Then Jinxx came and laid on my other side. To my surprise I fell asleep between the two of them, feeling safe.

Notes

Here we go, lots and lots of tears in this one. This is when the chapters start getting shorter and later. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this and will leave me a comment to let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate it. See you guys next week.