How Long Will We Be Here?

"You a*****e! What the Hell was all of that for?" Lucas spits. "You don't just drag a girl and tie her up and leave her as bait for some killer!" He lounges in for Liam, you cab see that he's ready to go at his throat. I grab onto the side of his shoulder, but he doesn't notice.

"What am I supposed to do? Offer up one of them?" Liam points at Leslie and Cammy. Both of them don't seem surprised, like they could have also been like me. But they don't want to be in this, as much as I don't. Us three remain silent.

"Nobody. But her?" Lucas asks.

"Yeah, it didn't seem like she would last very long out here anyways." He shrugs then hands him a sly and cocky smirk. I can see that he's trying to belittle everyone, or at least look tormenting. Especially to Lucas. So of course, he lashes at me to bite back at him.

"She's going to last much longer than you will, and I guarantee that." Lucas' fists turn round and start to become pale. I can see the veins bulging out, a tinted blue.

Leslie barges in, "No one needs to raise a fist at one another." She directs herself to Lucas, "Don't go and hit him." I give her a lot, she's trying at least.

"And why not?"

"Because he had his reasons. Though his reasons weren't very good ones, and were very stupid, he had a purpose." She tries to calm him.

Lucas lowers his voice when he addresses her, almost like a sense of respect, "And there's a reason why my fist's are clenched. So that I can beat the Hell out of him for using Ruth so harshly." 

Cammy sighs, "Men... You all are just ridiculous. How about you both beat the s**t out of each other until you both feel satisfied?" 

Lucas smiles greedily, "I like that plan." 

I grab his shoulder tighter, "Please don't. No, no blood. I'm pretty sure I did enough to him."

His face goes from tense to calm inless than a second. His eyes dart back to Liam, and it seems like now he notices the blood streaming down.

I don't want to see anyone get hurt, even Liam. Sure he was acting rather harsh, but still. I can't find a reason for Lucas to go after him; I already had my revenge. Though it honestly backfired, because the metallic taste still lingers on my tongue.

He drops his shoulders after looking at me for a moment. His eyes jump upwards, staring at the ceiling. "Fine. I won't kick his a*s when you're near." He turns and slowly walks behind me, his shoulder grazing against mine, almost enough force to push me over.

That isn't the response that I wanted, I asked for no fighting in general, not fighting when I'm not around. I guess it's better at least.

Cammy suddenly leans against me, he head resting on my shoulder, "You know they can't kill each other, right?"

"Huh?" 

"You can try to kill someone, but it can't happen here. No matter how hard they try to beat the living daylights out of one another. Only the Reaper can kill you. Not a single person otherwise." She glances at me, seeming that she wants to know what's on my mind.

"Do you know why we're here?" I ask her.

With a cheeky smile, she tilts her head to the right, nudging into my shoulder, "Can't say I do. I'd like to know as well. But, if I had to give an idea out, it would be a place for us to fix all our problems." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I think this is a place where we try to learn our lessons. If any of us had done any bad, we are put here to fix it. If we refuse to, death comes to get us and we die in a really bad way. Like a second chance."

I nod my head, that of all things seems like it makes the most sense. It's not like Lucas' idea isn't good as well, but this one, has some well being behind it. I think about it, I don't know what bad I've done to put myself here.

I think back to the stingy taste in my mouth. Alcoholic? Doubt it. "What about you," I ask.

"Well," she pulls herself off me, " quite a long story. But, if you need anything, or if Lucas is just being a straight up a*s, just come see me." She makes her way back to Leslie.

Of all people, I hadn't had much of a conversation with Liam, unless being dragged away by him counts. I slowly go up to him, hoping that he isn't going to use me for anymore peculiar plans of his. His head seems to have stopped bleeding, but there was a small patch of muddy looking skin. I swallow hard, I guess I did pull some hair.

He glares at me, making me feel more nervous about going to talk to him. I don't want to bother him, especially after the little predicament we just went though.

I stop in front of him, a few feet away. Just enough to where it'll be hard to him to grab me or anything.

"Hey..." 

"What do you want?" He asks huskily. His hair was a nice dirty blonde, until I ruined it. A sense of guilt runs over me, and I now find it difficult to look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry..." I trail off. "I didn't really mean to bite you  and... pull your hair out."

"Then why did you?" His eyes become slits. Lucas watches us in the opposing corner. Someone's a little overprotective, now aren't they?

"Defense mechanism," I blurt out. "Due to the events that occurred, it was my only way to get you to stop." I say quietly. The way he looks, the way he sounds, make me feel like he was much higher up than me. It was like I was a bug and he was an average human, just about to squish me. That's all it would take him to get rid of me. But then there is Lucas, who comes in and saves me. Again.

"I'm sorry, too." It takes me a few blinks and a restart on the brain to realize what he said. "I've been here for a while, and it get's to you. I just needed to find a way out of this place." 

"I'm assuming... You have family?" I test the water.

"Yeah... Three younger and annoying as hell sisters." 

Now is when the pit in my stomach is flooded with culpability. I go ahead and bite him and pull his hair out. Three young girls surround me, calling out as to why I hurt him. Self defense as an excuse doesn't work on just anyone in my head. Excuses don't work on anyone. 

I have no need to blame him, freedom is what he wants, but he never was able to get it with me intruding. But I want that freedom as well, so desperately that it almost can't be helped. All I can do is apologize. 

Even if I do, I don't think it's going to settle anything between us. It's rocky between us, jagged, brutal, sharp edged rocks. 

He looks like he's beaten. It's difficult to picture him really, truly wanting to kill me. I can't really see him as an innocent person, though. Morose, possibly, but nothing like a sadist. It doesn't suit him.

Who knows how long I'll be trapped in this place. I'm  not getting out for a while. The one's who arrived.

I lean down next to him and fall onto my knees. I pull the sleeve of my cardigan down and clutch my fingers and grip the outer part and begin to gently pat his head where the blood is in a matted mess. He winces a little bit. "Why?"

I tell him flatly, "I don't have to." This way, we would slowly make amends. It's just a small smart, but it's a beginning.

Looking closely, there are small locks of blonde twisted in, and they are actually pretty. A vibrant golden color. He gives me quicks glances, and I give him some too.

I can tell that you don't want enemies in a place like this. Someone will end up in the same boat that I'm in. That can not happen again. And I don't want to be enemies with anyone. 

If there's anyone else here, I need to hand them all the kindness I can give out. But I don't want to be too sappy with my feelings.

I stop patting, my eyes zone out to the wall in front of me. 

Am I doing this because I'm scared? For selfish acts? But I don't want to die, it's just compromise. 

It's not compromise if you try to get something out of it only for your own needs. That's how compromise works however, you find an equilibrium point where it works out for everyone. 

No, no it's not selfish. Maybe a little rude.

A hand grabs my wrist and pulls it away. "You don't have to do it if you're just going to stare off into space." I look down.

"Oh..." I drop my hand. "Are you... going to be okay?"

"I'm not going to die because of a little girl. That's a little too lame for anyone." 

I pull myself up. "Alright." He didn't need to say it so harshly.