★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.
Josh chuckled. "Aw c'mon Chris, don't tell me you're jealous."
Behind the shaking trees, the shed came into view. Chris glanced over his shoulder, confused. "Jealous? Jealous of what?"
"Of the fact I've held Mattie's body more than you." He spoke in a sing-song tone, grinning from ear to ear, itching to get under Chris' skin. "You know she whimpers in her sleep?"
Chris made a fist, and in an instant, had Josh by the collar, ready to hit him. Matilda shrieked, an instinctual reaction she was embarrassed to have had. Mike raised his brow, curious, with no intention to stop Chris.
"Chris, stop, he's just trying to get a rise out of you. Don't give him what he wants." She said with a slight frown, she looked up at Chris through her lashes and slowly, he released Josh, lowering his arms.
"Yeah, well it's working." Chris began, unclenching his fist, he shoved it back into his pocket. "Just shut up, killer."
Josh squirmed in Mike's grip as they moved into the shed. Matilda noticed a stray stool on its side and pressed it against a pillar, she stood back, nervously watching Mike and Chris tie Josh up.
"What happened with Jess, Mike?" Josh asked, he looked up to the ceiling, his head tilted.
Mike tutted, keeping his focus on tying up Josh. "You know what." He muttered, finishing the knot, he moved to beside Matilda.
Josh began to shake his head profusely. "No, no, I mean... I feel like that's something I'd remember doing- I feel like I'd remember killing Jessica, you know? I mean... She's so soft... And she's probably got like a really nice tight bod."
The sound of a sharp slap echoed through the dingy shed. Matilda recoiled her hand quickly, immediately struck with guilt with what she'd done. Josh opened and closed his mouth, stretching it out to alleviate the pain on his cheek, he then whistled and clicked his tongue.
"Wow, feisty. Little rabbit's got a bite huh? Chris, bro, I see why you've been wantin' to hit that." He wiggled his brows suggestively, looking past Matilda and toward Chris.
"Alright, that's enough!" Mike pulled out the revolver from the strap on his cargos, he held it between Josh's eyes, his face stern but his hand shaking.
Matilda stepped back, bumping into Chris' side as she did so, who in turn, grabbed onto her wrist. The two stood in a tense silence as they watched Mike and Josh, the latter blinking up at Mike and making puppy eyes.
"You gonna shoot me, Mike? Defenceless little old me?" Mocked Josh, despite his words being cocky, he eyed the revolver with uncertainty. "You think he's gonna do it guys? I don't think he's gonna do it." He looked over to Matilda and Chris, a comically wide smile on his face.
Mike groaned, he put the gun down and turned to face the two, taking a step toward them. "'Course I wasn't gonna shoot, but- fuck." He pinched the bridge of his nose, behind him, Josh was aimlessly rambling to himself; Matilda tried her hardest to ignore him, maybe Chris was right about her not coming with them, it was hard for her to watch and listen to.
With his arms folded, Mike glanced back at the rambling Josh and sighed. "You guys head back to the lodge, I'll stay here with... Him, until the cops come." He scratched the back of his head.
Matilda frowned and reached out, fingers loosely touching Mike's forearm. "Are you sure? Maybe we can take it in shifts. I don't think you should be here alone with him the whole night." She lowered her voice, afraid of upsetting Josh.
"Uh-oh, Chris, better watch out," Josh rocked back and forth on the stool. "make sure you take her to pound town before Mike does, y'know? Got a few notches on the belt already, 'm sure he knows what he's doing." Josh laughed, watching Chris' face contort into disgust.
Chris shook his head and looked to Mike. "We'll check on you in twenty." He didn't wait for Mike to reply, still holding Matilda's wrist, the two began to walk out.
"Mattie?" Josh said, Matilda continued to walk. "Matilda!" His use of her full name made her stop and slowly, she turned to face him.
"What... Josh." She mumbled, finding it hard to look at him.
"If something's really happened to Jessica—" He glanced at Mike, as if afraid he'd hit him at the mention of her. "I'm sorry." He wet his lips nervously. "And... I'm sorry about your wrist." He looked down at her sleeve, the mustard yellow muddied with drying blood, he winced at the sight.
Matilda pursed her lips to the side. The longer she looked at him, the more it hurt. "Thank you, Josh."
Relationship with Josh: Decreased
Relationship with Sam: Increased
Relationship with Mike: Increased
Brave: Increased