Drew Este

Gone? Gone? How? I laughed uneasily.

‘WIlliam I didn’t know you were a joker,’

His face was stone cold. I flinched.

‘W-william?’ my mouth stopped working, ‘It’s a joke right?’

He muttered something to himself and grabbed some powder.

‘Sleep,’ he whispered.

-

When I woke up I saw two ugl- I mean, two incredibly good looking faces, looking down at me. Willian had also somehow, made himself look concerned.

‘Drew, I am sorry,’ Raven said.

I looked at him confused. What was he sorry about?

‘Raven, let’s give Drew some space,’ Lucian chided from across the tent, ‘And William take that expression off your face, it’s rather unnerving,’

He strode over. His tone was the same as usual but he looked haggard.

‘Woah, Lucian what happened to you,’

He raised an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes but nevertheless cleared my throat and rephrased my sentence.

‘Lucian may I ask what happened to you?’

‘Much better,’ he sighed, pleased.

‘Lucian,’ William said, ‘Let us not pester Drew with such trivial things,’

Lucian muttered something under his breath but quickly composed himself. Raven pulled a chair over and sat down slowly. He hadn't been saying much.

‘Er so..’ he muttered.

Lucian hit him on the back. Raven cleared his throat.

‘So,’ his fingers were doing an endless dance, a digit was constantly moving.

‘So?’ I urged him to continue.

‘Alaric, he. Well.’

Lucian sighed.

‘He’s dead,’

They all looked down shamefully but I just laughed.

‘Dead? You’re all mad,’

Lucian Cooper

Things were not going well at all.

‘Alaric, why did you leave me with this mess?’

I groaned and flicked back through the battle plans. Then a gust of wind swept into the room blowing the candle out and plunging me into total darkness.

‘ADE!’ 

‘Huh?’ a voice sounded from the entrance of the tent. 

‘Raven I am completely fine,’

‘Your sleep schedule is not,’

‘I know, I know. Drew has been telling me since we were children,’

He sighed but nodded. I went back to analysing the battle plans.

-

‘THIS IS ABSURD!’ I cried.

I had been up all night and heavy bags hung under my eyes. I had read the documents so many times in sheer disbelief of what they said. The tent flap was opened and sunlight poured in. I groaned and covered my eyes.

‘Lucian you have been up all night,’

‘William close the flap,’

He obliged and soon I was once again shrouded in darkness. 

‘Ah, the flickering candle light my dear friend,’ I sighed.

William tapped me on the head. 

‘Ouch!’ I exclaimed.

‘Lucian are you sure you weren’t drinking?’

I looked at him shocked. I was the only one who had never touched alcohol.

I spluttered, flabbergasted, ‘Are you insinuating I would do such a thing?’

He shrugged, indifferent as always. 

‘I just came to tell you there has been a change of plans,’

I jolted up. Nothing could be worse than the current plan.

William Grimwood

Lucian’s jaw was hanging wide open, his eyes bulging.

‘It got worse,’ he hissed, ‘How!’

Lucian fell to the floor, defeated. 

‘This is hopeless. The higher ups are useless.’

‘Write them a letter,’ Raven called from the lookout.

He instantly perked up.

‘That,’ he cried, ‘I shall do!’

-

‘Hey Drew,’ I said as I plopped down next to him.

He nodded nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. His face was emotionless and calm but his eyes held deep sorrow. Something I knew well of. 

‘Umm,’ he started, ‘William, how did you feel when Alex disappeared?’

I flinched. It wasn’t a topic many brought up. What was I to say anyways? It was too hard to explain in words. After a few more moments of silence I managed to reply.

‘Sad,’

‘Sad?’ he looked me in the eye.

‘Angry,’

‘I suppose I do too,’ he smiled but it seemed forced, ‘Thanks for talking to me,’

I nodded.