Chapter 59, Spontaneously die

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I shoot Xavier.

I shoot him right by his shoulder. It's an inch away from his head, but it's just a graze. Luckily, it's enough to get him down while I let my bullets rip at the two attackers behind him. Southern scum fall to the ground before they can even pull their triggers.

"Good lord!" Xavier cries out as he kneels in front of the broken grand door.

Even when the two men are clearly dead, I'm still letting bullets fire. It's hypnotizing. Pretty even. I can't stop.

"Marigold..." Xavier says. I look down and he has crawled to my feet. I watch him stretch out a hand towards my wrist that's tied with the maroon piece of material.

Without even really thinking, I stop shooting.

"That's good, Marigold. You did it. You're in control," Xavier says and slowly starts getting up.

Xavier carefully removes the maroon material from my wrist and takes the machine gun away. Only when he bends and puts the weapon on the ground do I realize how heavy the thing was. I've trained with machine guns, but not any quite as heavy. Xavier straitens back up to look at me. All the while, I silently watch like I'm trying to piece a puzzle. For some explainable reason, Xavier looks proud. He looks so damn proud and for what?

"I shot you," I whisper.

"It's nothing," Xavier replies.

"I shot you," I repeat a little more clearly. "How are you still talking to me? I literally want to go die somewhere. I actually shot you... You're bleeding. What the hell is wrong with me?" I ask with tears threatening again.

I watch with frustration as blood trickles down Xavier's chest. It slides and slips over those battle scars. I wonder if my shot will add to his collection.

"I literally killed you a year ago. How are you not murdering me? " Xavier smiles in response.

The memory settles in and surprisingly, I actually chuckle. I'm actually freaking out about shooting someone that killed me a year ago. How things have changed, I muse.

It's actually scary.

"Oh shit," Xavier whispers and looks over my shoulder.

Worried, I turn around slowly. About half a dozen Southerners come walking towards us with machine guns raised. Xavier is wise enough to not grab a gun while they slowly make their way closer. There's no way we're making it out this time. They just don't end, do they? The South will always have more.

I try distracting myself with details - ignoring the way the heart in my chest is beating rapidly. Focusing rather on their black clothes with a single yellow downward arrows printed on some part of their outfits. I focus on the expensive boots they have on. The South clearly has a source of income.

And those... Those machine guns they carry are Sterling. For years, the South have stolen from Sterling and nobody ever noticed. 

It's dark and the garden lights on the sides of the massive driveway cast an ominous look onto the attackers' snarling faces. They look angry. They look determined. And they look scary - like the dark pine and spruce forest on the other side of the estate walls is a giant shadow they bring to not only take us down, but the whole country as well. The whole world.  

"What the hell are we going to do?" I whisper to Xavier.

"Hope they spontaneously die?" Xavier tries.

"Oh, yeah, excellent plan, Xavy," I say and roll my eyes.

The Southerners come closer until they're right in front of the steps leading up to us. The garage is only a few meters away. I really wish we were smart enough to escape while we could.

"Why was it that when I was trying to attack you, you always had some master plan. Now that others are trying to attack you, you're out of ideas?" I whisper/shout to Xavier.

I watch from the corner of my eye as Xavier smiles nervously. His usually neat auburn hair looks out of place. "The South is a little harder to hack than you were, Marigold," Xavier whispers back.

I scoff, but my attention gets snatched back to the South when they are too close for my liking. The guy in the middle looks like he's in charge of the squad. He's pretty big. Not too tall, but definitely buff. 

"Our leaders send their apologies," the leader of the pack smirks. "It's just business."

They all raise their machine guns and I instinctively grip for something. Xavier's hand is the first thing I can reach. I hold it so tight, I think I might actual hurt the Northern leader.

I really didn't want to die today. It was not on my to do list.

Split seconds before bullets tear at us, there's a loud crashing noise coming from our right. It's a clamorous burst of wood that shatters, splinters and crunches out of nowhere. Everyone looks over to a monstrous green Jeep rupturing from the garage and speeding towards the Southerners. The Jeep is too quick and sudden and the Southerners are too surprised - resulting in six bodies getting run over.

