Chapter 10

"Monty! "

Silence

" Monty! Damn it it's not funny! " Rue shouted while trembling in the water.

" Guys- " Brandon.

Rue swam to him so she could see him better. The boy was holding something in his arms. Someone.

" Brandon what happened? " she asked him.

He smiled and the panicked " I didn't... I don't... he was... " He was holding Monty.

" What the hell did you... "

Eleanor came and as soon she saw Monty she started crying. Harvey went up to her and put her back in the boat. Rue was petrified only moving her arms and legs so she wouldn't sink.

" Put him in the boat! " she shouted

" But ... "

" Put. him. in the boat "

Miles helped Brandon and Rue started pressing Monty's chest. Nothing. She pressed harder and harder and tried to resuscitate him. Pressing again. And again.

Nothing.

" Come on! " she yelled through tears while punching his chest " Breath damn it! ".

Nothing.

Rue stopped. Everything stopped. The magic was gone. Everyone was sober. Everyhing clearer than ever. The moon wasn't dizzy anymore. Everything was... dead.

The girl turned to the others, tears rolling down her cheeks, and shook her head. Eleanor vomited immediately. Miles shook his head in denial, pushing Rue out of the way and started pressing on Monty's chest too.

Nothing.

Brandon was just standing there. Shaking hid head. Not even crying. Just looking at the lifeless body of his friend.

They paddled to the shore in silence and put Monty on the ground. They weren't on camp anymore. They were on the opposite shore. Where there was only forest.

Just after they placed their friend onto the ground they started seeing everything. He wasn't coming back.

The sun startes to rise and now they could all see Monty. His skin was wet, pale. His eyes were closed, his hair was full of mud. And his lips were violet. His chest wasn't rising. He wasn't going to open his eyes and say it was all a stupid joke.

Just him. There. Dead.

Eleanor was in Harvey's arms, the boy trying to comfort her. Miles was standing behind a tree, his hands in his hair, mumbling nonsense.

Brandon was just standing next to the body, lookibg at it.

Rue got up from her knees and pushed Brandon.

" You. Dumb. Ignorant... " she started punching him and scratching his face. Brandon was just looking at her.

" HOW COULD YOU! " Punching harder " He was your friend DAMN IT ! " scratching his chest.

Rue was screaming and hitting her friend. The punches began to strike slower. The screaming was becoming a whisper. And then tears. The punching stopped and she Brandon put his arms around her.

She was still hitting his shoulder, crying in his chest. His face showed no emotion.

Rue got up and went to Miles who hugged her right away. They stood there, crying on eachothers shoulders. Brandon still showing no emotion.

Eleanor stopped throwing up, Harvey wasn't crying. He was just shaking and panicking and was pulling his hair out.

" We... " Brandon straightened his voice " We need to get rid of the body. It will... get us caught. "

Rue raised her brows " Get us caught? Oh no. I AM NOT beeing an accomplice to murder. Brandon, I am not. You will get caught. "

Brandon sighed " We are a team. Come on, you are not going to turn me in "

Rue pointed a finger at him " This is your fault. Your fault. Don't tell me to protect you from killing our friend! "

" I. didn't. kill him " He spat out the words.

" Yes you did. You did all of this " she gestured to the woods and the body.

Rue got closer to him " Brandon I swear to God, you are not going to get away with it. "

Brandon took a step closer " You have to help me. You will help me. We are not getting away with this. Rue this isn't some criminal show. You can't just walk away. "

" Watch me "

He pushed her into a tree and grabbed her by the collar. Brandon slammed his hand into the tree and all her friends rose from the ground.

" You have to help me. "

Harvey punched Brandon and dragged Rue behind his back " Are you insane? You want to kill her too? "

Brandon got up and hissed " I didn't kill anyone. Guys we are all going to be haunted by this. The only difference is that I will go to prison. And probably you too. "

" Shut up " it was... Kaitlyn. Who was just standing on a log, trying to make the tears go away. " We will help you. But be sure Brandon, that you are going to pay for this. I hope you have a miserable life. "

Brandon let a tear roll down his cheek. Harvey helped Brandon carry the body deeper in the woods while Eleanor was whispering and looking in every singke direction.

Rue was holding hands with Miles who was looking at his feet and not saying anything.

Kaitlyn was looking at Brandon. No one could remember what happened to her. Did she manage to get on the boat with the rest of them? They couldn't remember.

The boys stopped and chose a place.

" I will make sure they don't find any... " Brandon swallowed " fingerprints. " .

Harvey was probably trying to convince himself this was all a nightmare. Like they all did. The moon wasn't there anymore to tell him that everything was going to be fine. And he was definitely not shining like a star.

He looked... lost.

Brandon was doing something he probably learned from the internet. But he said that the water cleared all the marks and that everything was fine. But it wasn't.

Kaitlyn started crying. She gave Brandon a disgusted look and then cried harder.

