One Last Time

Problem

      It's just a normal day, walking around in my small town of Zella. Cutting down trees, working on the crops, herding the animals. Fishing in the brook, cleaning the house, and
working in the blacksmiths. It's my job. I know that it may seem weird for a 15 year old to have a job, well at least a job like that, but it's for school. We have to pay to get in. There's not much money in town at all, and we have no mayor. So you either get a job at 5, or you don't get in.
       Here's a little bit about myself.
#1: My name is Hope.
#2: I'm 15 years old.
#3: I work in a blacksmiths.
#4: My mother, brother, aunt and uncle, grandfather, and one out of three best friends is dead.
       Dread pretty much revolves around my life. It blocks me from going out further in the woods then I've ever gone. My dream has always been to explore this beautiful Earth. I'm a pretty good fighter, so I could protect my self against wild animals. I can build well, so I could build up a campsite. So that meant I could go out by myself. But my dad will never let me. He won't want me to go out the same way as my mom.
       We were all out camping. We loved it so much, my whole family, we would spend months out in the wilderness. While me, my brother, and my dad were getting things out of the car, my mom was pitching up the tent. We were about 30 feet away. Then she got attacked. She was ambushed by a bunch of bandits. They knifed her to death. There was blood everywhere, and we could see her bones. My dad checked her pulse. Nothing.  My dad had called 911 in time and the bandits were caught. My dad cried for months. I was strong, so I didn't cry. Well at least not in front of anyone. But every night, I would cry myself to sleep.
       And my brother. He was more of a friend to me. He was always cheerful and helped me and dad get over mom. We were both twins. But we didn't look alike at all. I had my mothers features. Light blonde hair, and crystal blue eyes. So that meant my dad always avoided me. And he had my fathers features. Dark brown hair, and dark shadowy black eyes. His name was Tyler. I loved him so much. Except he had a serious disease. He suffered from it for eight months. He died, peacefully. I cried all the time, in front if anyone, because he was like my best friend.
                           ~

       I'm walking down the a pathway,  and then my best friends Payton and Justin come up to me. Payton has a upbeat, curious spirit. And Justin is, well, interesting. He steals from shops, he's secretive, and he does dangerous things all the time. He's, like I said, interesting. Were sort of known as the "gang" in our town. We steal, and keep secrets, and were dangerous. That's just us. We've all had are fair share of deaths. And our best friend, Jace, died. He got pummeled by a tree. But we knew that it didn't just fall. Someone cut it down. And I knew it was someone from our town. The way it was cut, I just knew.
       The person fled. And we were all very emotional ever since then. We've been seeking revenge. Of course me, and Payton are more kind, and do our job, but it's more Justin. He's sort of our leader. But we NEVER kill. Never.
"Hey! Were planning a HUGE scheme." Says Justin, excited.
"Yeah! Justin explained it all! It's so genius!" Payton answers. I was shocked. Normally she liked our little schemes but she was never THIS excited about them.
"Ok. Explain it to me. To the treehouse!" I yell in my "hero" type voice.
"Really?" Justin said.
"Yes now come on!"
                              ~

