Cameron had no idea where he was planning to go. Where he had decided to take them, he had no idea. He was shaking, terrified at what he and Loire had just witnessed, his mind wasn't working with him. He kept hearing Loire stumbling and crying, it made his body hurt more from the running they were doing. They weren't getting anywhere.
A hand grabbed onto him, making the boy stop before turning to the person. It was Vinh, she was huffing hard, her face red and eyes dropping. "This is getting us nowhere.. where are we even going?"
"Away!" Cameron pulled away, trying to push away the tears that wanted to come rushing out. "We need to be anywhere but here."
"We are wasting time," Kim Seo who was helping Lorie up said out loud, he pulled her closer before directing his words at the shorter boy. "We aren't gonna make it back, let's just find a water source or something to clean Loire's wound."
"But it's better if we are with the others! It's unsafe to be out here-"
"We are not gonna fight on this…" Kim Seo's voice traveled with a serious tone, the look in his eyes made Cameron shiver. He stayed silent, letting Kim Seo lead the group towards the left. He turned to Vinh, "can you hear any water?"
She looked around, letting the wisp of silent air rush by. She nodded, tugging Marie closer and motioning for the others to follow. "Let's go now."
Cameron still believed it was a bad idea, he was terrified of the man with the skull to find them again. He was still in the forest with them, being lost, they were defenseless. He was still worried for Loire, though he knew it was a good idea to help with water, they were still in danger. He didn't want to be in danger.
It was a slow but tense minute that passed while the group quickly followed after Vinh. The tall girl was slow, she had to make sure Marie stayed next to her the whole time, and the small girl had little legs to keep up. They made it to the same river they had played in about 1 hour ago. It made the group freeze up at the realization.
Kim Seo scoffed, turning to help bring Loire up with him and to the water. "We find our way back here but not where we started huh.." His joke was humorless, bringing himself down along with Loire. She winced, biting her lip to suppress the pain when she moved.
Soon, she and Kim Seo were in the water, Vinh slid down, looking up to Marie who jumped in her arms along in the water. Cameron was the last up on the ledge, he stumbled slightly on the rocks, making them tumble down. He gulped, he stood with his back to the forest, feeling more chills run down his spine.
He decided to jump down, sliding ungracefully before landing in the water. He splashed, the water hitting up to his ankles and wetting his shoes. Kim Seo was lending his weight to Loire, she was fully in the water, looking away from her arm while the tall boy removed the bandage, draining the water before swiping the wound with the water to clean it.
The others had to look away, trying to close off the pained noise that Loire was letting out. Vinh moved Marie over to Cameron, nodding to him with a stern look while she turned over to the other two. She came over, helping with the wounded girl, they both took turns, washing away the blood, Vinh slowly trying to comfort her with a gentle hand.
Loire leaned into the touch, moaning slightly. They said something to one another, Vinh brushing Kim Seo with a serious look. He nodded, turning and handing the tall girl the bandage. She turned to Loire, waving her waist in the water until she was in front of her.
Kim Seo made his way over to Marie and Cameron, he knelt down to eye level with the small child. "Are you doing okay angel?"
His voice was soft, softer than Cameron had ever heard him speak. The smaller boy looked between the two, his eyebrows knitted together. The child made a small whine, she averted her eyes from the tall boy, stuffing her face in Cameron's pants where the boy stood close next to her. Kim Seo let out a small chuckle, he shook his head but didn't try and pry.
He ruffled her head, moving around her blond curls before moving away. "We are gonna be alright. Don't worry."
Marie didn't respond, closing her eyes and choosing to ignore the boy until he moved away. Cameron put his hand on her head, feeling the girl stiffen, she let out muffled sobs that were as quiet as the wind. Cameron felt his heart skip, it hurt to hear the small girl shake, cry in fear. What seemed to hurt more was the fact she was trying to hide it.
Loire took the time to suck in the pain. It was still there, stinging harshly against her skin, but it was bearable. With Vinh comforting her, and Kim Seo cleaning up the wound, she felt better even if the whole situation scared her.
"Thank you, both of you.." Loire sighed at the both of them, moving made her arm sting, she winced at the pain.