Monty was more pale. He looked more dead if that was even possible. Probably because now they all knew he was gone. They couldn't believe it before.

Brandon was looking around and he found a ravine and took Monty by his shoes and dragged him in it. Nobody helped him now.

He came back, shaking the dust off his wet pants.

Miles was sweating and crying at the same time while Harvey was sitting in a log scratching his face and playing with a button from his pants.

Brandon huffed a sigh and collapsed on the ground, looking at the stars. He soon got up and gathered everyone in a circle.

" No one can ever know. " he said, his eyes cold.

" Becauae then we will go to jail we got it " said Rue through tears.

" We need an alibi " Harvey stated. Brandon nodded " Indeed we do. Don't give yourselves out. This is not a stupid book " he looked at Rue.

Eleanor's face heated up and then it started raining. A storm, actually. They all went under a tree and watched Eleanor who was gasping for air.

Kaitlyn put an arm around her shoulder and hold her tight to her chest. The storm suddenly atopped and everyone was looking at eachother.

" What the hell just happened " demanded Brandon.

" A storm, idiot " Rue rolled her eyes.

They went to the boat and back to the camp. Rue, Kaitlyn and Miles snuck back into their cabins, right into their beds.

Rue put her head in the pillow ans started crying. So did Kaitlyn. And Miles.

None of them slept.

The next day they dragged their feet to the cafetaria and sat at their usual table.

Brandon was casually eating a piece of bacon while Harvey and Eleanor haven't touched their food.

Rue, Miles and Kaitlyn didn't fill their trays.

" Get some food " said Brandon while chewing on some bread.

" How can you even eat? " asked Kaitlym disgusted.

" Do not look suspicious " he smiled " Got it? "

They filled their trays with bacin and egg but couldn't stomach it.

Harvey was looking right and left like expecting for something to happen.

" What's wrong " Brandon put his arm on Harvey's shoulder.

" I don't feel good. I feel like something really bad is about to happen " he said, his hands shaking.

" Listen up " started Brandon " We weren't wih Monty. We will say he went alone with the boat. We got back to bed. Got it? "

" How can you be concerned by your - your... your damn alibi. Your friend is dead " Rue snapped.

Brandon slammed his hand into the table and then raised his hands and smiled. They could've sworn they saw fire in his eyes. Like... death. He smiled again " He was my friend. Yeah. But we need to take care of ourselves now. "

Kaitlyn was holding her fork tight, leaving a little hole in the table. Finally, she said " You killed our friend. You should watch out. Not us. "

Brandon's face turned red then back to his arrogant look.

Rufus came by their table " Guys have you seen Monty? "

Rue felt like a knot was in her neck. She eas about to say it. To say everyhing. She couldn't feel like this anymore. She felt every gasp for air Monty took. She saw him drowning over and over again. Hearing his muffled screams.

Brandon noticed and shook his head with a bored look on his face " He went alone with the boat. Haven't seen him "

Rufus let out a laugh " Maybe his dead drunk in some bush "

Rue couldn't take this anymore. She was about to throw up. Kaitlyn and Eleanor looked the same as her. Their faces were almost green, their eyes gray.

Brandon snorted " I bet he is " and looked over to Rue, Kaitlyn and Eleanor.

Harvey's hands were sweating, his face green as well. Miles was sitting with his forehead on his knuckles, trying not to cry.

They saw Rufus going to every table and asking about Monty. Even at the coaches.

" Atention kids " Kane's voice " When you find that Monty guy, bring him to us, please. He dissapeared. I will kick his drunk ass. Sorry everone "

All the kids laughed and started looking for Monty.

Brandon went with them too while Miles and the other were behind Eleanor's cabin, talking.

" He is crazy " said Harvey " It's like he doesn't even care, I swear "

Kaitlyn nodded. So did Miles. And Rue.

Eleanor fixed a crease on her skirt and said " I - ... I don't think we should turn against him. I mean- ... it must be hard for him too "

Rue scoffed " Hard my ass. He looked so pleased and happy. "

Eleanor shrugged.

After about an hour of pretending to look for Miles they heard someone screaming. The boat was on the lake. At... the other shore.

They a froze. The time froze. Everyhing was frozen. Even the sun, with its beautiful golden rays. The grass reminded them of Monty being dragged through it. The sky reminded them of the that night.

The boat returned. Lucas and Freya were in it. With someone else there. All the coaches gathered. Lucas was kicking the ground and throwing up, screaming his bestfriend's name.

Freya was sitting on the grass, crying, with a terrified look on her face. The coaches' hand were covering their mouths now all of them swearing.

Monty was there. Leaves and mud and insects covering his body. His skin was bluish. Even dead he looked like the old Monty. The one who would laugh at his dead body.

All of them still waied for Monty to open his eyes.

The coaches called his parents, who called the police.

Dean was hugging a tree, crying. Rue was still standing there as hot tears were rolling down her cheeks.

She did this. They did this.