Divagate

Chapter 19

                                              Lia
                                             •••••
    "You lying son of a bitch!" Darwin bellows, punching Siggy in the jaw. Siggy spits out blood onto the dirt next to him. In a flash, Siggy is up off the ground and pins Darwin against the nearest tree, clutching him by the neck.

    "I had to!" Siggy shouts, kneeing Darwin in the stomach. "I thought you'd understand that because you're my friend!" Darwin's dirt and blood-covered face is starting to turn blue as he struggles to pry Siggy's hands away.

    "Siggy, let him go!" Vince cries.

    "Friends... don't... lie!" Darwin croaks. Just when I think he's going to pass out, Darwin delivers a swift kick to Siggy's side. Siggy doesn't move too much, but the distraction gives Darwin just enough time to put his forearms up and force Siggy's hands away.

   He drops to the ground in a coughing fit. "They don't try to get rid of their friend's friend, either." He says between gulps of air and hacking coughs.

   Upon this, Siggy turns to me, forgetting all about Darwin,

    "You told him?! Oh, you stupid, fucking bitch!" He races towards me while I stumble backwards. Vince and Lincoln leap in front of me, ready to block the attack that Siggy has planned.

   Behind him, Darwin gets to his feet and grabs the large stick that Siggy had dropped during the fight.

   While Lincoln and Vince scream in protest, Darwin swings the log as hard as he can. It collides with Siggy's head with a sickening crack. Charlotte shrieks as Siggy's body plummets to the forest floor in a heap.

   Everyone except Darwin and I surge forward, clamoring loudly. I force down the scream that rises in my throat as I see the amount of blood that's coming out of the wound in Siggy's head.

   "Vince, get the first aid kit!" Charlotte screeches.

   "Oh fuck fuck fuck fuck." Lincoln whispers absentmindedly as he cradles Siggy's bleeding head in his lap. "It's ok, it's ok, it's ok."

   "Did you kill him?" I ask, mortified. My heart pounds in my chest and tears prick the corners of my eyes.

   As much as I didn't like Siggy, I never wanted him to die. I especially didn't want a front row seat to his murder.

   Breathing heavily, Darwin slowly shakes his head, never taking his eyes off of Siggy's unconscious body.

   "He'll be ok." Charlotte fires off, snatching the first aid kit from Vince, who looks like he's going to be sick. It sounds more like she's trying to convince herself rather than the rest of us. She bites her bottom lip as she begins to work, her hand quivering.

   Releasing the now bloody stick, Darwin tears his eyes away from Siggy to stare at me. His starling, bright red eyes pierce mine as he swiftly marches in my direction.

   The others don't notice as Darwin seizes my hand and drags me away from camp and into the woods. I dig my heels into the dirt, trying to slow his fast pace. It's no use.

   "Darwin, please let me go." I plead, doing my best not to succumb to the panic that desperately wants to take over.

   Darwin stops abruptly and finally loosens his grip on my hand enough for me to yank it back. He brings both hands up to his head, grasping handfuls of hair,

   "Shit, what have I done?" Darwin mumbles, sounding just as panicked as I am. "I almost killed him. I almost killed Siggy!" He's more frantic now, his breath uneven as he paces back and forth.