Budder Rising: The Delacroix Arc

Chapter Fifty Five: Lost

"Dash are you in here" Mercedes called out

She began pushing crates, metal scrap, and rubble out of the way. When she cleared an entrance she looked inside the room.

"Oh my god!" Mercedees said

The whole room looked like a nuke went off in it. There was soot and debris everywhere. She saw two girls on the ground one was Abby, the other was one she didn't recognize.

"Someone check those two!" Mercedees said

Two people ran towards the bodies and Mercedees checked the one she didn't know.

"Ma'am! this one's neck is completely busted. It's like someone snapped her neck, but it twisted around about 20 times" said the guy

"Jesus" Mercedees said

She turned around and walked over to Abby.

"How is she?" Mercedes said

"She is barely holding on to life!" said the guy

"Take her to the van and try to keep her stable!" Mercedees said

"He's...gone" Abby said, her voice all raspy

"Who is gone?!" Mercedes asked

"Rick..." Abby said

"What do you mean?!" Mercedees asked

"He...disappeared..." Abby coughed, her eyes shutting

Mercedees eyes went wide with fear, looking at the ground

"n...no..." Mercedees said

:------:

It had been three weeks since Rick's disappearance, the group and I failed the raid that day and we have been locked up in our place since. As soon as I fall onto a chair I hear a soft knock on my door.

"Hey Abby?" Mercedes asked, slightly edging the door open.

"Yeah?" I replied, turning to face her.

"I.." She paused, looking down as if worried, "Can we talk? Not here, though."She looks around a bit before casting a hopeful gaze upon me.

I give a small nod and follow her out, she leads me down the hall into her room and we both take a seat on her bed.

"I wanted to talk to you about Dash" Mercedes murmurs quietly, she softly puts her hand on my arm as if she were trying to comfort me and stop me from running at the same time. I couldn't handle the force of sadness that engulfed me, bringing tears of anguish to my eyes.

"I miss him so much, damnit!" I cried out, slouching over and hiding my face behind my hand, refusing to let others deal with my sadness once again. I felt her hand leave my arm, and for a moment I worried she was going to leave.

"I know Abby," Mercedees said, moving closer to put a hand on my back, "I miss him to, maybe not as much as you.. But we share your pain." Mercedes finished, prompting me to look at her. She gave me a tender smile, but I could see the small pool of tears in her eyes. "But at least I don't have to act like the mother of the group... I hope." She attempted a small laugh, but it sounded jokingly bitter. I couldn't suppress the short bark of a laugh that escaped from my throat. Yet an ounce of a smile ends up on my face, she truly helped make me feel better through my clouds of sadness.

"I have a feeling that.. He would want you to have this." Mercedes said, as she got up to grab a box I had never noticed. "Open it" She demanded, looking excitedly at the box then to me. I tenderly took the box, but after a prompt from her happy look, I opened it quickly. I felt tears i didn't know I had left came falling onto the neatly folded hoodie inside. It was his, his trademark, his favorite black hoodie.

"I.. Thank you, Mercedees." I whispered, choking on my words as I'm flooded with emotions. I stood up, taking the hoodie into one arm and wrapping the other around her in a tender half hug.

"Your welcome, Abby." Mercedes said as she hugs me back. I left the room and went back to my room where I curled up on my bed, holding his hoodie close.

"I wish you were here Rick," I said, "not just for the group.. But for me."