Sheaagos Chapter 27

Chapter 271

Tears running down her cheek, Kayln jumped up and ran after him. She wasn’t sure why, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to catch up with him, but, before anyone else even registered that he had left, she found herself on her feet, dashing after him. 2

The world around her seemed to be falling apart, trees and snow nothing but a blur in her mind anymore. There was no sound, earth still and lifeless. Only her little group seemed to stand as exceptions. Matt, her upbeat attitude, constantly making Kayln giggle and smile seemed to develop into a mother-like figure. James, more serious and strong, seemed to be her father. Max and Sarah were like her siblings and even Lee, who she had just met, seemed to fit right in with her family. It scared her to think of them this way. What if they disappeared as well? Kayln wasn’t able to stand that thought. 3

But, now, Matt falling into the river, Max and Sarah endangering themselves to save her, James running away… not even sure what led to all this, Kayln was rising into a panic. 4

James didn’t go far. It wasn’t twenty feet away before he dropped to the ground, sweat pouring down his cheek. He was gasping for air, face flushed, not with fatigue but with heat. He pressed himself against a tree. 5

Kayln, slightly frightened, crept up to him.6

“What do you want, Kayln?” He spat, voice cold and angry, even though his face showed more pain than fury, eyes filled with anxiety beyond his control. 7

Kayln started to sob. James looked at her, half irritated. “What the hell are you crying about?!” He asked. “Go back with Matt; everyone likes her better than me, anyway.”8

Kayln stumbled up to him and grabbed his arm. He pushed her back, yelling. Kayln stumbled away and fell against a tree. He starred at her, eyes still wild, continuing to heave in deep, rough breaths.9

She held her breath and, afraid, let it back out. “James,” she said softly, voice trembling. He was blurry, face distorted by tears. She took another deep breath before saying more. “Why… why did you push me?” She choked on another sob. “Why did you push Matt? Do-do you hate us?”10

He looked at her silently. Then looked down, giving a bitter laugh. “Yeah, I guess I do.” Kayln looked at him, eyes widened with shock. He stood up, wavering a bit. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.” He laughed again. “I get mad whenever I think about you guys, and it makes me feel miserable.” He steadied himself on the tree behind him. “It’s a relief.” He whispered. “I was afraid I actually cared about you.”11

It was silent for several more minutes, before she said, “Are you leaving us again?”12

“No.” He sighed. “I wouldn’t know where to go. Go tell everyone to come over here. I’m not going near the river again.” He stumbled back against a tree and closed his eyes, drenched in sweat, hands trembling. He sunk down it and sat in the snow. 13

Kayln looked at him for a minute more, tears stopping as true misery took her over. He really did hate them. He said it. She had always tried to be nice to him, do what he says, not complain, avoiding his bad side. He thought she was a nuisance. She could tell be the way he acted when he first saw her. But, through all the hard work she’s done to win his affection, she was still rejected. 14

Slowly, she stood up, and began to walk back. The sun was high in the sky, ending the longest morning she had ever had. 15

They started walking again a couple hours later. Matt and Max needed to warm up, before they got the feeling back in their legs, and their clothes needed to dry as well, so the cold wind wouldn’t make them sick. When they did finally set off, the atmosphere was much different that the first time.16

A word was hardly spoken, tension too strong, fear too great. The dread that James would break down and kill himself or someone else on their team was too strong. Even the birds seemed to fly away whenever they past. 17

For hours and hours it seemed to go on like this, until the sun began to set.18

Lee watched everything, eyes wide with fascination. The bushes, the rocks, the tree’s, tall and vast, filled with prickly stubs. It distracted him throughout the day to the point that he almost immediately forgot the event that occurred that morning, and was so awe-struck over such little, everyday objects that he didn’t detect the strain and was silent for the pure reason of the crackles and crunches they made while walking.19

But, it was when the sun set that Lee was so amazed he couldn’t keep his mouth shut.20

The setting sun made the woods dim. Dim enough that lee dared to remove his glasses. He slowly took them off. It made him wince to look up at the sky, but when he turned his head downward, he stopped and stared.21

A characteristic filled the ground. A new, beautiful prospect that he had forgotten ever existed. Joy brimming in his heart, he picked up a fallen pin-needle, and whispered, “What color is this?” He couldn’t remember. But, the joy of its existence was so great that he stood up, laughing.22

Sarah noticed his laughing and turned to him. Lee looked at her and was suddenly taken by astonishment. Though it stung his eyes to look, so much color covered his companion that he laughed again.23

“What’s wrong, Lee?” Sarah asked. Her hair remained dark, but her hoodie and eyes matched that of the pin-needle, skin fair, but darker and prettier than what he saw before. 24

He turned to Matt and saw her hair, which was light and dark at the same time, colors from both the sun and her shoes mixed together. 25

James’ hoodie was like the night sky that draped over their heads, face the color of Max’s hoodie.26

When he looked at Max, the bright color dazzled him, as he was covered with colors that reminded Lee of warmth.27

Kayln’s hoodie was a lighter color, skin fairer than the rest. Her eyes were soft and light, a shade of James’ jacket.28

He starred at them all, mouth slightly agape, 29

“What is it, Lee?” Sarah asked. “You can’t just stand there, we’ll leave you behind.”30

Lee looked up at her. “S-Sarah.” He stuttered. He held up the needle, excitement and curiosity covering his eyes. “What color is this?”31

