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Alex's Speech: #D63B71 --- Ajax's Speech: #085804

When Duke closed his hand around hers and gave it a squeeze, it felt like he had managed within that split second to pull her out from her spiraling depressing thoughts. She didn't feel like herself anymore, so maybe at the end of this term, she could spend time getting to know herself again and to find herself.

The Alex that everyone had met during her first day at Camp Athens was still there, just buried beneath the layers of rubble that had fallen onto her, crushing the very warmth and life out of her. Some days she felt as though she was suffocating on the pain that crept beneath her chest, but she never allowed it to control her completely. She had already tasted the darkness, and being trapped in it would surely destroy the person her parents had brought her up to be. Alex needed to remain true to herself in order to keep her mother's memory alive, and her grandmother's. She turned to Duke, "This shouldn't happen" she told him. Most of them were still just kids/teens. They should have been able to go on until a good old age instead of, well... this.

With the warm glow from the burning pyres, Alex could feel her body slowly shutting down on her from exhaustion - mentally and physically. "You should go hug your brother. He's had a long day," Duke told her, his voice soft. She nodded. He was right. Her brother had to try his best to comfort his grieving girlfriend, stay strong for sister, but also to remain strong and level headed for the rest of the camp since they all constantly looked up to him for guidance.

With one gently touch to Duke's arm, she began to walk past him, heading in her brother's direction. He was talking to one of the others who had thanked him for giving them a respectful funeral. "Please, don't thank me. I just did what anyone else would have done, okay?" He held his hand on the top of their arm, giving them a smile. "get some rest.." they smiled and headed off with the others, making their way towards their cabins. Ajax sighed as he watched them leave. If only he could do more for them, like.. have the power to bring back those they have lost, but not even a God had the power of resurrection.

Without a word, for now, Alex wrapped her arms around her brother. They held each other in a sibling embrace as Ajax clung onto her for dear life since he was now more scared than ever to lose her. It had almost been her on one of those pyres tonight. He felt like his thoughts were being selfish since he was glad it hadn't happened to her. "Everything is going to be okay..." she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. He closed his eyes with his hand on her back to hold her in place as the world around him faded into the background.

Hopefully, next year was going to be better...