"I swear on my life, if you take one more step I'll–"
"Go on, try" he taunted.
Iresh's hand trembled, his breath hitched whenever Jared took another step closer to him.
A once clean dorm was now like a testament of cruelty, perhaps for survival or for something darker?
The metallic scent was strong enough to evoke a wince from Iresh.
The man moved slowly, almost too carefully, as Iresh backed away–until his spine met the cold wall. He didn't speak but his eyes said everything–the longing, plea for understanding. Even if he did, his lips quivered–words refusing to spill, making Iresh question his intentions–even his sexuality.
Iresh's gaze averted to the body on the floor, pale and covered in their own blood, then back at Jared. "Why?" He managed to voice out.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be able to protect you, to keep you alive, to–"
"I don't need your protection! I never did." Iresh snapped, his voice cracked, then dropped to a whisper–soft, like he was trying to read Jared's intentions, "That's just an excuse to kill."
Jared let out a soft huff, looking away as if he couldn't believe Iresh's words, then smiled at him bitterly, "Is that how you see me? A cold-hearted killer?" He paused, then stepped closer, "I would never use you as an excuse."
"You say that to everyone! Don't think I'll believe this lie of yours!"
"My tongue may twist, but I would never whisper lies to the one who softens my calloused heart."
"I swear on my life, if you take one more step, I'll–"
"Go on, try."
Iresh's hand trembled, his breath hitched whenever Jared took another step closer to him.
A once clean dorm room was now like a white shirt after eating spaghetti–stained with crimson blood, the metallic scent was strong enough to evoke a wince from Iresh.
The man moved slowly, almost too carefully, as Iresh backed away—until his spine met the cold wall. He didn't speak but his eyes said everything–the longing, plea for understanding. Even if he did, his lips quivered–words refusing to spill, making Iresh question his intentions–even his sexuality.
Iresh's gaze averted to the body on the floor, pale and covered in their own blood, then back at Jared. "Why?" He managed to voice out.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be able to protect you, to keep you alive, to–"
"I don't need your protection! I never did." Iresh snapped, his voice cracked, then dropped to a whisper—soft, like he was trying to read Jared's intentions, "That's just an excuse to kill."
Jared let out a soft huff, looking away as if he couldn't believe Iresh's words, then smiled at him bitterly, "Is that how you see me? A cold-hearted killer?" He paused, then stepped closer, "I would never use you as an excuse."
"You say that to everyone! Don't think I'll believe this lie of yours!"
"My tongue may twist but I would never whisper lies to the one who softens my calloused heart."
____Present____
Josh's POV
"That's one hell of a confession, damn." I replied, mouth agape.
Iresh averted his gaze away from me, his furrowed brows making look more grumpy as he let out a huff. "Seriously. Good thing he didn't notice the sandwich." He uttered, unconsciously scratching the back of his neck. The chip. Right.
It was six in the morning, the sun filtered through the white curtains, our classroom was still quiet, only muffled by the murmurs of our classmates.
"Heya! How're you guys?" A bubbly voice from behind me caught our attention, it was Aliyah. Her pimples look worse than before, yet it didn't.
"Aliyah," I acknowledged, "we're fine. What about you guys?" I waited for her answer as she pursed her lips, her eyes drifting to the window close to us.
"Ooh, not so much." She stretched her arms low before looking at both of us. "There's uh... Something happened last night." She confessed, her voice lowered into a whisper.
Iresh and I exchanged glances, before I could ask her, the announcement came like lighting. "Margareth was a citizen."
The mumbled voices began to erupt slowly, filling the classroom. I could feel Iresh's worry even in his silence as he looked away. I'm pretty sure Margareth and Aliyah were friends, very close friends. She must've been so scared.
I approached Aliyah, careful not to cause tears. "Are you okay?" She nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, I'm just... I..." her voice cracked. As she leaned in and covered her face, holding back her tears, Iresh rushed out of the room.
At that moment, I wasn't sure where to go to, should I stay here with her or should I go after him? Him walking out raised a suspicion but I won't press on it... For now.
I patted Aliyah's back, hinting she could cry if she needed to.
____10 AM____
3rd Person
"Josh, I need your help with something." Siam pulled his sleeve to the Tech Clubroom.
"Wait, what do—" but before he could continue, he saw Bernard sitting on one of the chairs, typing on the laptop. "Nard? What are you—"
Before the question finished, hands closed on him. Iresh pinned Josh's wrists behind his back and shoved his face to the wall beside the door. Meljasher moved like a shadow and locked it. Siam produced a small knife so quietly it might have been a whisper.
Panic washed through Josh. "Hold on—guys, hold on!" He thrashed, but Iresh's grip was iron. Siam's other hand found his hair and held; there was no malice in the grasp, only a terrifying, efficient calm. A quick prick at the neck and his eyelids fluttered as something warm and heavy fogged the edges of his vision.
"Stay still," Siam said, voice flat. She set the knife down beside her and, after a breath that tasted like steel, went back to work.
Josh tasted copper. He tried to scream and the sound clipped itself into his teeth. "You—" His words dissolved into a small, terrified noise. He bit his lip until it stung and shut his eyes against the brightness of the overhead lights.
"They were smart to hide it under the skin, right by the jugular," Siam murmured, more to herself than to the others. "Not smart enough." There was a smirk that didn't reach her eyes.
Siam made a quick motion, and the foreign thing that had been living beneath Josh's skin came free—slick, ridiculous, smaller than he had imagined. Blood beaded and ran; Siam moved with practiced speed, pressing gauze and wrapping a bandage around his throat.
Iresh stepped back, jaw tight. He brought his heel down and crushed the device underfoot. He handed Siam the battered medical kit without a word.
For a moment the room was held in a pocket of noise: Josh's ragged breaths, Bernard's laptop hum, Meljasher's quiet exhalation. The panic receded into raw, stunned stillness.
Meljasher broke the tense atmosphere with a sigh of disbelief, "You're insane." But it only made Siam smile, "That's how you survive."
Josh sank to the floor, his breathing ragged as his eyes remain wide, still shocked from what happened.