She looked him over for a second, than smiled. “That’s green.” She laughed. “My favorite color. Don’t you know that?”32

He shook his head, and looked back down at it. “Green.” He repeated. He laughed again. 33

Sarah walked to him and grabbed his hand. “Well, if you like that a lot, look at Max. His hair is orange! Isn’t that something!?”34

He looked at Max’s hair from behind. He had forgotten about color, after all those years of black and white. After seeing it, he vaguely remembered. The beauty and energetic vibe that came from it thrilled him to no end. 35

Sarah continued to name colors until they set up camp. Lee, unwillingly, laid down for bed, barely bringing himself to shut his eyes, needle clenched tightly in his fist.
.................................................36

Matt was sitting awake. The night stars shone above her, full moon allowing enough light to be able to see the inside of the woods.37

The excitement of the day had not allowed her to sleep. She viewed her companions. Sarah and Lee had gone to bed, giggling to each other, feeling happiness that made Matt satisfied. Kayln was sleeping like a log, physical and mental exhaustion wearing her completely out. James went to bed quickly, but the uneasy restlessness made him toss and turn throughout the night. 38

Matt wasn’t able to even get that far. She was still shivering from the fall into the river. She looked at James as his dreams taunted him. She wasn’t angry with him, in the least. Something big was troubling him, and it seemed to be getting worse as the days passed.39

She sighed and stood up. She needed to take a walk. Her head hurt, and the rhythmic movement of her feet crunching in the snow made her feel more relaxed. 40

She walked through the trees, not straying far from the camp, just far enough that the crackle of the fire disappeared. 41

She saw a clearing ahead. The moon shone brightly through the trees. As she stepped through it, she saw a figure dangling his feet off the edge of a cliff. His head was down, moon reflecting off his corn-blonde hair. A sword lay several feet behind him, still in its sheath.42

She froze, but he heard her before. 43

“Who’s there?” He asked voice rough and familiar. Matt stood up straighter and raised and eye-brow, but he seemed to deflate even further, speaking before she had a chance to open her mouth. “Don’t tell me. Why would it matter anyway?” He shuddered. It was silent for a moment, when he said. “I don’t know what you’re waiting for.” He looked up at the sky. “Who ever you are, you hate me, and if you don’t know me, I tell you, you would hate me if you did. I want to kill my self, but I’m-” He hesitated. “I-I can’t do it.” His voice was trembling. “So, all you need to do is give me a push, and then you get to say that you killed me.” He chuckled softly. “Not much of a triumph, but, hey…”44

Matt frowned. “What is it with suicide today?” He said nothing. Matt laughed a little. “I do know you, actually, Greg, but I won’t push you off because you saved my life once, so I guess I owe it to you.”45

At this, Greg looked up. He turned his head around, and his blue eyes widened in astonishment. Matt’s did much the same. He had dark rings around his eyes before, but they weren’t half as bad as they were now. He almost looked like a raccoon. The dizzyingly worn-out expression was equally matched by the morbid feeling that hung heavily in his wide eyes. 46

Matt frowned. “You look like crap.”47

“I-I forgot about you.” He sighed. “Ironic, really, considering…” He stopped. 48

“Well.” Matt said, smiling a little. “I guess now is the time I can pay you back for the cave. How about it? What can I do to talk you out of jumping?”49

He gave a bitter smile and looked away. “Even if I tell you, you would say no.” He sighed. “A useless effort.”50

Matt walked up and sat down next to him. “Try me.”51

He looked at her again, hesitated, and then opened his mouth. “Well, I guess, in a way, I’ve been helping you guys for more of a reason than just I’m tired, or I wanted I rebel.” He smirked. “It’s stupid, really, but when I saw you guys, at that weirdo’s house, all I wanted to do was kill you. The credit I would get, the joy I would feel, the opportunity and power I would achieve. For once in my life, I would be more than just, that loser, Greg, or, ‘talking tot’.” He looked away from Matt. “But, than, that night, I realized that I was thinking like them. Sheaagos I mean.”52

“You are a Sheaago.” Matt told him, half laughing, but the statement was bitter and spiteful. “That’s what you’d want to do.”53

“I’m not like them.” He told her, bitterly. “I have the mark, I have the parents, I have the power, but I am not like them.” He took a deep breath. “The more I thought about what you were doing… even though I hate,” He chuckled a bit, “James, the more the idea appealed to me.”54

Matt looked him over, “What are you getting at?” She asked. 55

He looked at her, eyes filled with sincerity. “Mattison Grey.” He said darkly. “I beg you; could I join your group?”56

Matt laughed. “You have to be kidding me?!” She shook her head. “That was stupid. A Sheaago joining the Sheaago hunters? That’s like a deer hunting deer! It’s really weird.”57

His eyes turned dim and he looked back down. 58

Matt looked at him and gave a reassuring smile. “But, just because I said no doesn’t mean you have to kill yourself.”59

“You said no because I’m a Sheaago.” He stated. 60

Matt nodded. “Yeah, pretty much.”61

He smiled a smile that, while it was worn out and bitter, still had an amused touch to it. “Irony.”62

He stood up. “I’m not going to kill my self today, Mattison, but expect to be hearing from me again.” He laughed, and it was almost lighthearted. “I know everything about your teammate. I would tell you, but I think it would be funnier if you find out on your own.” He picked up his sword and began walking away, muttering tiredly to Mattison, “Yes, much more amusing…”63