They don't get back up.

I can't help the gawking. I mean, can you blame me?

"Guess my plan worked," Xavier shrugs.

Still utterly confused, I watch the Jeep stop and the door open. Of all people it could've been in that Jeep, Sean is the one that gets out. He has a stupid shy smile on his stupid pale face. "Driver's gotta do what a driver's gotta do," Sean shrugs with that thin shoulders of his. He still has his hoodie up, but the arrow isn't on his head anymore.

"Sean, you brilliant idiot!" I exclaim and let go of Xavier's hand to run up to the emo boy and crush him in a hug.

I keep the hug for a while. Sean just saved everyone. I hug tighter - taking in the smell of petrol coming from him. I try not hugging too tightly, because he might actually break. God, he's thin.

"What would we do without you?" I ask when finally letting go.

"Quite a lot, I'd say," Sean shrugs - it's hard with the dark bangs, but I notice the extra emotion in his dead, orphan blue eyes. Or rather, the lack of emotion. Vacant orbs of blue.

I want to tell Sean to fuck off with the depressing thoughts and to know that everyone loves and appreciates him. I want to tell him that people care and that he matters and should eat more and just be who he is. I want to tell him that I'm sorry it doesn't always seem like that.

But the Northern inner-gang comes rushing down the stairs and we all embrace in a quick hug.

"You we're bad-ass back there!" Daniel exclaims.

"I was actually fucking scared," Jack admits while clutching his wounder shoulder.

Paul glares at Jack and gives him a slap on the shoulder. Jack tries rubbing his shoulder back in its socket. 

"I came down jus' in time to see ye gettin' all hot and killin' everyone. Ye saved us, Amberry," Nessa says. Unsurprisingly, her tight bun isn't out of place at all. The red fire stays contained. 

"I really don't want to fight you when you're like that," Owen chuckles when he joins the group. He's also wet from the swim earlier like everyone else, but all the action at least dried everyone to an extent. 

I want to correct everyone and tell them that Sean saved the day, but I get pulled inside before I can get a word out.

"Sean, come on!" I yell out over my shoulder.

Sean only smiles and gives a short wave before walking away. I crane my neck while getting dragged inside by my friends. Sean takes slow, single-minded steps away - probably heading to a car parked somewhere outside.

"Sean, get back here! Join us!" I try again, but I'm already in the house and the broken front door gets closed.

"Come on, we have to discuss what's the plan," Daniel says and leads everyone to the living room.

"I have to go after Sean," I tell Xavier.

"We'll get him tomorrow. You have to get ready to leave Tygerwell. After this attack there's not much time left. The fight for Tygerwell is coming and it's coming soon," Xavier explains. "Haven't you noticed everyone's sent away for a reason? Owen's family, Blake's mom? I even made Miss Sauvage pack her bags and head to the safe house. You can't stay much longer either." Xavier's shoulder is still bleeding and that gets me to shift my focus. 

I still have a bad feeling in my stomach and want to go after my friend, but Xavier is right. The South is the biggest concern right now and we need to figure out what to do. I'll find Sean tomorrow. I'll even ask him if he also wants to leave this town.

'Wants to...' Do I want to leave? Has it come to this?

When everyone is patched up as best as they can be, we all sit down at the living room and let the hearth warm us. Xavier pulled on a black shirt - which I totally don't mind. The smoke machines have stopped. Thank food for that. And someone turned the lights on so it's better to avoid the Halloween decorations.

"So here's the plan. Amber leaves tomorrow afternoon. One of us can take her with Raven and drop her off somewhere remote. Not her old home, because Jane still needs to think that Amber's dead," Daniel explains.

Everyone nods in agreement. "We'll probably have to tell Jane about this attack. Honestly with the attack, I don't know if Xav and Jane can get married Sunday without casualties. Jane must know that," Jack replies.

"We'll talk to her about it tomorrow," Xavier confirms.