Vinh led her out of the water, trying to not get the bandage that was on her arm more wet than it already was. Cameron watched the two girls help one another up, Kim Seo right behind them. The shorter boy stayed in the water, deciding to wash off the blood that was covering his face and hands.
The two were up, Kim Seo following right after. The older boy watched the two girls look around, Vinh making sure they were alone before heading back to the trees. She stopped when the footsteps of the boy didn't follow. She turned, seeing Kim Seo watch over the two still in the water.
He turned to them, "I'm gonna watch over Marie. We'll be right behind you."
Vinh gave a grateful nod, turning and helping Loire back but not too far from the others. Kim Seo turned down to the others, he watched as Cameron gave small splashes to the girl. She growled at him, throwing water back, though they were littler splashes. Cameron gave small chuckles, giving up before turning back to the forest.
He met eyes with Kim Seo, looking confused when he realized the girls weren't with him. The tall boy saw the expression, reading it from the outside. "They are waiting for us."
"Alone?" Cameron huffed, turning to Marie and motioning for the child to follow. She came up next to him, hopping up the rocks while Cameron helped so she didn't fall. Kim Seo helped from above, pulling the child next to him. She pulled away, running over to where Vinh and Loire had gone.
Cameron scoffed from below him, the taller one turned to see him pull up from the rocks over onto the grass. Kim Seo didn't ask, kneeling to pull Cameron up. He saw the boy scowl, but didn't reject the offer to be pulled up. Kim Seo noticed how soft the boy's palm was, it felt sweaty and shaky with the obvious nerves, though it was still small and soft.
The tall boy shook off those thoughts, seeing how Cameron was looking over to him. He still had the scowl on his face, it softened slightly when Marie turned their attention from each other to her. She looked around, her brows close together and worry over painting her expression.
She looked over to Cameron, the boys understood the look. "Vinh's fine," the short boy came forward, reaching out his hand for the small child to grab. She did without hesitation, making the taller of the three feel slightly jealous.
Cameron looked over to him, his angry expression deepened. He was very easy to read for Kim Seo. "Yeah, they shouldn't have gone far stop pouting," he looked down at Marie. "Both of you."
She huffed, turning her head into Cameron. "It was still a bad idea to be going off alone. Especially right now…"
"Hey, they decided to go off, what could I tell them?"
"I don't know, maybe 'hey don't go off, we were just attacked!' that would be a fucking start-"
"Ey!" Kim Seo came forward, pointing a finger at Cameron. "Not in front of the angel.." He made a half pointed look to the small girl in his hand, the shorter male made a face, trying to hold back a scoff but failing miserably.
"When did you ever care?"
"Just know actually," the taller responded with, turning and leading the pair in the girls direction.
Vinh gently swiped away the blood from Loire's lip that was once again busted back open. It was turning a dark shade of purple, being irritated by her chewing at it. The tall girl wanted to say something, talk or converse with Loire. She wasn't used to the shorter girl being so silent. It was unlike her, but knowing what she went through, it was understandable.
They weren't that far from the others by the running river. Vinh could still hear the faint sound of trickling water, it would make her feel calm if it wasn't the dark surrounding of the forest. She wasn't fearful of the dark, in fact, she wasn't scared of much. Her body was less tense beside the shaking girl.
Her body was still reeling from the adrenaline, the pain still there, her eyes were wavering while trying to stare at the grassy dirt below. Vinh wanted to say something, to make Loire speak and be her normal self. It didn't feel right..
With a small voice, Vinh decided to speak up. "I ehm-" Loire turned her head to her, watching the other girl with silent eyes. "I didn't tell you everything.. in fact, when you asked me to tell you something about my past. I got scared…"
"Why would you be scared over something like that?" The short girl finally decided to ask, her voice coming out small, unlike her usual chirpy tone.
"Because-" The girl hesitated, knowing that hiding things would never work out for her. She shared everything with Kim Seo, why is Loire so different?
"I run.. I ran away from it all. My siblings, the ones that loved me, that I took care of when no one else did. I ran away from them because I was scared. They were left alone, they had to be taken into foster care. I have no idea where they are now…" She sniffed, refusing to shed a tear. "I was a runaway, which is how I ended up here, in an orphanage. I still regret it. I wish I could see them.. even if I ran away from them, I still worry and care."
