Chatty Town

Chapter 14 : It's Never Easy

The walk to our safe house– deeper into Chatty Town– wasn't a pleasant one. It was filled with grim silence as we knew what was waiting for us.

Questions. And fear.

Our bloody clothes wouldn't be comforting; especially if Merrick and Lynn shared anything about what happened on the ground level of the Auto Shop.

I'm sure D was struggling with a speech he was preparing in his own mind on how he'd break the news to his youngest brother– and now his only family left.

He'd lost both parents before he had found us. A Chatty raid orchestrated by Maverick's predecessor, Collins. Shantell's death was just last year and now Harris. Kenny is the last one in his family, and at this point I think D is close to breaking.

Whether that's a just mental breakdown or losing his humanity. He's close.

Wren's face is resting in her natural callousness but I have no idea what's going on in her head. Maybe she already knows what to say. She's already prepared for the worst to come. Maybe her head is empty and calm.

In my head, however, I know my thoughts all too well. Have they told them? Are they keeping them in suspense? I'll have to address it if they haven't yet. I shouldn't have spread his blood on me. It'll look worse than it is. Or would it? It is horrible, maybe this will show them just how horrible. Inspire them, maybe? Is that wrong? Maybe I should change. No. We don't have time. But this could break Kenny. He's even younger than Harris is. was... I'll tell him he'll get through it, because I know he will. I'll tell him Harris died a hero. But neither of those are true. I can't say that, it'll sound patronizing.

Even with my thoughts racing eighty ideas a minute I still couldn't figure out my speech. Would it be inspiring? Mournful? Be confidence ridden? What would Reese do? What has he done?

All three of us stop at the house next door, its picket fence with yellow peeling paint beside us. Like we all know what's awaiting us if we keep walking just a few more steps. Like we all want to postpone it for as long as possible.
Wren's the brave one, "We can't stay here forever." She whispers just loud enough for us to hear but not for everyone inside to know.

D lets out a shaky exhale and it's followed by rubbing his fingers across his sweaty forehead.
I switch the hand that holds the gun blanket over my shoulder and place my now free hand on D's shoulder and squeeze hard, but my hand is mostly numb from carrying a 70lb bag of weapons and ammo. Hopefully this is comforting. It was always comforting when Reese did it to me.
"We'll tell him together."
"How?" D looks down at me, and whispers in a harsh tone. "In what way will it sound any better?! Harris is dead. And neither of us were with him when it happened."
Wren takes a step between us and looks him in the eye, "Its never easy, giving this kind of news, D; but the best way is blunt, like a bandaid. It's how we act with Kenny after telling him that matters. We have to be strong for him, so he can bounce back after the news."
I nod, "She's right, D."
He shakes his head and looks up at the sky, "I just can't believe we're going to have to him this. That I'll have to tell him this."
Wren puts her hand on D's arm and leans in closer, "You don't have to do it alone."

The door of the safe house opens and Zephyr's voice dances in the air, "Dem! Wren!"
We all turn as Zephyr runs down the steps of the house and thru the gate, Merrick and Lee follow him from the door.

Zephyr runs towards Wren and hugs her and I watch Merrick as Zephyr squeals, "I thought you might've died!"
With a heavy voice she messes with his hair, "I'm not going anywhere, booger."
Merrick catches my eyes and he understands my gaze and shakes his head, He hasn't told them yet.

Within a second Zephyr runs into my abdomen, his arms wrapped around me. It takes me a second before I hold him, as I'm standing there wondering how I'll tell everyone, "What happened? Did they get another survivor?" Zephyr pulls out of the hug and looks at my shirt, "Who's blood is that?"
I squeeze his shoulders, "Let's go inside, we have a lot to talk about."
Zephyr nods then tilts his head, "Is everything okay?"
Wren pulls him by the shoulder, turning him around as she starts walking towards Merrick in the gate, "We'll talk inside."

We start walking behind her as Zeph turns around and looks at D, dodging his head as he looks around and between us.
"Where's Harris? What's with the blankets?"
Wren pushes him forward keeping him moving, nudging him through the gate as Merrick stretches his arm to her and she falls into him, and he carries her weight through the gate and up the stairs.

Zephyr opens the faded red door and we all follow him inside the house.

Everyone is piled into the living room as soon as we walk in, Finch and Skye stand up immediately and walk towards us, avoiding the stairs in front of us.
Finch's deep voice enters my ears, "Hey, need help with those?"

I nod and he takes the blanket from me and sets it down by the stairs. Wren walks to the kitchen around the stairs and the blanket of dishes clanks as she sets it down. Kenny stands up from the carpeted floor and walks over to D as he sets down the clothes next to the stairs.
"Where's Harris?" Kenny's voice is soft, unaware of the heaviness about to follow in ours.
I glance at D and his face is long as he looks down. I quickly put an arm around Kenny and turn him towards the living room, "We need to talk. To all of you."
Skye nods at my shirt, "Is that blood?"
"Knee, take a seat." I nudge him into the sofa chair.
"Is it Harris'?!" Kenny's voice cracks and I stop myself midway from hanging my head and I nod.
"No!" Kenny jumps up and tries to make his way to the door but I grab him and hold him tight, he can't escape although he does his best to fight it, as he sobs.
Merrick's voice fills the air, "He was shot down at home. We don't know why yet. But we can't stay there anymore now that it's not safe."
The crowd erupts with chatter and gasps as everyone stands up.

Lee shouts over the crowd, "So what we're just leaving his body out there?!"
Wren's callous growl echos behind me, "Of course not! We didn't want to move him until Knee got a chance to say goodbye."
"So we're going back for him?" Raven's voice trailed through the air.
I nod, "As soon as now."
Lee cries, "We'll I wanna go too!"
Raven follows and soon everyone agrees, they all wanna see Harris' wounds. No. They just want to say goodbye.

Wren raises her arms to quiet everyone, "We can't all go back there, those freaks could come back! We don't know what they're planning anymore."

Lynn objects, stepping forward, "It'll be safer with all of us to fight if they do come back."

She's right. Splitting up is what caused Harris' death.

Wren fights her with a few back and forth comments.

What would Reese do? We've lost one of our own, a kid. He was loved by all of us. And it would be safer with all of us ready to fight. Wren, Merrick and I can stand guard outside let everyone say goodbye in peace.

I nod, and try to get them to stop with a simple Hey, but Wren's stubborn so is Lynn.
I put my fingers in my mouth and blow out a sharp whistle and everyone goes silent.

"We're all going. And that's settled." I start walking towards the stairs to open the bag of weapons and ammunition.
Wren shrieks, "Dem, you can't be serious!?"
I pull the knot loose, "I am." I drop the blanket corners and start picking up some of the pistols and shotguns and Zephyr and Kenny jog over ready to grab them.
"Harris was our friend. Our brother. To some he was like a son. We're all going to say goodbye."
Wren's voice weasels into my ears, "But-"
Immediately I look up at her, "Don't fight me on this."
Wren pauses and then swallows her thoughts, "Fine..."
I look back to the pile of weapons and start handing some more out to the group and Wren interrupts, "But we're bringing two guns each, and filling our pockets with ammo!"
I nod, "Wanna help me hand these out?"
Wren quickly shakes her head as she muffles a scoff and then starts helping.