Chapter 14 We are done
"Widen we have to go the explosion has activated." Zack said, grabbing my arm tightly as the ground beneath us shook again, dust falling from the ceiling like rain.
His grip was firm, urgent, like he was dragging me back from something I refused to see.
"How about the innocent miners and workers, the innocent children?" I asked, my eyes darting past him toward the tunnels where faint screams echoed deeper in the mine.
My chest tightened as I tried to pull free, my voice breaking with anger and panic.
"Your life is in danger and all you care about are workers." Zack questioned staring at me like a fool, his eyes were cold in a way I had never noticed before.
He stepped closer, blocking my view, forcing me to look at him instead of the collapsing tunnel.
"I can't just leave them they do not deserve it." I shouted at Zack, pushing his chest hard, my hands shaking as another dull explosion echoed through the mine.
The explosion sounded again louder this time, the ground trembling violently as dust filled the air and distant metal structures began to collapse under pressure.
"You're a murderer when did you become this heartless?" I asked, my voice was low and shaky.
"Long time ago, you just never noticed." Zack replied avoiding my gaze, it was like the words meant nothing anymore.
"I hate you so much." I replied, my fists clenching so tight my nails dug into my skin.
"You can hate me all you want but I promise your father I will protect you." Zack said, stepping forward again as another shockwave rattled the tunnel walls.
"Don't you ever talk about him" I said boiling in anger, my voice cracking as I slapped him hard across the face and I saw my handprint form on his cheek. For a second, I didn't regret it. I was satisfied.
The sound echoed again and debris started falling, sharp rocks crashing down between us as the ceiling cracked wider.
Suddenly he lifted me onto his back before I could even react, his arms locking around my legs so tightly I couldn't escape, his grip was so strong as he turned and ran.
I struggled and hit his shoulders but he didn't slow down, he kept running.
Immediately we got out of the boiler room, it exploded instantly, a massive blast tearing through the space behind us and swallowing everything in fire and sound.
Everywhere was covered in thick smoke.
The blast threw us away, I hit the wall so hard I honestly heard a bone crack, pain exploding through my side as I dropped to the ground, then I hit my head on the wall again and everything spun violently. I was unconscious and blood spread from my head to my face.
I heard the screams of the workers and their children running and screaming, every section of the mine started exploding one after another. These people really came to destroy everything.
"Boss." I heard someone call. It was one of the people who pretended to be a worker, he ran towards Zack and helped him up quickly, dust covering both of them.
"We have to go, the whole place is on fire." He said, looking around nervously as another explosion shook the ground.
Zack nodded.
People screamed and ran, their figures disappearing into smoke and fire, their cries were haunting.
"Help me with him." He said pointing at me, his voice sharp and controlled despite everything collapsing.
The man lifted me up then they made a run out of the mine as the whole place kept exploding, tunnels collapsing behind us, wooden beams snapping, iron rails bending, fire crawling along the ground like it was alive, swallowing everything in its path.
As we got out the guy quickly placed me into an automobile, Zack entered and gently placed my head on his chest.
The man entered and drove then another car followed behind, they sped away from the burning mine.
I was unconscious for hours and when I finally opened my eyes I saw someone sitting beside me and checking my pulse.
I slowly opened them and shut them for a second, my vision blurry and heavy.
"He is awake." The man said then he looked familiar. I was right, he was one of the workers who took the paper.
"Where is he?" I growled, I was angry.
"It seems you two have some things you need to settle." He said calmly, watching me carefully.
"Where is he?" I screamed, pushing myself up despite the pain, confusion mixing with rage as I tried to understand where Zack was.
I rushed down the stairs trying to get to Zack, the man told me he was outside.
I ran and there he was holding his smoking pipe like nothing had happened, like people weren't dying because of our silly actions, like the world wasn't burning.
He had not changed.
I ran towards him and punched him hard in the face. "You monster. You killed those people."
He wasted no time and hit me back, his punch was worse, sharper and faster, and I fell to my knees almost collapsing from the force.
"Get a grip." He said holding my shirt, pulling me up slightly, eyes locked on mine.
I got out of his grip and jumped on him, I began to punch him so hard and passed all my aggression onto him, years of trust, anger, grief, everything exploding through my fists.
He turned me over and he was on top, then he punched me and I began to cough blood, he was so strong then he gave me another punch then stopped, breathing hard but still in control.
"You still don't get it do you " he said, staring down at me.
"Get what, the fact that you betrayed me, the whole town, my parents who took you as their own child. Tell me what don't I get." I raised my voice, my pain and rage all mixing together.
"You're too weak Widen." He said.
My heart broke. He was right.
I was weak.
I could not fight, I could not save any of these innocent workers, I couldn't even revenge my parents. I was too weak.
"I may be weak but I will never betray you Zack, I would never hurt you and I'll walk through the fire with you. " I said with tears rolling down my eyes, my voice softer now, almost breaking completely.
"You're not looking at things deeper, there is more to this. You have to stay here with me. I can protect you. It's safer here, I can take you to Chen we can beg and he can pardon you." Zack said holding my hands then I threw his hands away violently.
"I'll rather die than stay with a monster like you." I said and walked away.
He didn't stop me. I walked away far from the mansion and got outisde the gate.
As I walked further, I heard the sounds of bike following me, the bike suddenly stopped in front of me and I realized it was Zack riding the bike.
"You should take this." Zack said pointing the keys toward me.
"I don't need anything from you." I said.
He placed the key in my hands.
"It's safer with a means of transportation." He said and brought out a brooch from his pocket and shoved it towards me.
"Take this, you can use it to access anywhere in the town. No one will question you. Here is some money," he said dropping a huge one into my hands.
I held onto the pin and threw it at him and the bike key and his money.
"I don't need anything from you." I said then turned and walked away.
"Widen if you walk out of here, we are done being friends."
I scoffed, my steps never slowing.
The day he betrayed me was the day our friendship ended. I had nothing to do with someone like him.
"Widen." He called but I didn't answer. I kept walking, never looking back.
ARCHIVE 0
"Friendships rarely end the day they are broken.
They die slowly.
A lie at a time and a betrayal at a time.
Until one day, strangers stand where friends once stood.
Though Widen Sawyer would survive that day, the wound left behind would never heal. Of all the scars he would carry, none would ache as deeply as the one left by a friend."
