ARI:

The only light around us were the flickering street lights still up because the moon was behind a huge building at the moment. It’s been like 15 minutes of non-stop running in the road. We had to hop over rusted corpses of old cars and my baggy jeans were a lot more ripped than they should be. Marin stopped running for a 

second. “Here.” She whispers loudly. She’s standing Infront of a glass door the says “laundromat.” Kieran walks over to her. His hand wraps around the knob and he turns it a few times and when the doesn’t work he turns to Marin. “Keep moving.” He says starting to walk away. 

“Smash!” My head whips around to Marin with her foot that just kicked the glass door hanging inside. “In.” She orders carefully making her way through the glass. 

Kylo looks at the glass and just nods like he’s accepted this. Kieran looks at the shards of glass on the ground in disbelief. I’m the first to go inside. There’s old clothes and sheets scattered around the floor and a weird lavender-ish scent. But it also smells like something rotting. 

“We’re eating now.” Marin says taking the blue backpack off Kieran’s shoulder. She grabs a few granola bars out of the bag and tosses one to everyone. I look at mine for a moment. 

“I’m not hungry.” I say placing the bar on a nearby washing machine. “Why? You need to eat.” She demands already un-wrapping hers. “I said I’m just not hungry.” I say turning away from them. 

I hear footsteps behind me. Someone grabs my shoulder and I see Kieran. “Lemme see.” He says pointing to my braces. “No way. Fuck off.” I brush him off and walk away again. “Ari you’re eating.” Marin orders behind me, her arms crossed looking serious. 

Marin sits down looking through the bag again. “Catch.” She passes something metal to Kieran. I walk away. They’re nail clippers. “Oh, absolutely not.” I say gesturing to stop. “If it’s poking your cheek you could get infected and swollen and you won’t be able to talk.” Marin says with wide eyes pressed against the wall. “Wait, maybe we shouldn’t help you then.” She says sarcastically. 

“Let’s get it over with Ari.” Kieran says stepping closer. “Nope. Nope, not doing this.” He doesn’t stop walking towards me. Kylos in the back looking through the bag again and pulls out a flashlight. 

He walks over with it. I dodge Kieran one last time but there’s old washing machines in the way of leaving to the next room. I crawl past him and he grabs my hood. “Ari.” He orders and trips me by my feet and I land on a pile of clothes. 

He sits on my legs and Kylo grabs my arms and pins them above my head. “Ari, we’re gonna help.” Kylo says trying to get me to understand. Holy shit they’re actually doing it. They’re literally pinning me down to clip my braces. 

“Kieran, get your heavy self off!” I shout. “If you open your mouth so this doesn’t need to take all night I will.” He snaps back. “We just wanna help so you aren’t in pain.” Kylo cuts in his voice gentle. Marin watches from the wall looking exhausted. 

“Open.” Kieran says stern. I give up and open my mouth. “It’s bloody.” Kylo says pointing to my cheek. “Nice observation.” I grumble but it’s almost in audible with my mouth open. He poking around in my mouth with his hand on my chin steadying me with a bright flashlight shining in my face. I hear a clip. 

I immediately push him off me and spit out the metal onto the hard ground. I wipe my mouth and side eye Kieran. “Good we’re done. Get some cleaner clothes and put them in the bag.” Marin demands already doing that. I mumble something under my breath making sure Kieran hears. 

I grab clothes that are probably clean or dirty without really checking and stuff them into the bag. “It’s not gonna fit anymore.” I say pretending to be annoyed. “Look for something else to put it in then.” Marin says not looking up at me. 

I groan and make my way to the end of the room. I look last the pile of washing machines all cluttered in a corner. I look at it for a second then don’t hesitate door slip through them and squirm my way past them all into the room next to it. It’s kinda dark but I can still see a bit. The rotting smell from earlier now burns my nose. I kick 

something in the dark. I look up at what it could’ve been. It’s a human corpse that’s weeks old and the flesh look rotten and there flies surrounding it. I scream, loud enough everyone in the other room to hear and they immediately run towards the door. 

They all huddle near the door unable to get through. “Ari!?” Kylo shouts back to me. I stare silently at the dead body. On the body is a red backpack. “Ari answer!” Marin screams. “There’s a body!” I shout back. No one respond immediately. 

I keep looking at the body. It seemed to be a girl. She had long hair and she’s wearing a bracelet that says “best friends.” In big purple letters. She has a pin and her jacket that says “Girl Scouts.” My jaw tightens. 

I hear the machines creaking. Kieran’s trying and failing to get through. “It’s fine. I got it.” I tell him. He pauses and looks at me with an expression I’ve never seen on him before. I inch closer to the backpack on her and carefully making sure I don’t touch her I slide the bag off her shoulder. I whisper under my breath “sorry.” I don’t know if it’s for taking her bag or something else. 

“Ari, hurry! Whatever killed them could still be here!” Marin shouts from the other room. I turn to walk away but see a blanket before I leave. I hesitate but I grab it and put it over her. Then I quickly hurry out of the room and squirm through the machines.

“You ok?” Kylo asks me. “I’m fine.” I immediately respond walking to the blue bag at the end of the room. 

My hands wouldn't stop vibrating as I reached for the blue bag. I could still feel the weight of that blanket in my palms.

"Ari," Kieran whispered. I didn't look up. I couldn't. If I looked at his "foggy" eyes right now. 

"Eat," Marin said. Her voice was softer than usual, though she was busy shoving the spare clothes into the red bag I’d just scavenged. She didn't thank me. Marin never does. but she didn't yell either.

I picked up the granola bar I’d rejected earlier. My mouth still tasted like copper and lavender, but the wire didn't poke me when I took a bite. but looking at Kylo’s pale face, it didn't feel like winning.

"We're leaving at first light," Kieran announced, his eyes on the shattered glass door. "I’ll take first watch."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to say I wasn't tired. But I just slumped against a washing machine and pulled my hoodie over my head, listening to the sound of Kieran’s steady breathing nearby.

I pulled the strings of my hoodie until the opening was just a tiny circle of darkness. The scent of the lavender laundry soap was still there, but now it felt like it was trying to choke me. 

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those purple letters on the girl's wrist. Best Friends. I felt a shift in the air, a heavy presence settling on the floor right next to me. 

I didn't need to look to know it was Kieran. He didn't say anything. he didn't try to lecture me or tell me I did a good job. He just sat there, his shoulder barely brushing mine.

"My mouth feels weird," I whispered into the dark of my hood. My voice sounded small.

"That's because it's not bleeding anymore," Kieran replied. His voice was that low.

I leaned my head slightly into his, my heart finally slowing down.

Across the room, I heard the crinkle of the red bag as Marin finished packing. Then, the soft sound of Kylo finally falling into a restless sleep, his breathing uneven but trying to steady.

Kieran places his arm around my shoulder now. His head still touching mine, steady and warm, until the flickering streetlights outside finally died, leaving us in the total, messy dark of the laundromat.