"You're not at fault there Vinh," Loire scooted closer, holding her teeth together.
Vinh held out her hand, steadying the girl, making sure the bandage didn't falter and blood wouldn't come out. "You're a kid. We are all children, we don't deserve what happened to us. Especially you, you took that responsibility when no one else did."
"I ran away." The taller urged, a look of fear in her eyes.
Loire gulped she barely saw any emotion in this girl. Now here she was, showing something truly frightening. She even refused to share anything about herself, now she was telling Loire everything. The spunky girl knew that it was probably because she was injured and scared, though it still felt nice that Vinh was finally being real.
"I think it was a good idea that you ran." Loire looked up to peer at the girl's eyes, she saw her expression change, shock mixed with confusion lifted her brows. Loire giggled, shifting back slightly. "I mean, for one you were really young back then so getting away and doing something girls your age would do is a good thing. Also, you did something you wanted, something that just happened. Plus, you met us." Loire smiled cheekily, "if you hadn't run, you wouldn't have met us!"
"I never thought about it like that.." Vinh answered truthfully.
"I like what you did, now I have someone to admire other than myself."
The tall girl took a glance at her, narrowing her eyes with questions. "What do you mean admire?"
Loire closed her tired eyes, her lips spreading up. "I never thought anyone at that school was worth looking up to. I didn't want to be better because of them, but I did when I met you."
A question was clear in the silent girl's eyes.
'Why?'
Loire kept her lips tilted up, looking back at Vinh's eyes that read a soft and true look. "You make me feel like life is worth more than just getting people to like you. To get the attention I so desperately wanted when I was younger. What I want even now," she turned away, looking up at the sky that was clouded in gray blood. "You make me feel inspired. You're quiet, beautiful, smart, cool, and great with children. So if someone is able to accomplish all that even when being a delinquent? Why can't I?"
Vinh gulped, looking away slightly when her throat felt clogged. She can't remember the last time someone praised her. That thought so highly of her, and from Loire no less. The girl she first thought of as annoying, irrelevant.
She felt tears sting her eyes, the clog in her throat became apparent now. She was crashed with guilt, with a feeling of joy.
It felt nice.
It felt nice to know what others thought about her.
Loire let out a giggle, looking back over to Vinh, they made eye contact. The tall girl had a light speckle of blush dusting her cheeks, her ears slightly pink and her eyes looking directly back at Loire. But what surprised the latter most was the small smile on her lips. It was small, but it made her heart leap.
Loire couldn't help the smile she casted back, chuckling to herself as she was able to make the stone cold girl smile. Vinh turned her eyes away, her face still burning the growing blush at being caught by Loire. But, it didn't feel so bad…
A sudden movement caught Vinh off, she turned behind them, seeing a figure in her vision. She moved, only a second out of the way when the figure moved forward at a lightning speed. Vinh fell back, landing on her hands. She watched as a long and sharp spear went straight into Loire's back.
The crunch, the audible shocked exhale leaving the girl made the tall girl look on, frozen. She couldn't think, couldn't move. She watched as a tall figure with what seems to be a wolf skull in the place of their face came into view. They stood behind Loire's shoulder, the weapon wedged deep into her stomach, it twisted, letting out drips of blood to fall, to splash on the dirt below.
Loire didn't react. Her eyes were wide, her jaw was hanging low, no life was evident in her pupils that started off in front of her. It was pushed forward, that paired with the boys bursting through the trees behind them made Vinh feel everything rush up. She was about to throw up, looking back at Loire who was once smiling with life and confidence. She wore nothing on her face but the dark red blood falling off her chin before smashing onto the tip of the weapon that was skewered through her body.
Vinh didn't feel herself move, didn't feel the hand pulling hard at her to her feet. She was rushed away, but her eyes didn't leave the small girl's body that was harshly pulled back when the long spear was wretched roughly from her body. The figure let the girl fall, hard onto the floor, covered in her own blood that leaked through her blue uniform from the back.
Her face was unrecognizable. You could no longer see the spunky girl, only a lifeless corpse.
But the others couldn't stare at the girl they knew on the dirt, they were too busy running for their lives as the figure with the spear in hand once again ran after them with heavy footsteps.