       Once we were 50 feet away, I saw a blood trail leading strait to our treehouse.
"Uh guys?" Payton says nervously.
"Come on! We have to find out where it leads!" Justin answers, determined.
       We creep toward it, and walked for about 10 minuets, and once we got to our treehouse, saw that it passed it. But we did see dried blood up on the ladder, but it didn't go in.
"Um... Well were here. Should we just go up?" Payton asks Justin.
"No. We can explain our plan to Autumn later. We have to see where this leads." Justin answers.
"I agree. I mean, I would love to know what the plan is, but this is WAY bigger then are normal plans." I say, seriously.
"Yeah." Answers Payton. "Because this may be a clue to whoever killed..." And after she says that, it gets depressing quickly.
"But it would be a good idea to go up and strategize. Uh, Justin what do you think?" Payton asks, trying to rid of the depressing moment.
"Yeah, we should go up. But be on your top guard."
       Once we get to the top, we see that it had been trashed. All of our plans were destroyed, the maps that took us months to make, ripped apart, and every single tool was broken.
"Oh my God!" Payton yells.
"Wow ok, um, we can just make knew ones."
       Payton stops in her place, with her back turned to Justin.
"What?" Payton says. I could here the anger start to rise.
"Yeah. I mean, it wasn't that hard to make them. It only took a few hours."
       I saw Payton turn slowly turning to Justin.
"We can't."
"Why not? I mean it wasn't that hard." Justin says in a "matter of fact" voice.
"Justin! It took me and Hope months to do everything! For you it was easy! You only helped out two times! And all you did was just go off and examine a tree!"
"I was trying to figure out what happened to Jace!"
"Well I had to draw up all the maps and plans! And Hope took time off from her job and school to make the tools!"
      I can tell that it's getting heated. When Payton is mad, she's mad. And when she knows that something's not fair, she'll win. Justin had to deal with this before, and it didn't end well. He had a giant bruise on his left shin and the right side of his face was swollen.  
"Well I really don't mind fixing up the tools." I answer, trying to cool thing down.
"Stay out of it Hope!" Payton
yelles at my face. I knew that she was really angry.
       I stepped back a bit, so she knows I'm surrendering. Because I don't want to seem like I'm on Justin's side, but I also don't want to seem like I'm on her side either. I'm more of a pacifist then a warmonger. Justin loves to fight, only when necessary. He's strong and tuff. Payton uses words for her battles. She can make a perfectly time insult. It's actually really cool.
"Just get out if here Justin!"
"No! I'm the captain of this team and you follow my orders!"
"I only follow orders if were in a scheme! You can't tell me what to do! Did you ever think about how me and Hope felt?!? You were so determined to find out what happened to Jace, you left me and her kicked to the curb!" She yells as I saw a tear streak run down her face.
"Well I..."
"Where were you when all of Hope's  family died?!? She was grieving so hard and the only people there for her was me and Tyler!"
"I..."
"Well?!?" Payton says. Her chestnut hair (brown with red highlights) whips around and her deep gray eyes were solid and cold. She puts her hands on her purple jeggings and her white sparkly tank top shimmers from the light shining through the window. Her black flats make a loud squeak the wooden floor and but she didn't move a muscle.
       Nothing came out of Justin's mouth. I expect for him to make a strong comeback. But all he does is run his hand through his black hair and turn around for a second and turn back. After that he just sticks one of his hands into blue leather pants and the other hand into his plaid red sweatshirt, then taps his foot with his gray and dark blue tennis shoes. His hazel eyes started to water but then he just batted them away.
"And what about my family? Huh? My dad died and all you did was investigate and analyze that stupid tree! Then what about my sister? She got kidnapped then the killers just left her body right in my bedroom!"
"And we were there when Reece died! Yeah, remember your brother? We comforted you!"
"Just get out! And next time you get hurt, don't come running over to us to comfort you. Because all we'll be doing is trying to rebuild this place. So just leave!"
"Fine. If that's how you want it." Justin answers Payton, with a sad tone in his voice."Hope."
       Once Justin left, Payton collapses onto a chair and says,  "Ugh, that god that's over."
"Don't you think that was a little harsh?"
"No. He had it coming. And remember how you kept complaining about him? How he ditched us when he was supposed to be helping?"
"Yeah, I do, but I really don't think that you needed to bring up Reece." I answer, concerned.
"Ok I admit, I got a little out of hand. But he needed someone to remind him how we were there for him even though he wasn't there for us."
"Well, if we want to re build this place, we better get started."
"Yeah. But before we start, I'm going to go talk with Justin."
"What? He betrayed us, we need him to come to us."
"No. I'm going to go talk with him. I can't just sit back knowing I hurt my friend."
"Ok, fine. But no matter what you say, I'm not coming. Plus, where would he be anyway?"
"Oh I have an idea."
"Ok. See ya later Hope."
"See ya Pay.
"Bye."
                             ~

       I've been jogging for about 5 minuets when I finally get there. Whenever Justin's upset or emotional, he always goes to Jace's tree. He always talks to him, and he listens. It seemed to help him, so I never told anyone that he does this. Not even Payton. I found out because I was going to go looking around one day and I heard talking. I saw him, he saw me. I told him it was fine, and I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone.
"Hey."
"Oh hey Hope."
"You alright?"
"I guess."
"Been talking to Jace?"
"Yeah."
"Why did you come here?" Justin  asks.
"Because, your my friend, and I can't sit back knowing that she and I hurt you."
"But you didn't even say anything,"
"Exactly."
"What?"
"I didn't say anything so I was a bad friend. Forgive me?"
"Of course. And I promise that I'll help out more with the tools and plans. I'll even build another room!"
"You don't have to build another room."
"No I am. Payton won't forgive me like you do so... wait... I just got a great idea! I'll build rooms for all of us!"
"What? No! That will take even longer then making the maps or tools!"
"I don't care! I've spent so long leaving you and her on the side, I'll make us all our own rooms! And I won't be captain anymore."
"Why do you not want be captain?"
"Because, we need to be a team, and with no leader, we all can add ideas. Thanks Jace!"
"Sen, if you go get Pay out of the tree house then I'll start working on the rooms! And I won't stop until there done! I'm going to go get my tools right now!"
"Justin wait!"
       He slips right out of ear shot right before I say that.
"Ugh, what are we going to do with that guy?" I sigh, , and start on my way to the blacksmiths to start on the tools.