"So yeah, after that I decided to be a digger someday. Heroes fight for what they want and I want to get us all out of here" Kosi said giving Brodie a fistbump.
"The bricks in my bag are for strength training, big bro and I have been training to for when we could start climbing" he added.
"Son of a gun. You're in love with Rue" Jude replied with a wide grin on his face. "Wait what" Kosi replied. "Yeah you're in love with Rue, holy heck I never thought I'd see the day" Jude continued now giggling.
"I...what, wait, hold on a second that's all you got from that?" Kosi said now flummoxed. "No no no I'll circle back to your brick bag later. You're in love with Rue" Jude replied pointing a finger at Kosi.
"Ok if you're not gonna be serious we can just head out..." Kosi halted hearing childish laughter behind him. Turning he was dismayed to see Brodie with the same grin on his face as Jude. "Took you both long enough" Brodie said before adding "I just always figured you'd told her by now".
Embarrassed, Kosi just stood with his head in his hands mumbling "no.. I'm not just let it go". The embarrassment was compounded by an arm going around him. "Little bro why haven't you said anything to her" Brodie asked. "Yeah just say it K, worst case she just says no but doubt it she's all over you whenever we at school" Jude added.
"She just likes teasing me" Kosi replied with a tinge of sadness in his tone. "Back on topic though!" he continued. "Digging, when we going big bro" Kosi said to the still grinning Brodie.
"Well you're still in school you can't sign up, finish the week and let's see...wait shouldn't you both be in school right now?" Brodie replied. "Oh...well yes but.." Jude trailed off, looking at Kosi. "We got out cause there's a week left so why stay" Kosi continued shrugging at the end.
"Welp, you're not my kids. Jude my dude you in?" Brodie asked. "Huh, in what" Jude wondered out loud with with a quizzical look on his face.
"There" Brodie says as he and Kosi point towards the east most part of the cave where Kosis parents were tunneled in. "Wait..what?!" Jude looked in disbelief. "No way you're both seriously going there" he said looking at the tunnel.
"It's an entry point" Brodie replied. "What's that even supposed to mean" Jude replied. "Long story short, since this is basically an old city in a cave the surroundings are basically walls. They are not man made walls though so they have weak spots and Jude my dude, that's the best weak spot in this whole tunnel" he responded uncharacteristically eloquently.
"We've been training for years at this point. Strength, balance, endurance we are lean mean digging machines!!" Brodie exclaims as he excitedly poses to show off all his hard work.
A sense of internal cringe set over Jude as he looked towards Kosi for a sense of normalcy. To his dismay Kosi was being drawn into the madness before completely getting sucked in by Brodie yelling "Little bro what're we gonna do?!". Kosi gleefully looked to Brodie and exclaimed "chase the skies!" he responded pointing towards the same spot his parents lost their lives.
Try as he might seeing his friends clearly wistful and joyous was heart warming to Jude. His joy was succumbed by a nagging question. "K, where's your mask?" he asked. "Oh I don't know" Kosi replied.
"Don't you ya know, need it to breath and stuff...how are you going to get in the tunnels and stuff? Sorry to bring the mood down just asking" Jude pried. "Oh well I sort of don't need it anymore.." Kosi replied. "Wait what? what?! tine out what?" Jude continued, flummoxed.
"Well I just like having it makes me stand out" Kosi said pulling his mask out of his pocket. "But at the same time when I feel like I want to disappear I can just pull my hood up or put a hat on and fade into the background. In my mind at the very least. I know it doesnt stop people staring but I get to just imagine they're not there, that I'm not there, it's easier that way" he says clutching the mask.
Looking Jude in the eye Kosi smiled. "Fading away isn't what heroes do" Brodie added solemnly. "Yeah, you're willing to risk your life for us but you're saying you want to just fade into the background. Stand in front you're already braver than, most stronger than most and still somehow kinder than most. As much as you think I was there for you when we were kids you were there for me. Who taught me how to read, who told me regularly our parents were gonna be fine in the tunnels. You're family and as your family I'm telling you that you don't need this" Jude swipes the mask away and throws it to the ground.
"Time to step up right" Jude said looking at them both. "I'm offended you didn't ask" he continued with a mischievous glint in his eye "if my brother is going up then so am I. We grew up together so we're gonna fight together, we're gonna climb together and blow sruff up together. You with me or you with me K?" he said holding his arms out wide.
"Forever" Kosi responded embracing him. Brodie feeling left out looked at the pair before bursting into a wide smile when the pair opened their hug up for one more. "What you say Brod..Big Bro! You with us!" Jude roared. Grinning from ear to ear Brodie simply joined in the embrace.
"What're we gonna do" Brodie bellowed. "Chase the skies!!!" they all cheered