Penelope put a shaky hand on my shoulder "W-...We need to keep moving" She said quietly. I stood up, my body shaking with anger and exhaustion. My body faced the wall but my neck turned, my eyes snapping to her with pure rage. "No! No I don't think so! I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU PENELOPE," I screamed. I turned to properly face her, balling up my fists and yelling with tears in my eyes. "It's always push and push with you isn't it?! DO YOU CARE ABOUT ANYONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF!? Bear is dead! And Victoria! And Luke and Seb and Michel and Selina! Elizabeth is a killer! And everyone else is probably DEAD! But we just have to act like nothings wrong don't we?!" My throat was sore, my eyes burning with angry ugly tears. "You shut it! Alright, shut it Addison," Penelope snapped back. "I know they're dead, and Gods above I am SECONDS away from breaking down myself. But we need to keep it together. We can't afford to get emotional right now. And if we don't get this food back Basil, Miriam…and Opal will be next" She said sharply, her hand gesturing to the drop box. I paused for a moment, Penelope sighed, stepping forwards and rubbing tears away from my eyes. "I-...I just can't" I let out a small sob "We have to, for them okay…just be strong for a few more hours" Penelope begged me. She turned, starting to push the large wooden crate along the floor. I whipped tears away, trying to steady my breathing, I helped Penelope push the box along with shaky arms. We walked in silence, periodically broken with small grunts. My arms burned, but I kept walking. I thought of happy things…desperate to distract myself. Kayaking with my dad…family camping trips…that free feeling of climbing trees and sneaking through the fence of school grounds…staying up late texting my friends…showing loved ones my favorite musicals and plays…all the times I'd gotten one of the best scores in my class and went home to show my mom. I'd always hated my life…the bullies…the stress…all the worry of my name being the one to get pulled, but it had been amazing…I just wish I had spent more time enjoying it. We reached the intercross…how do I tell them what happened? We pushed the box in, Mckensie let out a noise of shock and excitement, her and Basil dragging the box to the rest of our supplies. Opal rushed up, hugging her sister tightly. I walked over to Miriam, sitting down on the fountain rim with her…she still looked hellish. I took shaky breaths, trying not to burst out in tears. "Addie…where's Bear…and Victoria?" Miriam asked quietly. My eyes widened, I let out a quiet sob "T-They" I couldn't continue, trying to hold back tears. Penelope looked at me, her eyes scanning around the room. I followed her gaze. Basil and Mckensie were busy searching through the box, they were finding a lot of stuff. Opal looked over their shoulders, smiling at the loot. Penelope sat down beside the two of us. "Miriam you…aren't going to want to hear this" She warned. Miriam's eyes widened "What happened?" She asked, her eyes shaking just as much as her voice. "T-They're dead" I burst out, letting out a loud sob. Everyone paused, the room going silent except for the sound of the fountains running water. Basil turned, looking back at us. "...what?" He said sharply, Mckensie paused, blinking slowly. "Well you could've said that better," Penelope mumbled "We found Elizabeth…she had gone…crazy, she had uhm…" Penelope paused, looking a little uncomfortable. "Eaten Victoria…Elizabeth ate…Victoria" I finished. Miriam's jaw dropped, her hands going to cover her mouth. Mckensie immediately doubled over, dry heaving at the thought. Opal gagged, not as bothered as most of the others. Basil stared into space, the older boy unsure what to even do. "Okay Addie, do me a favor and sock it. You are seriously bad at letting it down slowly" Penelope grumbled "Rip the bandaid off quick" I shrugged. Penelope groaned "You are impossible to deal with. But yeah…she ate her…Bear charged at her with the knife and then…the wall closed up behind him" She said quietly. "We got the box though" Opal said positively, her smile shaky and not quite reaching her eyes…fake. Basil slumped down in one of the beanbags, laying there in shock. Mckensie sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Basil didn't outwardly cry…but he was close. Miriam cured up into a ball, starting to cry softly. I put my hand on her back…not really sure what to do. Penelope started going through the box, taking note of each item before she stood. "Okay…we lost the dagger. But we've got two giant cans of beans…no way to open them, granola, bandages, a flashlight? And…a note…in cursive…yeah I can't read that trash" Penelope shoved the note towards her sister. Opal thought for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she read. "The thing you need most is with the flags of thirteen, but beware the challenge of Theban Youths?" Opal read aloud, a little confused. The thing we needed most? We needed…a lot of things, clothes for Basil, more food, soap…maybe something for Miriam's burns? Honestly I think I would die for the garlic bread stick thingys they sell at the pizza shop by my school. Or bubble tea…or any food that doesn't taste like wet garbage on a summer day. Maybe a real bed? To see my mom again…for any of us to be able to see our parents. Just to talk to them…for a few moments. None of us…really got to say goodbye. How do Elizabeth's parents feel about what their daughter has come to? Or Victoria's parents at what she did to their little girl even after she survived the Minotaur? Or Bears parents at his sacrifice…he may have died a hero…but he's still dead. And so are Seb…and Luke..and Selena…and Michel…and probably a good few others to…how do their parents feel? Just…who could ever do this to kids? Why must we be punished for the sins of ancestors long gone? Why watch generations be slaughtered? For entertainment…it's just…sick-Wait…what challenge? I know like nothing about Theban…and what's with people and just…challenging kids and almost killing them? I mean we're here being sacrificed to a death game and apparently some kids in Theban are getting put through a freaky challenge worth putting into your sick and twisted game…fun. "I…I think I know where that is" Mckensie spoke up.
