SKIN & BONES ; C. HARTLEY

CHAPTER NINE

★彡

MATILDA STAYED unmoving in the chair. Her brows were pinched together, and her eyes fixed on the chipped wood at the side of the table; there was a faint ringing in her ears, her friends around were speaking but it was muffled, incoherent. She was brought back to reality by Sam, who was crouched beside her, holding Matilda's hand.

"Mattie," She began softly, as if she were talking to a nervous child. "Mattie, you threw up just now so I need you to eat and drink this, okay? Please?" From out of her backpack Sam pulled out a protein bar and a blue coloured drink, likely drowning in electrolytes.

Silently, Matilda took the food. She nodded her thanks and tore the wrapper of the bar with her teeth. She lowered the food from her mouth, briefly looking to find Mike's face, he was talking to Chris but somehow felt her gaze on him, he turned to look at her. "Jessica?" She said softly, the wrapper crinkling in her shaking hands.

"I'm sorry, Mattie... I tried, I really tried." He looked down, ashamed. "We're gonna take Josh out into the shed," He pointed to himself and Chris. "have the police get him in the morning." His voice quietened at the end.

Matilda stood up, grabbing onto Sam's forearm, fighting off head-rush. She took a long gulp of the drink, closing her eyes as she did so; it felt liked it'd been weeks since she'd drank anything. "I'm coming too." She took a bite of the bar, surprised with how much her jaw ached as she chewed.

"What? Tilly, no, are you nuts?" Chris stepped towards her, she saw now, in the light, how tired he looked; how the pain and terror of the night had weaved into every wrinkle, dip and freckle of his skin. "I can't let you do that."

Matilda's frown deepened. "Chris you can't stop me." She took another bite of the bar, it was a fudge brownie flavour, she exhaled through her nose as she chewed.

"Tilly come on. If he had anything to do with Jess'—" He paused. "Her death... Then-"

"That's why I need to come Chris. She's my best friend." She held the bottle against her chest, blinking back tears.

~

HELPING MIKE drag Josh towards the shed was a lot harder than Matilda had anticipated, he was dead weight, and every few seconds he'd mumble something or twitch his head, making her think he was going to wake up. Eventually, he did.

"Am I floating?" Josh grunted out as he awoke, twisting his body to look at the faces of Mike and Matilda, Chris was ahead of them, leading them to the shed. "Wait, wait where are we going? Chris? Cochise?" Josh squirmed in their grasp, grunting when he realised his hands had been tied behind his back.

"Oh you awake now? Ready to walk?" Mike asked, aggressively pushing Josh forward to punctuate his sentence. He kept a hand on the ropes around Josh's wrists, Matilda slinked her arm from around Josh's, wrapping it around her waist.

Josh groaned as he stumbled forward, he looked back at Mike with narrowed eyes. "Don't have to be so aggressive, least take me to dinner first." He then looked ahead of him and at Chris. "Chris, buddy c'mon, bro! Talk to me."

Abruptly, Chris stopped walking and Mike had to quickly pull Josh back in order to stop him from walking into Chris. "I'm ignoring you Josh," He tutted. "and I'm not your bro." He continued to walk.