It's hard to ignore the sound of Scott shouting at my best friend. 

It's even harder to ignore the fact it's my fault. 

'Skizz, we need answers, and Impulse is the only one who can give them to us!'

'I didn't do it on purpose!' I hear Impulse protest for the 5th or 6th time. Tango's sitting next to me, on one of the boxes Cub or Scar left up here in their secret den. His eyes are closed, arms resting on his shoulders and leaning forwards, thinking, regretting what we did.

'How- could you?'

The genuine sense of betrayal in his voice. Hopelessness. And that self-hate and fear I thought I'd never have to hear again. He speaks over and over again, collapsing too peacefully, too... easily. 

'Tango? Did we do the... right thing?' 

'What? Drugging Impulse and carrying his unconscious body into a stupid hidden room? Of course not. But... Scott wanted us to. He said it was useful, and for a greater good...'

'I don't care about the greater good!'

'I know... But they don't mean harm...?'  

'Oh, really.' I snap back, before going silent, listening in again. 

'You tried to kill Martyn, didn't you?'

'Not actually.'

'No, you tried to kill him.'

'We were going to pretend he was dead!'

'Who? You and the Principal?' Jimmy's voice, colder than I've ever heard it. For once I think I might be slightly scared of him. 

'No! Me and Martyn! And... he tripped. Well... he got too close to the edge and I thought Skizz was going to catch him with the water, or he'd do something clever.'

'Like Grian.'

'Not like Grian! Please, Scott... Jimmy... I didn't want this to happen.' 

'You've killed everyone.' Jimmy snarls. 'And for what? What's the Principal giving you in return? Immunity? Protection? Or are you just so selfish and horrible you're choosing to do it?'

'N...no! I never wanted to be part of this!'

'That's enough.' I get up, buy Tango pulls me back down. 'I'm not letting them do this any more.' 

'Skizz, please.' I can tell he's not convinced. 

'Why? Impulse is my best friend, Tango.' 

'Why did you do it?!' Scott snaps

'Because they hurt me! I wasn't given a choice! They... they would've killed me!'

'Oh, that's so much worse! Stop lying to yourself, Impulse. You wanted them gone. You're a murderer.'

'Please...' 

Even from here, I can hear his sobs. Tango puts an arm around my shoulder as I just sit there, forced to listen. 

'Alright. You've told us some stuff at least. You sure you're not hiding anything?' 

'I... I think the guards are ghosts. Or... something like that. They just appear sometimes from nowhere.' 

'Ghosts? Of course.' Scott's sarcasm makes me clench my hands, and a moment later, Impulse is freed, standing up. 

'The exit's down there. Don't tell anyone.' 

'And if you do... you've got the Sheriff to deal with.' Jimmy warms as Impulse appear in view.

'Impy, I'm so sorry.' I'm on my feet and hug him

He pushes me away. 

'I trusted you.' 

'Impulse?' 

'I... I thought maybe you cared about me.' He laughs. 'I thought I mattered.'

'You do. You're my best friend, Impy.' 

'WELL CLEARLY I'M NOT!' 

'We didn't want to, Scott encouraged us that it would help. We're trying to get our friends out and...'

'You're just like everyone else, aren't you? You... you don't really care.' Something cold and full of deep, paranoid hatred fills Impulse's face and voice. 'You actually don't care.'

'Impulse, it's not like that. We didn't want this to happen!'

'F*** off.' 

'Impulse, please.'

'I SAID F*** OFF!' 

He stays staring at me for a moment longer, tears down his cheeks and hopelessness in his eyes, sobs, and jumps down the hole into Cub and Jevin's room. The door slams behind him.

I stand where I am for a moment. 

'This wasn't... your fault.' Tango speaks. I turn to him. 

'What have I done...?' I'm shaking. 'What... have I done?'

'Skizz...'

Scott appears. It takes all of my strength to stay calm as he climbs back into the room, followed by Jimmy. 

'Come on, you're probably hungry.' He calls, like nothing happened. 'I can make some food for us.' 

I slip down after them, Tango appearing just behind me as I step into the kitchen. 

It takes only a second for Scott to be pinned. 

Hands around his neck, against the door to the bathroom, fury taking over. 

'How COULD YOU?!'

'SKIZZ STOP!'

I don't stop. I can't stop. 

I want to kill Scott. 

My nails dig into skin, and a purple fog envelops my vision. Black almost-scales grows down my arms to my hands, sharp obsidian claws piercing flesh. Spots of blood and Scott gasps for breath, kicking and scratching back at me. 

'SKIZZ STOP!' 

Tango tries to drag me back. I turn, one hand slashing. He falls backwards, to the ground, red, dark pink from the fog, spraying. It covers my hands, and I grin at the sight, returning to Scott. 

One hand still holds him back, blood oozes down his neck, staining his t-shirt and jacket. His hands grip around mine, there's desperation and terror in his eyes as he tries to prise my hand away. 

'SKIZZ, PLEASE!' Tango yells again. I ignore him. 

'Impulse is my BEST FRIEND. And now he no longer trusts me, and probably doesn't trust ANYONE!'

Scott's properly choking now, struggles growing weaker. He can't talk, can't breathe, can't argue.  In a few seconds he'll be unconscious. Not long after that, he'll be dead. 

Good. 

Scalding acid hits my face and I stagger back, screaming. Jimmy's standing there, an empty glass in his hands, and I realise it must've been water. 

'GET AWAY FROM MY BOYFRIEND!' He snarls. 'Or I do that again.'

'Go on. I'll kill you too.' I grin, stepping towards Jimmy, flexing my claws. I barely hear Tango standing up behind me over the blood rushing in my ears.

'Sure.' he approaches, closer. Scott's unconscious. 'Go on then. I'll teach you not to mess with the sheriff.'

I run at him, and shove him against the table. A crack, he reaches for a knife left of there as I claw across his face. A yell, he kicks me.

Someone pulls me back. I turn, and Tango darts back. He's removed his sunglasses, and I think his eyes are glowing slightly.

'Back down, Skizz.'

'Do you agree with them?! Seriously?!'

Tango glares at the table, and a small explosion erupts next to me. Jimmy squeals, and I jump. 

'I don't want to hurt you, but if it comes down to stopping you from murder...'

'They deserve it.'

'They don't!' 

I step towards him, missing the nod or signal that must've happened before there's the sudden pain of something hard hitting my head, and I fall unconscious.