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The darkness was consuming. Trey felt hopeless. The second time I'm brave and I become an idiot and forget things. Trey felt horrible. He left the knapsacks in the woods. He left the Population Police uniform in the air ducts. He let Mark down.
"I'm sorry." Trey whispered, "I let you down. You're going to…" He trailed off unable to say you're going to get killed because of me.
Mark was quiet. Was he asleep? "Don't be. Is not ya fault. We both forgot. I'm jus sorry to 'ave dragged ya with me." Treys heart squeezed. But it is my fault. I let you go. I didn't stop you from trying to climb that fence.
"I thought you were wimpy when we met." Mark paused. "Yer braver than me. I - I like that."
Trey felt weird. He felt safe around Mark, and to hear him sound so defeated hurt him. Trey didn't like touching people, never has, but he wanted to hug Mark and say things will be alright. That they will survive and find a way to get Lee back and free third children.
"I'm not that brave. I'm just scared of being alone." Trey had his back to the cage, he could feel the shaky breathes Mark took, was he crying? "Mark?" Trey whispered.
The shaking stopped, "Yeah?"
"I - I don't want you to die." Trey's breath hitched as a choked sob forced its way out.
"Hey, I'm not gonna." Trey felt fingers on his back through the bars. He turned around, but couldn't see anything. "Everything will be fine." But Trey knew the boy didn't believe it. Trey lifted his hand to the bars and felt Mark's fingers intertwine with his.
Another small sob forced its way out of Trey as he rested his forehead on the bars. The cold metal a reminder of his failure to save Mark, a boy his heart beat faster for.
A forehead pressed against his own. Marks'. Trey felt safe in that quiet moment.
Safe from his loneliness. Safe from abandonment. Safe from the Population Police.
He was going to get Mark out of here. He had to. Had to feel this warmth without the separation of bars.