Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-35702393-20180628083548/@comment-34320391-20180703092526

Back to Back sections!!!

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Nik - after Red's and Riley's

I'd abandoned Trista behind me, Red needed me. Newt slide up next to me, a worried look in his face. He seemed worried about a lot of things.

Newt whispered to me. "You just left a hot chick crying by kissing her and you're now going to another hot chick who's crying for you. That's cold, bro. You playing god or something?"

I was totally confused, but Red had just come into to speaking range, and she seemed like she was on the verge of tears.

"R-Red? What happened to you?” I asked, unable to say anymore. Red looked at me in slight disgust, as her eyes darted to my cousin, Tris. Now was not the time.

"Where's Cora?" Red asked. It was unsurprising, but Red didn't deem either of us worthy to talk to. The answer to the question, though, that was a different problem. I glanced at Newt. I was going to ask the same question myself when we had the time but now was better than never.

"Ugh... I messed up. Somebody kill me.” Newt growled. “I said something that I... shouldn’t have, and she ran away. I don’t know where she is but I tried looking for her. I’m worried for her."

Of course... Said something he shouldn't have, typical poets. Typical Newt.

Now was not the time for Newt's problems. Red was in trouble.

"What happened? Why are you crying? Are you hurt??” I asked, worried about Red's safety. I attempted to put my arm around her back, but she pulled away. She glanced at Trista again, and I groaned.

Why was life so complicated!

“Ugh... R-Riley... he...” Red sobbed, tears now streaming down her face.

Shit. Of course it was Riley. That snivelling creep. What had he done!

I growled into the general direction Red came from, and, as if on cue, Riley appeared.

But he was crying as well. He had a note in his hand and as he was reading it, still crying over something else. Then Riley gasped and glanced at us. What it meant, I had no clue. Riley rushed towards us.

I braced myself, ready for impact. If Riley had dared to lay a finger on Red, he was going to pay. Adrenaline fueled my anger, as I slowly, yet deliberately approached the running Riley.

But Riley whizzed straight past me. Past me, past Newt, past Red. And straight out the party exit. He gripped tightly to the note in his hand as if it was a curse, and simultaneously attempted to get another piece of paper out of his jean pocket. And then he was gone, out into the night. All 3 of us stood there, dumbfounded, but we soon all came to our senses. I sprinted after Riley, angry, with Newt and Red following closely behind. I even noticed Trista try to follow us, something was bothering her as well. She seemed angry. Like I did something wrong.

Just around the side of the arena was Cora, who was looking blankly out towards the sea. She was crying as well. Everyone seemed to be crying, or in Newt's case, as close to crying as I'll ever see.

I did not have time for Cora with Riley escaping, so I pointed Red towards her, who was also still sobbing, to go comfort to Cora. All I heard was something like, "Riley..."

He'd done his witchcraft to her as well, that evil being. I ran ahead of the pack, gaining at the small silhouette in the distance. With my long legs, I'd always been a great runner, especially in longer distances. I heard Newt huffing behind me, and with a glance behind me saw Newt, Red, Cora and... wait, Trista? She was fit, and slowly matched my pace, coming along beside me.

"You... you ditched me!" Trista yelled. Her eyes were blazing, and came to complete surprise to me.

"I'm sorry!" I replied and pushed on further, ahead of her. I did not want to talk with Trista right now.

As I continued to run we left the bushes and ran up a slight hill. On top the hill was a small shack, with a cabbage field growing out front. I had no time to waste as I ran through the cabbage field to catch up to Riley. The lights in the shack turned on and someone stepped outside. I heard Red gasp loudly behind me, but I was long ahead of them to make sense of why.

It was only at that moment while going over the hill did I see the fire raging across the Berkian bushland. The fire was growing, and Riley was heading straight for the centre of it.

"Let's not be irrational here, Riley," I called out, within 50 metres of him now.

Riley knew his game was up and whistled sharply. Any further into the fires and he would die.

I looked behind me and Tris and Newt were still running down the hill, closely followed by Red and Cora.

"Nik... Nik. Listen to me. I'm sorry, okay. Please forgive me, I wasn't thinking properly!" Riley whispered.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I... I'd always hoped for this fantasy, this, to come true, but it wasn't as perfect as I pictured."

"What are you talking about?"

Riley steadied his voice, taking a deep breath, composing himself. "Nik. You want this note. Trust me. You want this note, don't you? It will explain everything."

I nodded, not getting what Riley was going on at. Riley bunched up the note in a ball and threw it to his left, as far away from him as possible. "Go fetch, Nik, before it burns up!"

With that, Riley turned to his right and sprinted straight into the fire, head on.

All I heard was Riley shouting, "Don't ever stop, keep training, there's still need for us yet!"

Nik was split. Head for the paper Riley thrown next to that FLAMING BUSH!!! Or die by running into the fire.

Nik saw the paper begin to burn up and scooped it into his hands. I tried to crease the burning paper to read it's message, but it just burned up into a pile of ash.

I stared at the raging fire, but Riley was long gone. He was most probably dead. I sunk to my knees, the ash of the paper still in my palms. The message was lost. Riley was lost.

The other four had caught up and saw me on the floor. Cora began to cry, she was still not letting something on, something Riley had said. Red looked guilty, Newt stoned faced, and Tris's face, unreadable.

But amidst it all, I wasn't worried for Riley, I was more worried about myself.