𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃

chapter three - the trolley problem

After Vaessen, Linkin, Jaron, and Jalen all worked together to pull Lucas out of the crater, they had breakfast (which was really just raw noodles and questionable seasoning) as the morning sun slowly rose in the east. Once that was finished, it was time for even more exploration with Gifts.

Now that the desert sun had reached a considerable height, the heat was unbearable, but Vaessen still had the four young men stand outside in a line.

"Alright, boys. I'm leaving later tonight, meaning I won't be able to hand down my wisdom to you until I return on July 31. So, we're gonna cram a lot of learning into today!" Vaessen announced.

"Please not another essay, please not another essay, please not another essay...," Link repeated under his breath.

"It's not another essay."

Linking whooped and gave Jaron a high five.

"Okay, split into two."

Link and Jaron instinctively closed the already small gap between the two of them, leaving Lucas and Jalen with each other. Lucas didn't really mind. He was still the shortest of the bunch, and at least Jalen wasn't quite as humongous as the other two.

"Alright. Now I want you to fight with your partner," Vaessen said.

"What-?"

Lucas was cut off by Link's body colliding with his. He would have fallen over if Jalen hadn't caught him in time.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh, yeah." Lucas quickly pulled himself away from Jalen. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Lucas turned around to see Jaron holding Link in a choke-hold. The two shuffled around in the sand while Link tried to free himself.

"Gah! This sucks!" Link complained.

"Yeah, when is this gonna be over? I think I've won at this point," Jaron said.

"Just reset," Vaessen replied. She turned her attention to Jalen and Lucas. "You two!"

Jalen and Lucas straightened their backs. "Yes, ma'am?"

"I said don't call me that. Also, start hitting each other or something."

Suddenly, a fist made contact with Lucas' face. Blood rushed from the point of contact to his nose. Soon enough, he lost his breath, his sight, and all his other sensations. It took him a bit to finally regain control of himself. He looked up to see Jalen with his arm extended and his eyes bulging out of his sockets.

"I- Oh, my God. I am so sorry. I didn't mean for it to be that hard-"

"AGH!"

Lucas lunged his body towards Jalen's abdomen and refused to let go even when the taller one of the two was sent tumbling to the ground. Jalen yelped from the impact and the weight of another person on him. Lucas sent a punch towards the other's head only to have him dodge at the last second. When Lucas moved to hit him another time, Jalen wriggled out from beneath him and scrambled to his feet. Lucas, still on his limbs, reached out and grabbed Jalen by the leg.

Jalen tried shaking off Lucas' bony hand, causing his robes to swish around a bit. "Let go!"

"NO!"

Lucas reached out with his other arm and latched himself onto Jalen's leg like a leech. Jalen started to try and pry Lucas off him by tugging at his jet black hair, but Lucas wouldn't budge. Lucas tried to tug at Jalen's other leg to make him lose balance, but the way that he was positioned made it difficult. Maybe if he just...