Those Woods

Punishment

This chapter is dedicated to @Ifiehi. Thank you very much for voting my chapters and being so supportive.

                                                                     "You should get your punishment."

"What is going to happen to Shawn?" Rose asked Ethan as they walked to their tents. Fear was held in her eyes. 

"I don't know," Ethan shrugged. " I just hope that they make the punishment easier."

Rose stared at him before speaking, "But, won't they consider anything? He was angry, probably didn't think straight."

Ethan spoke quietly , "Rose, go to sleep, Don't worry, Rick will manage everything." Rose nodded, she believed in him, but the worries didn't leave her mind.

"Good night, Rose, if you need anything just call me, okay?" Ethan said.

Rose nodded and they went to their tents.

She couldn't help but worry about Shawn, what is going to happen to him? 

Soon she drifted to deep sleep. It has been a tough day. 

"Rose." Her eyes opened to see Ethan shaking her. She felt sad as every morning Shawn was there waking her up from sleep.

"Wake up," Ethan said," Shawn's here." Her brain couldn't process anything else after he told her about Shawn.

She ran out of the tent, everyone was there talking about what to do with him. Her eyes searched for the person about whom she was so worried about last night.

As soon as her eyes found him, she ran to him, hugging him tightly, he hugged back. She started to cry, the worry and anticipation from last night now made their way through her brown eyes.

"Where were you last night? What were you thinking? What if something happened to you? What would I do then?" She rambled sobbing.

Shawn patted her back," But now I'm here, Rose. Nothing happened. I needed some time to refresh my mind, I was near here. And to answer your last question, you would be busy with arrangements of my funeral if anything happened to me." Shawn tried to joke at the last part.

She hit his hand, again and again, "You idiot."

Shawn laughed, "Woah, there, aggressive girl, I was just telling the truth, that's what best friends do, right? I want my funeral to be the best."

Another Slap, "Idiot," she sobbed.

Suddenly, a cough caused them to look at the rest of the group," Sorry to interrupt, but I think we all should discuss your punishment today," Lou said.

"What is going to happen?" Rose asked still sobbing. Shawn patted her head and said, "Don't worry, everything is going to be okay."

Ethan came and took Rose to the side.

 Then they started discussing. Some of them including Gally wanted Shawn to have a hard punishment. While some others wanted the opposite. Some of them suggested new ideas. Rick listened to everything and closed his eyes for a while to decide the right thing. Clearly, he didn't Shawn, the boy he has known since he could barely speak, to get punished but it was the rule. Although he knew the reason for Shawn's outburst, he didn't want to cause any disagreement among the members.

"I am saying now what seems right to me, if any of you is not satisfied with my decision, raise your hand. so," Rick began," As in our rules, no one would create or show any violence towards the other member otherwise he would have to stay in the X cell. So, Shawn has to stay there for the days without food until we move. And as he hit an ailing person, I would suggest him to take care of him as many of you said, but we move in two days and for Shawn taking care of Beckham they have to share a tent, I don't think Beck should be staying on X cell considering his situation."

"I would rather stay in the x-cell without food or even water than to take care of this idiot," Shawn snapped cutting off Rick.

"I don't understand you still are speaking with that little ego, hey, do I have to remind you that you committed a crime today?" Bob retorted. The others laughed.

"What? I know I broke rules but why your messed up mind don't get the idea why I did that?" Shawn spoke slowly this time trying to calm himself.

"And what might that be? huh? what is your reason yo hit an ailing person?" Gally scoffed.

"I was....just..." Shawn took a deep breath," trying to protect Rose."

"Protect Rose?" Gally snorted. 

"Yes," Shawn said rolling his eyes.

"She's grown up, she can take care of herself, Shawn," Percy said, "You didn't have to hit him for that, you could just talk to him," Tyler said this time.

"Right, If you couldn't calm down you could just call us or something," Cooper sighed," We really don't want you get punished."

"Why not? You guys are really unfair when it comes to punishment," Berny barged in," When any of us," he pointed at his group including Gally,  Beckham, Hamilton, Bob, Shaw, and himself, "make any mistakes then you don't have anything to say, then why showing mercy to Shawn or his friends?" 

Shaw nodded in agreement, " Just because we don't think Rick's leadership is enough to run this place when Gally is much experienced."

"I have told you earlier and now I'm telling you again Rick is always more than enough for the leadership here," Alex said sternly, "or else you wouldn't stand here today peacefully."

"Right, or else we wouldn't stand here but not peacefully as you are seeing," Berny said, irritation dripped in his voice.

"See, officer, your wrong decision leads us to here," Gally said to Rick. 

"I'm not going to listen to all of the insults to any other else here, I've made mistakes, do whatever you want with me but don't you dare to blame Rick or Rose or anyone else here, I'll not tolerate that," Shawn said sternly.

"Okay, enough," Rick raised his hand, " I know I also made some mistakes so you can give me punishments also I don't have anything to say-"

"No, Rick, you don't have to do this because of their jealousy" Shawn stopped Rick once again.

"Shawn, enough, don't say anything unless you are spoken to," Rick this time said coldly.

Shawn gritted his teeth and instead looked at the sky to calm himself, he was always told that the blue sky helps to calm the mind, its wideness always teaches to broaden our mind.

"Okay, as we have only two days to move, these two days Shawn will take care of Beckham," Rick spoke to the crowd.

"No," Berny protested, " Shawn will make more mess, he will harm more, and I'm not going to lose another member just for internal violence."

"But they need to get along, Berny, I appreciate your concern," Rick tried, " No, Rick, Berny is right," David spoke, " I have an idea. We all are going on vacation after returning to the official camp, but we can send Shawn to the other camping as they are in need of an extra member. He would go home after the camp." Kristoff suggested.

"But he has never done such a thing, why he would get the longer punishment? He also has a family." Landon said.

"He would go home after staying there for a week or two, probably that's the least I can do, lessening the punishment as we need Shawn now for the moving day, his punishment is going to take place in another camp with others. And for today, he will stay in the x cell." Rick said hoping this would get approval from everyone. he didn't want Shawn to get punished. Who wanted his best friend to get punished?