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CHAPTER NINE ( independent and dependent variables )
"IS EVERYONE OKAY?" Aurora eventually piped up, voice hoarse and back aching from being crammed uncomfortably into the little corner of the hen house. No one had said anything in the wake of their horror. "Kie, you okay?"
The girl only nodded, unable to speak without crying as she placed her chin in her hand and looked away; on the brink of losing it. John B was the first to move, jetting angrily out of the chicken coop with an infuriated grunt and storming back into his house; checking to see if they had spared any of his dad's things at all.
"I-I don't know what to do with the uh... w-with the rooster." JJ voiced quietly, his eyes still glued to it.
Aurora swallowed hard and bit her tongue, taking a deep breath as she forced herself onto all fours again and shuffled over to him; gingerly taking the little animal from his shaking hands. "I got it."
She crawled out of the small enclosure, her knees popping as she rose weakly to her feet, glancing around before deciding to head to the back shed and retrieve a shovel. She held the carcass out and away from her, disgust and discomfort washing over her features. Laying the rooster on its side, she plunged the shovel into the earth in the outskirts of the woods; hitting it hard with her foot a few times before scooping out some of the dirt. The bird was teensy and didn't need a big spot, so it didn't take her long to finish burying it and trudge back over to her friends, who were now all standing in the yard.
"Hey, you good?" she windedly quizzed John B, who nodded with a clenched jaw; rubbing her dirt-stained palms together. It was almost pathetically easy to see through the boy; he was devastated about all of his father's things being stolen. "Everyone is sure they're okay?" she double checked, a bit tired of being the only one to have spoken in a good while now as everyone answered her with weary nods.
She silently advanced to the puffy-eyed, sniffling Kiara; wrapping her arms around the girl and leaning her head against her shoulder. Kiara hugged loosely onto her in return, still staring blankly ahead.
"Redfield." John B abruptly declared, his mien no longer matching the somber mood; a spark rekindling in his hazel irises. "It was on my dad's compass." he explained speedily, beginning to stride towards the van; his change in demeanor letting them know they would not be discussing what had just happened.
"Where are you going?" Kiara groaned in exasperation, her whole body still trembling.
"Come on, guys." he simply called, not answering the girl's valid question. They sighed, exchanging fatigued glances as they continued to play along with his wild goose chase; heading for the Twinkie.
