Marionette (A 'The 5th Wave' Fanfiction) [COMPLETED] #wattys2017

28. Paper Planes; Chapter I.

    The members of Squad 22 look like they want to kill me. Apparently the 'scene' I caused cost us points. I can't care less. Can't they see I'm trying to not have a mental break-down and smash every single piece of furniture in the room?

    I don't have to go to training in the afternoon. Thank God. Mononoke says Slingshot left a suicide note. Written on a piece of toilet paper with oil used for guns. Poetic.

    When everyone leaves I unpack and make sure I'm somewhat prepared for the note.

    It goes,

    I know I'm going to die. And it's not fair. I know exactly what's going to happen. So concluding from that, I want Marionette to get my bed and Mononoke my stamp collection.

    I don't want to die. But I don't have a choice. What they're doing to us is wrong. I need you to know this. They're doing something very bad. We're going to meet our end soon. You mustn't

    The note ends like that and there are some ineligible blotches and spots following.

    I frown. Why isn't the note finished? What did he want to say?

    I run my eyes across the letter a few more times. From the first part it's obvious it's a suicide note. He's not very happy about it, not surprisingly, but he sees it as a necessity, an only escape. That's what suicide is about.

    The next part is weirder. He's talking about the Others. Does he know what the Others are planning? Is that why he's warning us? Is it so bad he thought suicide is the only way out of this madness?

    When the recruits get back we go for dinner and I ask Mononoke about it.

    She takes her plate to our table. I'm trying not to look around for Ben but it's pretty hard. The anxiety is killing me. "Yes, I read note," she admits, her slight Japanese accent showing. "Strange. Then again, I don't know what normal anymore."

    I nod, still distracted and not paying profound attention to her words. "Yeah. Why isn't the note finished?"

    Mono shrugs. "How the hell am I supposed know? Slingshot was always mystery to me," she explains. How can she be so emotionless?

    I remeber that's what Ben said about me. Do I really act like that?

    I shake my head furiously as if to get rid of the thoughts that way.

    I clear my throat at Mono's surprised expression. Isn't she used to my overly weird behaviour? "Did the soldiers see it?" I inquire.

    It's her turn to nod. "Yes."

    "Did they figure anything out? Like what he was talking about?"

    "No. They say he Dorothy." She looks at me seriously. "I don't think should take note seriously," she whispers. "He did leave crazy."

    I can't process properly. "Where did he die?"

    "In bathroom."

    "In the Squad 22 bathroom?"

    "Yes. Now shut up and eat."