JINX

How are you supposed to act when the girl you had a crush on when you were eleven, and thought you killed on accident. Was walking around your space? How was Jinx supposed to act. Was she supposed to act like everything was the same since they were kids? no, she couldn't. Because everything was so so different.

Jinx led River to the couch that she slept on, she sat down and pulled River to sit next to her. Powder rested her head on River's shoulder, River resting her head on Powder's head. They sat silently, what were they supposed to talk about?

"I've really missed you" Jinx murmured, River smiled and held Powder's hand, the pad of her thumb rubbing the back of Jinx's hand so soft and gentle. "I've really missed you too" River responded "no. I mean. I've really really missed you. I-I thought that i was the reason you were gone, and... i felt so alone" Jinx sniffled.

River frowned at her words, she put her arm around Powder's shoulder and pulled her closer. "I'm here now... what happened was not, your fault. And i won't ever leave you again. No matter what happens." River comforted, Jinx looked up at her.

A tear rolled down her cheek, River saw and wiped it away, she leant forward and kissed the crown of Powder's head. "Don't be sad. everything's ok now." River murmured softly. Jinx exhaled loudly and looked up at River "would still not leave me if I... killed your parents" Jinx asked mischievously, River quirked a brow "my parents are already dead?" She chuckled softly.

"But if they were alive, and then i did it?" "I would probably thank you" River nodded her head "hm. what ifff.... I tickled you?" Jinx giggled, River stared at her for a moment "i'd cut your hair" River told Powder, dead serious. Powders face instantly dropped and she clutched her long braids. "You wouldn't" Jinx exclaimed "wanna find out?" River narrowed her eyes.

The two stared at each other "not really..." she muttered, River smiled and looked at Jinx's lips when she spoke. River looked back up at her eyes. She sighed and frowned "I need to get home" River muttered. Jinx raised her eyebrows in confusion "why?" Jinx whispered, "Emmy probably thinks i'm dead and I have some stuff I need to do" River told her in disappointment.

Jinx looked at her sadly, "can I see you tomorrow" "do you even have to ask" Powder answered, River laughed softly, she brought Powder into a hug. She held onto her firmly. Jinx hid her face in Rivers chest. She so badly wanted to beg River to stay, she never wanted to let go of her.

Rivers hand gently rubbed Powder's back up and down. Neither of them wanted to let go of each other. They finally separated. River stood up and took Powders hand, she interlocked their fingers and looked down at Jinx.

"I'll see you tomorrow, promise" River squeezed her hand. Powder looked up at her "ok" she whispered. River knelt down and kissed the crown of her head. She reluctantly let go of her hand, she walked away, choosing not to look back knowing if she did she would never be able to leave. It wasn't goodbye. River told herself repeatedly as she walked home.

"Emmy?" River called out when she entered the small apartment, River was caught by surprise when Emmy launched into her arms. River's eyes widened, One arm hung while the other patted Emmy's back. River pried emmy off of her and awkwardly patted the top of Emmy's head "you ok?" River questioned.

"Am I ok? are you ok? you ran after that.. girl! and didn't come back for so long. I thought you were dead!" Emmy rushed out her words, River stared at Emmy silently. She chewed on her lip "you knew she was alive"

A lump raised up in Emmy's throat, she looked down at her feet then looked back up at River "what do you mean?" her voice wavered, River scoffed "how could you not tell me" River asked, she'd felt betrayed. "you knew Powder was alive. And you kept it from me!" Anger was evident in River's voice as she stepped forward, staring down at Emmy.

"I-I I was trying to protect you" Emmett stuttered "you were trying to protect me" River repeated "from what! there was no reason to lie about my best friend being alive. You told me to my face, that Powder was dead." River yelled.

Emmy stepped back, "i'm sorry River, I. Powder has changed. She's not the same as she was. She shot my mom, she tried to kill me! why don't you understand that she's not a good person anymore!" Emmy stepped forward towards her. "People change Emmett! I've changed, do you hate me for what i've done" River yelled in anger. Her fist clenching so hard there was sore dints in her palm.

"Are you seriously trying to justify her actions. She's a murderer!" Emmy yelled back "So am I" River shouted "you had no right, to keep that from me. You witnessed my depression from thinking she was dead, the drinking! but you didn't care! Your fucking selfish" Each word was laced with venom, every time she spoke it was as if she would slicing Emmy with a knife.

Because River was right, Emmy was selfish. She knew that Powder was alive, she watched River get worse as each day passed by, every day Emmy was worried River was going to do something so big she'd end up dead. And Emmy still kept it a secret.

Emmy watched with distant eyes, as River stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She didn't move, not even a twitch or blink. Not until Caspian walked through the door "Em?" he was cut of by Emmy walking to him crying, her legs failed on her and she almost fell, but he caught her.

