...I glanced over at Archer.
Her
eyes were red and swollen, and her hair was fluffed everywhere, like a chicken
had been rooting around in it.
“You don’t look so hot,” I commented, going closer. My legs ached but I tried to ignore it.
Archer
looked up and glared daggers.
I
raised my hands. “Just sayin’.” I
knelt down by her. “Look...”
Well,
this was going to take more moral fortitude than I had expected.
“Look. I’m sorry. I’ll try not to antagonize you anymore, despite the fact that’s my
best method of stress relief so far.” I paused. “We need you in the game, Archer. You’re a manipulator just as much as I am. You need to help us.”
She
looked at me steadily. Her eyes
looked way colder than they should have.
“I
want to go home,” she said.
Then
she turned sideways and rested her head against the wall.
I
scowled. “That’s a nice way to try
to get there.”
She
didn’t react.
“Fine,
be a baby.”
Something
clicked outside the cell. Archer
jerked upright, her eyes going wide and white. “What’s that?” she hissed under her breath.
The
three of us were still for a few seconds.
I relaxed and shook my head.
“Just something...”
“What
if they come back and want me?” Archer whispered, clutching at her hair. “I can’t do that – I can’t take
that! I don’t know what to do. I can’t be tortured. I – there’s just no way—“
“Archer!”
I grabbed her shoulders, and she jerked her head up, focusing her wide eyes on
me. “Chill. out. You have to keep it together. No
going crazy – all right?”
She
didn’t respond at first. The intensity of the fear
in her eyes was... scary.
“Archer.”
I gave her a little shake. “Keep.
It. Together.”
She
gave a little nod and gulped again.
*
Dunno, just really liked that part. Which probably means it's hideous. Oh well. There it is.
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