"I need to get out of here" Kosi said sitting on the floor with Judes arm wrapped around him.
"Oh, alright you want your bag or what" Jude replied.
"Oh yeah I'll get it" Kosi said standing.
"Don't worry about it man I'll get it, I want an excuse to duck out early too" Jude said with a chuckle.
"Just.. lift with your legs, ok" Kosi said cautiously. Confused, Jude simply entered the classroom.
"Uh sir I don't think Kosi is doing well, I think he might need to head out" Jude said feigning concern.
"That's fine" the teacher said in a soft tone.
"He...asked if I could walk him home so I don't know how that would work" Jude continued.
Rue's heart sank to her stomach at hearing that Kosi may be so disheveled with what he'd heard today. With a pang of regret for not being the one who told him she shakily rose to her feet and asked to be excused.
Stepping out of the classroom she was shocked to see Kosi clearly post tears but seemingly cheerful.
"Oh...I'm so sorry" was all she could muster to say before running off to the bathroom.
Still unsure exactly where his emotions lie Kosi absent-mindedly walked into the classroom. He was immediately faced with everyone looking at him.
"Oh Mr Blue you appear better" the teacher said eyeing him and Jude for any suspicious looks.
"Oh" Kosi replied with an added sniffle before saying in his most timid voice "I just needed to get my bag" he concluded with a saddened sigh to try selling the bit.
Walking over to Kosi's desk Jude reached down to lift the bag which seemingly weighed a brick ton. Almost throwing his back out to lift it Jude remembered Kosis earlier statement and lifted with his legs. He then gave returned it to his friend with a confused look on his face then got his and the pair headed out.
Outside the school the pair were leisurely strolling until Jude asked "Hey Kosi?" he said quizzically. "What" Kosi replied still confused. "What the hell is in your bag?"
Jude asked.
"Bricks" Kosi replied matter of factly. "Bricks?" Jude questioned stopping in his tracks. "Yeah 5 of em, for strength" Kosi replied.
"Strength?...oh wait...Brodie?" he asked now realizing they were on route to the repair shop.
"Yeah!!!" A distant voice echoed as they heard footsteps rapidly getting louder in their direction.
"Baby bros!!!" A young man said coming up behind them and leaping into a massive group hug. "Jude my dude its been ages" he continued squeezing both in his tight muscular grip.
"Big bro you're gonna pop us" Kosi said struggling against the excitable grip of his self appointed big brother Brodie.
Despite not being overly muscular his still well built physic belied an almost freakish strength which he was now unwittingly squeezing his second family with.
"My bad!!" yelled Brodie letting his friends go. "Haaah" the pair inhaled catching their breathes and clutching their backs.
"Sorry guys I'm just really excited, Kosi we finally get to go" Brodie said like a giddy child.
"Yeah...we finally...get to climb out of here" Kosi replied turning back upright. "Yeah, it's time bro" he continued with a glint in his eye and a wide grin.
"Alright both of you need to explain all of this to me" Jude interrupted. The two excited friends cut their merriment short to explain.
6 years earlier
After the chocolate pancake breakfast as joyous celebration of his moms birthday Kosi was his usually effervescent, joyous self.
"You look extra happy" Brodie said looking at his elated figurative little brother. "Well yeah mom and dad said they're digging a lot today so we can go back to the surface."
"Your parents are the coolest, you know your mom's in charge of all the diggers and they work with big drills and explosions" Brodie said excitedly.
"Yeah, they said it's hard though" Kosi replied. "Sometimes they come home really tired and dusty when they're home late" he continued.
"Well my dad said digging can get complicated. Any sudden tectonic plate shift even kilometers away can cause tremors which could endanger diggers especially ones deep within tunnels" Brodie said in a uncharacteristically monotone voice.
"What does that mean?" Kosi said pausing. "I don't know, my dad said it" Brodie replied with a blank face. "He's always trying to explain this stuff to me but I told him I'd want to be a digger, it's so cool" he continued.
"So how's school going though?" Brodie asked. "Oh there's a new girl in my class" Kosi said excitedly. "I think her names Rue" he continued.
Brodie smirks. "Oh you like her huh... oh wait how's she new, how old is she?" he asked. "My age I think, she was home schooled" Kosi replied.
"She really likes books and she wants to go to the surface a lot" Kosi continued grinning. "Well I guess we just gotta wait for our parents to get us outta here" Brodie added.
The pair arrived at school and bumped fists. "See you after school little bro" Brodie said with a smile. "Bros forever" Kosi replied