Everyone goes quiet. Not sure what to add. The fight against the South is unavoidable. It has to happen. And... and I can't be part of that. That's pretty clear. Not unless I want Jane to kill me before I can even help. It sucks, but... It's reality.

I'll have to get all my things packed early tomorrow. And of course, see Blake about what he wanted to tell me and then... And then leave.

"Xav, yer the only one that can fly Raven so ye'll have to take Amberry," Nessa says a little too casually.

"We'll have to see. Jane would find it suspicious. I already went away for a while earlier this week. If I do it again, she'll know something is wrong," Xavier explains.

Why am I so sad about the thought of Xavier not being able to take me?

"I... I think I want to leave tomorrow as well," Owen suddenly says.

Everyone gives Owen an 'are you crazy?' look.

"Are you crazy?" Daniel asks.

"You're pledged to Jane. She'll kill you," Jack says.

Owen shrugs. "I know a place she can't get to. I'm sick of following her. I'd rather risk dying and living a life of freedom than staying her prisoner. I just can't anymore," Owen says firmly.

I watch Nessa frown at his words. She doesn't say anything though. I make a note to look into it later.

We all watch each other. Silently acknowledging the fact that things are going to change. Not all of us can escape with our lives anymore. Blood will spill. Who's next? I think to myself. Who's death will I have to try and get over?

"I should probably acknowledge a situation we'll have to figure out before Marigold leaves," Xavier suddenly says - pushes back his hair so it's in its usually neat state again. 

Everyone looks at him and I'm the first to ask, "What? "

Xavier takes a deep breath - like he's actually straining to hold a physical weight that's crushing his shoulders." Jane wants to see your, may I add very, dead body. She wants me to bring your corpse to her," Xavier says.

"I knew it couldn' be that easy," Nessa grumbles - her brown eyes turning dark.

"Just tell her you burned the body," Daniel suggest.

"Or send the corpse we do have, but make the face unrecognizable," Jack adds.

Xavier shakes his head. "Who of you actually believe she'll fall for those?" he asks.

When nobody answers, Xavier grabs the bottle of whisky on the side table, pours himself a glass and sits back. We all watch him take a sip. A second sip. A third.

"An option that's completely insane, but perhaps our only choice is to send the actual Amber Marigold," Xavier says.

There's a moment of silence where everyone just looks at Xavier like he's insane. Even I'm mastering the 'send him to the crazy house' expression. 

"Yeah, like that'll work! Jane will see Amber breathing. You're really getting dumber, Xav," Daniel says.

"Dany's right. It's impossible to send Amber while she's alive," Jack says.

"And we're most certainly not sending her dead, ye dipshite," Nessa growls.

Even Paul musters up a disappointing sneer.

"Guys, relax. Hear me out," Xavier starts. "Nessa, you listen especially. We give Marigold a drug that'll send her into a sleep that's a lot like being dead. We arrive with the body, let Jane take a glimpse and then distract Jane with news of the Southern attack while someone 'disposes' of the body. It's going to be hard, but we don't have another choice. It's the only way Marigold will be alive and safe. Jane won't rest until she thinks Marigold is actually dead."

"And what drug will make me look like I'm dead while not actually being dead? Bloody weed or something? Perhaps cocaine?" I ask and throw my hands up.

Everyone goes a little quiet and gives Nessa a look.

"Well," Nessa says. "I guess I do have something that could make it work..."

I'm not sure I get what she's suggesting.

"It'll of course have to be very well planned out," Nessa continues. "Jus' a wee bit of it and she'll get sick. A lot of it, and it might work. Too much, and she'll die."

"Uh... what is it? Does something like that even exist?" I ask. "And how would we get it?"

Nessa stands up and stretches out her hand for me to take. "Ye want to finally find out why I'm the North's second in command?" she asks.

Hesitantly, I take her hand.

I'm going to die, aren't I?

Heyo Goldies!

Ek is so lief vir julle en rerig baie dankbaar dat julle nog hierdie boek lees. Partykeer wens ek rerig ek kan julle almal ontmoet en ons kan net saam fangirl oor die karakters. Regtig waar.

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~ Holly Shmit

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