{Cameron}
“I think Tyler and Preston have been gone for a little too long now…” Rebecca pointed out, after we sold our last gun for the day,
“I’m sure they’re fine. They’re probably just fucking again.”
“Cameron, you aren’t funny.” Rebecca glared, making me chuckle,
“I know, I know.”
“Did they bring weapons with them?”
“No, I don’t think so.” I shook my head,
“I think we need to look for them then.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right…” I sighed, picking up a pocket knife, knowing that a gun wouldn’t be the best option, Rebecca, on the other hand, didn’t know of the issue, and began to reach for a pistol, “Don’t bring a gun,”
“Dude, short range is ineffect-“
“No, no, Tyler has… trauma.”
“Okay.” She tossed it back in the crate, and pulled out a dagger, swinging it around lightly, until she decided that it was satisfactory, and shoved it into her pocket, “Alright, meet me back here by sundown, okay?”
“Okay.” I nodded,
I watched Tyler sit there, as if he was unable to function, which was probably true, considering that Preston was currently trying to wrestle the gun out of Dylan’s hand.
“Dylan!” I shouted, making him look up, and laugh, as Preston disarmed him, which Dylan didn’t seem to mind all too much.
“Cameron, Cameron, Cameron…” He shook his head, slowly walking towards me. He gripped my neck, and pushed me into the tree, making me gasp for air. Preston dropped the gun, and started pulling on him, but Dylan didn’t seem to be affected by it whatsoever. Still, Isla brought herself into the scene, trying to pry Preston of of him,
“Tyler, do something!” I struggled out, making Dylan’s hands squeeze tighter, and Tyler to reach for the gun with shaky hands. Tyler loosely aimed, and fired twice, quickly collapsing out of horror.
I shoved Dylan off of me, and onto Isla’s corpse, disregarding Preston, who simply laid on the ground, praying for assistance,
“Tyler!” I tried to pull him up, but he shoved me off of him,
“Get away from me,” He pleaded,
“It’s okay,” I reasoned, “You only hit him in the shoulder, we can get Ami to take him to Tarea’s, but we need to go now.”
He pulled himself up, trembling as he lifted Preston onto his back, while whispering over and over the words, “I’m sorry.” while Preston continued to reassure him that it would turn out fine, despite the pain he was in.
“Ami, I need you to go take Preston to Tarea’s mom.” I told them, quickly explaining what had happened to them. Tyler and Ami exchanged Preston's body, before they left to go get him medical help.
“Tyler?”
“Huh?” He blinked, as if he wasn't sure what had just happened.
“You're crying.”
“I am…? Oh, shit. I am. Uh… sorry.” Tyler furiously wiped at his eyes, and I frowned,
“No, don't apologize. Come here.” I signaled to him, and he slowly made his way over, “Talk to me.”
“What is there to talk about?” He sobbed, “I fucking shot him!”
“But he's going to be okay.”
“He isn't going to be okay mentally! He's already had to deal with being shot, and… and… and… this is the second time I've done it.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“In middle school, sixth grade...” Tyler pulled on his hair, desperately trying to keep himself from breaking down, “I shot him on the left side of his collarbone.”
“But… why? You didn't mean to, did you?”
“N-No, I didn't. I meant to hit some… thing else, but… Some… thing… hit my arm, and… I shot him instead. But it's still all my damn fault!”
“How? You didn't mean to-”
“It was though! ...I …I was kinda like you when I was younger. A total jackass, that is, and I… Because of what I did, I drove another to insanity…”
“Tyler, it's not your-”
“But it fucking is! He told me it was! He showed me that it was! You can deny it all you want, but it is my fault.” He cried, “I'm the reason he brought a gun to school. I'm the reason why so many fucking people were killed. I'm the reason why-”
“Stop. That person, that… thing, was a monster, it was inevitable.”
“You can't say that, you weren't there! You didn't know him! He wasn't a monster!” Tyler clawed at his cheek, and I quickly ripped his arm away,
“You can't say that a mass murderer isn't a monster, unless you're some sort of mental freak.”
“I guess I'm a fucking mental freak then, because I know he wasn't a damn monster, I just stripped him from his future!” Tyler pushed himself up, and slung his bag over his shoulder, before walking out of the camp, resting in front of the stone brick wall that fenced us in.
“Tyler, I didn't mean that.” I apologized, sitting down next to him, as he lit himself a cigarette, “Dude, that's not good for your health.”
“Yeah, no shit.” He scoffed, clearly not appreciating my comment.
“Seriously, I'm sorry.” I looked over at his glossy emerald green eyes, causing him to turn away.
“Whatever, just please shut the hell up.” Tyler sighed, refusing to look back at me,
“It’s not whatever, it’s hurting you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“You walked away and began to smoke, I don’t think that’s something a… content person would do.”
“I have an addiction, though. It doesn’t matter how I’m feeling, all I will ever want to do is smoke, or cut. I hate it, but it’s true, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Yeah, there is something you can do about it. You resist the temptation, and stop.”
“But it’s not that easy.” He sighed, “I’ve tried.”
“But have you really tried? With all your strength and willpower?”
“Yeah, I have! You really think I liked it when my little brother found out?!” He snapped, “I threw all of it away, and it felt good for a month or so, but god fucking damn, one little thing happened, and I ran to the store to get new razors, and hijacked some of my dad’s cigarettes! I wish it was as easy as you make it out to be, I really do Cameron.”
“Wouldn’t he notice you took them? Or that someone else did?”
“Pfft, nah, he has a lot, and he doesn’t pay enough attention. My mom knew, but she didn’t give a shit, so…”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, I got over it a while ago.” He laughed to hide the pain seeping through his statement.
“That’s so….”
“Fucked? Messed up?”
“Yeah…”
“I know, I didn’t realize parents were supposed to be good until I met Preston’s dad after I got back from Sacred Hearts Academy…”
“Woah, wait a second... You and Preston.. were the only two survivors from there?” My eyes widened as he nodded,
“Yep. That’s why everyone avoided me like the plague.” He tapped the ashes off of the cigarette, before stubbing it out, and leaving it on the ground,
“But being one of two survivors? That’s badass, man.”
“It’s a mental fuck up, that’s what it is. Imagine all of your friends being dead… because of you.” Tyler whispered, “It keeps me up at night, and haunts me in my sleep. It isn’t badass.”
“Yeah, sorry… That was insensitive.” I sighed, “I phrased that totally wrong… What I really meant was that… that you’re strong as fuck, if you’re still alive after all of that.”
“Yeah, maybe I am… but I don’t know how much longer I can keep it up.”
ns 15.158.61.51da2
