The Wizard's Queen

Chapter 12

Derek really was struggling to stand now. He fell into the wall, using his hand to support himself as he glared at Ryder. Derek's chest heaved up and down from exhaustion and anguish as he bent forward, trying to push past Ryder. Ryder shook his head, crossing his arms as he eyed the boy.

"Derek, get back in that bed," He ordered.

"I'm leaving. Let me leave!" Derek screamed stumbling forward as tears flowed down his cheeks.

"You aren't going anywhere," Ryder snapped.

"I have to go. Let me go! Please, just let me not be a burden anymore to ya'll," Derek sobbed, pounding his fists into Ryder's chest.

Kyle slumped to the floor, cradling his head as Derek's emotions continued flooding into him. Rachel rushed over, leaning down next to Kyle, frowning at his discomfort.

"Stop him," Kyle whispered. "Stop him from going."

"We are trying," Rachel muttered.

She rubbed Kyle's back, trying to calm his breathing down. They didn't need the boy to lose control of his magic because of Derek. Dealing with Derek's indoor rain was frustrating, but tolerable. The last time Kyle's emotions got the better of him, he almost caused their whole elementary school to be consumed in a black hole. Rachel glanced over at Derek, watching as he continued to try to push past Ryder, his whole body racked with sobs. Chelsea stood there, face ghostly pale as she watched in shock, unsure of how to react to her friend's outburst.

"Derek, where do you plan on going?" Ryder sighed.

Derek glanced up at him, tears streaming down his face as his lip quivered struggling to find the words, "I was going to be with Morgan."

He forced a smiled onto his lips as he imagined finally ridding himself of the pain. Derek's eyes held a blank stare as Morgan's face flashed into his mind, her smiling on the other side waiting for him to return.

"Can you let me go, now?"

The next thing Derek knew, he was being sandwiched into a hug between Chelsea and Ryder. Chelsea squeezed him with all her might as she sobbed into his back.

"I am not letting you leave, do you hear me? Morgan was my best friend, and this is the last thing she would want!" She wailed.

"No, I am just a loose cannon, blacking out and losing control, hurting everyone around me. Admit it, you all are terrified of me," Derek sobbed. "That's why it would be better to relieve you of you fear."

"Look, Derek, you dying is the last thing any of us want!" Ryder snapped. "Yes, you terrify us at times, but you also bring us so much joy too. If you leave, there would be a giant hole in all of our hearts. I've known you since you were three, you are my best bud's little brother! You are like my little brother too! Devan would be pissed if he finds out you went and offed yourself when he finally is free."

"No, you don't get it!" Derek cried.

"What don't I get? How much pain you are in right now? Trust me, I've been there. Do you remember the shock we all felt when Anna died? What if that's you? Do you want us to feel that too? Do you want us to feel the pain every single day, that we knew you were like this and let you go anyways? Do you want us to constantly ask ourselves why we couldn't save you? What did we do wrong? Why did you feel like such a burden, was it because of us? Why did we make you feel like a burden? Why did we have to be so scared? Why did we push you away in fear? Why? Why? Why?" Ryder screamed as he shook Derek.

Derek collapsed on his knees pulling Chelsea and Ryder to the ground with him. Chelsea and Ryder kept Derek sandwiched in the protective grasp of their arms as the three of them sobbed together.