Hope Andrea Argent

Frayed (Part 2)

Scott slams down to the floor inside the abandoned mall. Blood on his claws, he gazes up, helpless to do anything but watch two grappling bodies tumble forward, teetering on the edge of an escalator platform, Ennis and Derek.

Pushing himself to his feet, Scott desperately reaches out. But he's too late. Ennis and Derek topple over. The world turns upside down, spinning about.

A pair of clawed hands reach out and grab the edge just in time, and there's a sound of a body hitting cement.

It's Ennis that pulls himself up, and Scott sends himself to the edge of the platform, looking down several flights below Derek lies frighteningly still. Fatally still.

Change Of View

A reflection shimmers over the stain of black blood on the pavement in the lowest level of the abandoned mall. Kneeling, Cora slides a finger tip across the dried blood. She breathes in the scent for only a moment when she stands and spins to face Peter.

"Just me," He says,"Your uncle. Uncle Peter."

"Uncle Peter who killed sister Laura," She growls.

"Not my finest hour, no. But I'm hardly the only dysfunctional family member. Did Derek mention he killed me too? Slashed my throat. Ear to ear."

"So that means I should trust you?"

"Actually, I'm wondering if I can trust you," He replies, dropping all sense of friendliness.

"You've known me for seventeen years."

"I knew you for eleven, leaving the last six unaccounted for," He reminds her,"And I'm not particularly fond of things unaccounted."

They circle the pool of blood, eyeing each other.

"What are you doing here?"

"Same as you...wondering where the bodies went. Wondering if they were carried out, or maybe if one of them managed to find enough strength to push himself up off the floor and walk out, leaving the two of us standing here to answer the all-important question."

"Which one?" Cora finishes.

Peter nods and turns to the black droplets leading into the shadows. A trail of blood.

Change Of View

Zipping up his jacket to cover the blood on his shirt, Scott steps into the aisle. Stiles watches, noticing his unsteady gait with worry. Scott grabs the seat ahead of him, leaning on it to keep himself up as he blinks, remembering the conversation he had with Deaton.

'I don't know what else to do...'

Inching his way toward Boyd and Isaac, Scott spots Coach slowly turning toward him, teeth clenched around the whistle.

'Do I keep trying to get them to listen to me?'

A phone vibrates. Ethan pulls it out to look at an incoming message, not seeing Boyd now on his feet as well.

'Do I try to tell Derek he's going to get them all killed?'

Isaac reaches for Boyd to pull him back into the seat.

'How do you save someone who doesn't want to be saved? How do I stop them?'

The words of the veterinarian still echo in his mind,'Don't stop them. Lead them.'

Grabbing Boyd by the arm, Scott shoves him back into the seat next to Isaac. He forces Boyd's clawed hand back down.

"Let go!" Boyd snarls.