𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒅 | ✔

Chapter 44: Behind the Scenes

"What are you doing?" he muttered to himself. Stomach clenched, he quietly drew near the door and listened. I should have taken a tool. 

"Hurry!" came a shrill voice. "Where is it?"

"I... I don't know."

Forest held his breath when there was silence. 

"There."

"What?"

"It's right there."

From within, each stumbled to the back of the room. 

"Good," one said, chuckling. "Now to diffuse it."

His heart suddenly dropped. Knowing better, he didn't care and barged inside. "Give me the bomb, now." His voice was cold. "I will not allow you to ruin everything."

Though the room was sizable, it was anything but spacious; five long, parallel tables stemmed from one wall to the other, barely allowing someone to sneak through. Atop of them were a variety of vials, each containing questionable substances. In its midst were instruments, all of which foreign to Forest. 

And, in the back, there they were, side by side. 

"What's the point of this?" Locking with their gaze, the boy shivered. Their eyes - they cut into his. "That bomb is what we need to rid these walkers from the prison. You know that! So... why are you going to destroy it?"

Snickering, the shorter of the two showed off the explosive. "Oh, this little thing?" Then his face twisted, all stability gone. 

"Yes," Forest said, biting back choice words. "Why destroy it?"

"You say this is our lifeline, but, really, it's our ultimate downfall."

Forest shook his head. "I don't believe you."

"Well," the taller man began, "you're not the one with the bomb." Then he pointed to him, eyes dangerously narrowed. "I don't know what Bosley's told you, but she's lying. It's much worse than you can imagine, boy. As long as this is destroyed, we won't be tempered and we'll stand a chance."

"Are you saying I can't trust Bosley?" Forest scoffed. 

"No," the shorter one deadpanned. "You can't."

At this, Forest stiffened, stumbling back. "No, you're wrong." 

"Look at me. Does it look like I'm bluffing?"

The boy searched his eyes for a long moment. "Why can't I trust her?"

"She's sly, this woman; she's not to be trusted." Pondering, he then exhaled heavily. "Bosley has every reason to want revenge."

"Stop treating this as a puzzle for me to solve. Tell me, and say it how it is." Slowly, Forest shut the door behind him, never turning his back. "What's going on with her?"

"Her sister, Marley, died at the hands of Matthew."

The taller man eyed the boy with a pained gaze. "She's never been the same since. This is why she wants revenge, which is also why I won't let this bomb be activated."

"Wait," Forest tried, "why was Marley killed? There must have been a reason!"

Sharing a glance, the men then looked back at the boy. No longer were they amused; shifting, each gestured him over. 

Forest studied them, frowning, but came forward. After shuffling past the tables, he stopped before them, hand extended. "Can I have the bomb? We must destroy this while we still can."