The word hung in the air.
"I don't remember."
Ryan didn't look away.
But he didn't hold it either.
It was as if he was stuck between two versions of his own memory — and neither of them was safe enough to claim.
Lucas took a step forward.
— That doesn't exist — he said, his voice lower now, but much more dangerous. — Either you did… or you didn't.
Ryan ran a hand over his face, irritated.
— You think it's that simple?
— I know it is — Lucas replied. — You went back there. You saw what happened after.
Silence.
Emily didn't move.
Neither did Noah.
But the atmosphere had already changed.
Now it wasn't just about what they did that night.
It was about what happened after.
— I went back because I had to — Ryan said, finally.
— Had to what? — Lucas asked.
Ryan took too long.
And that was enough to confirm the answer wouldn't be good.
— I needed to know if he was dead — he replied.
— You already said that.
— Then stop asking the same thing.
— I'll keep asking until you actually answer.
The look between them tightened.
Heavy.
Old.
— You want the truth? — Ryan said, finally.
— I do.
— Then deal with it.
Silence.
— I went back there… — he began — …because I didn't trust any of you.
That hit.
Hard.
— Not even me? — Emily asked, almost voiceless.
Ryan didn't even look at her.
— Especially you.
She stepped back like she'd been hit.
Lucas didn't take his eyes off him.
— Keep going.
Ryan took a deep breath.
— When I got there… he wasn't where we left him anymore.
Lucas' heart started racing.
— So he had already left.
— Or someone moved him — Ryan replied.
Silence.
— And the blood? — Noah asked.
— It was there.
— A lot?
Ryan nodded.
— A lot.
The air grew heavy.
— So he was injured — Emily said.
— He was.
Lucas clenched his fists.
— And what did you do?
Ryan hesitated.
And that was the worst part.
— Ryan.
— I followed the trail.
Silence.
— What trail? — Lucas asked.
— Blood.
That froze everything.
— You're saying you went after him?
— Yes.
— Alone?
— Yes.
— Why?
Ryan looked straight at Lucas.
— Because someone had to finish it.
The world seemed to tilt.
— Finish it?
— He was going to destroy us — Ryan said, firm now. — You saw the video. You saw what he had.
— So you went after him for what? — Lucas asked, already knowing he didn't want the answer.
Ryan didn't answer.
The other one did.
— To make sure he wouldn't come back.
Silence grew heavy.
Almost unbearable.
Lucas slowly turned his head.
— Is that true?
Ryan didn't say yes.
But he didn't say no either.
— I don't remember — he repeated.
Lucas stepped forward.
— Stop using that as an excuse.
— It's not an excuse!
— Then prove it!
Ryan took a deep breath, irritated now.
— You think I want to remember this?!
— I think you do remember — Lucas said. — And you just don't want to say it.
Silence.
And then—
— I found him.
The words came out.
Low.
But enough to break everything.
Emily brought a hand to her mouth.
— No…
Noah froze.
Lucas felt his whole body lock up.
— Where?
Ryan closed his eyes for a second.
— Deeper into the woods.
— He was alive?
Ryan opened his eyes.
And this time…
He didn't look away.
— He was.
The world shrank.
— And you…
Lucas couldn't finish.
Ryan answered anyway.
— He was trying to get up.
Silence.
— He saw me.
More silence.
— And then? — Lucas asked.
Ryan swallowed hard.
— He said my name.
That hit deeper than anything else.
— And what did you do?
Ryan didn't answer.
The other one did.
— He hesitated.
Silence.
— For a few seconds… — he continued — …he didn't know what to do.
Lucas couldn't breathe properly.
— And then?
Ryan squeezed his eyes shut.
As if forcing the memory.
— Then… — he began — …I—
He stopped.
Froze.
His hand trembled slightly.
— I don't remember.
This time…
It didn't sound like a lie.
It sounded like fear.
Real.
— You did something — Lucas said.
— I don't know what!
— But you did!
— I DON'T KNOW!
The shout echoed through the room.
Heavy.
Raw.
And then—
Silence.
Heavier than before.
Because now…
No one knew who was guilty of what anymore.
The other stepped forward.
— You do know.
Ryan looked at him.
— I don't.
— You do.
Another step.
— Your body knows.
That chilled the room.
— Stop it — Emily said, nervous.
— He remembers — he continued. — He just doesn't want to accept it.
Lucas felt a strange weight in his chest.
Because deep down…
It made sense.
— If you saw him alive… — Lucas said slowly — …then what happened after?
Silence.
Ryan didn't answer.
The other smiled.
— That's the best part.
Everyone looked.
— Because it wasn't you.
The air turned heavy.
— What? — Noah asked.
— You weren't the one who decided what happened to him.
Lucas frowned.
— Then who was?
He tilted his head.
Watching each of them.
And then—
— Someone here.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
— That doesn't make sense — Emily said.
— It does.
— We were together!
— Were you? — he asked.
Silence.
Lucas felt something wrong.
Very wrong.
— Not everyone stayed until the end — he said.
Lucas' heart started racing.
— What are you talking about?
He smiled.
Slowly.
— I'm talking about…
A pause.
Long.
Cruel.
— Who came back.
The world stopped.
And for the first time…
The problem wasn't him anymore.
It was them.
🖤 Poem — Lucas
we thought it was over
when we walked away
but some endings follow
no matter the way
and the truth we escaped…
came back to stay