Fifteen ✔

19

     A few more weeks passed and I had gotten to know Baden personally, as well as Bradley. Despite this, I was still loyal to the plan the Northerners had set. Besides, Baden had begun to hear the howling of the hounds, it wouldn't have been too long before they came for him. Perhaps no one had to bare the weight of guilt that comes with taking a life.

     "He doesn't have too long," Bradley whispered to me from across the lunch table although I had already known this, "He's hearing the howls, he's seeing things, he's dizzy all the time."

     "And those are things that happen when the hounds are close?" I asked him kindly, being patient with my words as not to trip over them and frustrate him any further.

     "That's what we've been told, at the very least. He's running on borrowed time as it is. Not even borrowed, this time of his is stolen," He spoke slow and quiet, similar to what I had been doing. He cued for me to speak by taking a piece of his food and gently biting off of it.

     "How do you know these things happen?"

     "Sno told us. Walking supernatural dictionary, I told you."

     "Why.." I stopped speaking completely, unsure of my question and what its reaction could possibly be. He gave me a questioning look with an eye brow raised, gesturing with his hand for me to continue. I did just that, knowing he disliked when people cut themselves off, "Why are you trying to keep him around? Surely it would be easier to just.. Let him go. Right?"

     A look crossed his face, "I know. You're completely right. The thing is, this is all his idea. Selfish bastard. He's hurting everyone around him because he doesn't want to let go. He doesn't want to take responsibility for what he'd done," his voice was angry and his face had a mask of anger covering his usually calm and collected expression.

     "Then why do you keep helping him?" The question poured from my mouth with out my consent and I instantly wanted to gather it back and shove it back into my box of a brain.

     "Brothers don't always think alike, but in my case, they do," he showed off a smile, "Unfortunately, we're both selfish bastards."

     I didn't respond, I instead just turned my focus to my food.

     "You know, I only just met him 5 years ago. Like really met him. Sure when you came here with your mother when we were kids, I knew him. But I was a kid, I didn't care about him all that much and he just thought I was a bother. My mother took me back to the Easterners when I was 7 and I didn't come back until she'd gotten sick."

     "Oh," I looked up at him, "So you have reason to be selfish?"

     He simply nodded, before a smile crept onto his face, "I guess I could blame you for not taking time to know Baden."

     I let an expression of mock surprise cover itself on my face, "How so?"

     "I spent all my time with you every time you were here! And you were here a lot that one year."

     "Well that year, I'm pretty sure Capri just took an interest with someone here. It'd be expected of her," I shrugged off the statement.

     "Hey, did you know that everyday I would run the moment I thought I heard someone coming because I thought it was you. You were like my best friend," he changed the subject easily, his smile returning.

     "That's cute," I laughed sarcastically, "You always tried to fight me."

     "What do you mean 'tried'?" He feigned being offended.

      "You tried to fight a 7 year old who had been training to fight for survival before you were even walking," I paused, "Okay maybe that's an extreme exaggeration, but you get my point."

     "I beat you!"

     "Once."

      He narrowed his eyes at me before releasing his faux anger into a small fit of laughter. His arms that had crossed over his chest were loose for a quick moment before they crossed over to hold his stomach. Before long though, the conversation died out and we sat in front of each other paying more attention to our food than the other.

     A loud crash was heard from a few floors up, there was a collective gasp and quickly everything was back into motion. Bradley jumped up, grabbed my wrist and guided me out of the cafeteria. He seemingly flew with ease up the stairs. 

     Suddenly loud screams ripped through the air, making Bradley stop entirely. I ran into him with his abrupt stop. We were near the hall that lead to Baden office.

     "Look, you.. uh.. Shit. You stay here, I'll go and look okay?" I moved in front of him and looked at him. Shock covered his face as he listened to another scream stab through the air at him. 

     "No," he looked into my eyes, "He's my brother."

     "I'm not letting you see him like that."

     "He's my brother. Stay," he said strictly and walked towards the door. I stood still, I didn't want to upset or anger Bradley on a normal day, why would I want to upset him further now?

     I moved to lean against the wall and watched Bradley wait outside the door for the screaming of his brother to finally cease. By the time it had stopped, a small crowd had formed and I felt it was the right thing to turn them all away.

     "I need in there." A girl shouted at me, moving to push passed me. I grabbed her shoulder and threw her back.

     "No you don't, it's none of your concern, please leave politely. Take the rest of your crew with you," I told her firmly and she grimaced before moving to push passed me again.

     I pushed her back again, rougher this time. She ended up falling backwards, landing in a sitting position a foot or so away from my feet, "I told you to go. So listen to me before I throw you out of a window."

     She glared up at me and everyone else left as I spoke to her. She stood up and walked near me once more. This time I grabbed the collar of her shirt and threw her into the wall I had been leaning against earlier and threw a punch in her direction. 

     "Why are you so adamant about going in there?"

     "I'm the angel of death," she smiled slyly, "I need to collect the soul and send it to hell."