Caspian held her tight and rubbed her back soothingly, "What happened, did someone hurt you? are you ok?" Caspian grew quickly protective on instinct. Emmy looked up at him with tears gushing out her eyes, she tried to speak but no words came out as she started sobbing even harder.

Caspian just let her cry, he kept on holding her and rubbing her back and arms soothingly, whispering comforting words into her ears whilst she cried in his arms.

Emmy had finally stopped crying, well. Stop blubbering enough for her to be able to form words. Emmy was always extremely sensitive, she was a gentle soul. Not the type of girl who belonged in the undercity. "What happened?" Caspian asked Emmy gently. Emmy sniffled "me and River got into a fight..." she told him, Caspian nodding his head.

"She uh... she knows about Powder. She knows we lied about her being alive. Or at least me..." she trailed off. "She was right though. She had every right to be mad at me, why didn't we tell her? she was, i thought. I thought that we could've lost her and... I didn't tell her. And now... i'm scared she's going to hate me" Emmy started crying again.

Caspian wasn't sure what to say, so he just stayed. Holding her body close and wiping her tears. Because in all honesty, Caspian was scared. He was scared that they were going to lose River.

River was following her next victim, it was Phoenix. The man Silco had hired her to kill. He was walking through the lanes, smirking and pushing little kids over like it made him Powerful or something. River watched as he disappeared into the shadows, he pulled out a tube from his pocket.

River squinted her eyes to see better, inside the tube was a glowing blue liquid. All she could hear was distant whispering. River snuck down near where they were, she disappeared into the darkness and hid behind the wall right near them.

"this is the best you could find. Better then shimmer" Phoenix's voice was rough and deep. The type of voice that sounded like it would be painful with each word. "And the side affects" River heard a women's voice, her voice was soft and timid, she lifted a hand to take the tube, she hesitated to take the tube and her hand was shaking.

Before she could grab it Phoenix snatched it away, out of reach. "Uh uh uh..." he tutted and held his hand out, the woman sighed and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a brown bag of gold coins.  

"Pleasure doing business with you" he smirked and walked away with the money. River watched the woman sigh and hold the tube close to her chest, a single tear running down her cheek. River decided to follow the woman home.

She opened the door to her small, rundown home. She had hid the bike in her pocket. "Mama!" a little boy ran up to her in excitement. She smiled down at him, she meant down and picked him up. She rested her head on her son's head, holding him tight as her body rocked side to side.

"Hi my love" she pinched his cheeks, a lump grew in her throat. She stared at the mother and son. They looked at each other with such love and admiration, the way she held her son with such protectiveness. As if she was shielding him from the harsh reality of the undercity.

"How bout you go off to bed, hm?" she put him down and nudged him away. He ran into one of the rooms. River watched her sit down, she pulled the e tube out again and stared at it, her leg was jumping up and down. She un screwed the tube and downed it. The second it entered her system thick blue lines started spreading over every inch of her skin.

Her eyes turned into a glowing pale blue, she started gasping in pain and started choking. The same blue liquid exited her mouth before it turned red. Her body started shaking rapidly until she fell still. Her eyes stuck open and her mouth covered in glowing red liquid. Her son walked out the room "mama! can you tuck me in!"

He walked into the living room, "mama?" he whispered, he slowly walked up to her on the couch, "mama?" he whispered again while nudging her shoulder, she didn't move. Her eyes were far away, cold, lifeless.

He started to sniffle "mama! wake up! please" he's started to cry, "wake up mama!" he shouted, he pushed her shoulder multiple times "mama wake up! wake up! wake up! wake up" he screamed multiple times. He fell onto her lap and hugged her waist, crying over her dead body.

River stared down at them, she couldn't move, not even her finger. Her hand cupped her mouth as she sobbed at the sight.

She'd killed so many people, she'd watch them beg and cry and tell her about themselves so she would spare there life's. But not once did she ever feel and ounce of sadness or empathy for them. Not until this . Not until she watched a mother kill herself and watch a little boy sobbing over his mother's body. Especially since she could've stopped it. Why didn't she stop it?

River finally came to her senses, she'd jumped down from her perch and ran over to the open front door. The little boy saw her, but he didn't care. He just kept on crying.

Exactly how she did when Vander found her, River had tear struck cheeks at the sight and carefully picked the kid up. She perched him up on her hip and held his head gently where it rested on her shoulder. She could feel his tiny fists clutching the back of her shirt and his tears soaking through.
"Mama!" he screamed as his hand reached out, River tried to not listen, she just kept on walking.

She kept walking to the only place she thought would keep him safe.

authors note
where do you think River took him?

Also if anyone who reads this book, is good at digital art, would you be interested in doing some drawings of River and Jinx or River and Sevika. I would be internally grateful and very very happy to see some cute art of them ❤️

not proof read!