Chapter Eleven-A Family Divided

"Glare, you have to stop blaming yourself," Icy said as she looked at him. He was sitting on Shorty's cot with his head in his hands. They had just watched Shorty being transported to the hospital and Glare was a wreck ever since she had left. They had finished digging and went straight to Icy's tent.

"But I should've made her stay in the tent. I knew there was something wrong with her," he responded without looking at his twin.

"She's related to me, remember?. You should've known Shorty wouldn't listen to you if she had the choice," Icy said in a joking tone.

"It's not funny."

"I'm not laughing."

Glare sighed as he continued to hold his face in his hands. Icy crossed her arms as she leaned against the side of the tent, a bored look on her face. Silence stretched between the two as time slowly crawled by. The sounds of laugher came form the Wreck Room as they heard the faint creak of the door opening and then closing.

"I'm going to say this again, to make sure you heard me," Icy said after a while. "You have to stop blaming yourself. It isn't your fault that she's like this."

"Yeah," Glare muttered as he removed his head from her hands and brushed his black hair away from his green eyes. "It's yours."

"My fault!?" Icy cried out. "How's this my fault?"

"You're the one who got us sent here!"

"Get over it, Matthew!"

"I can't, Mackenzie! If you hadn't joined that stupid gang in the first place – "

"It was a mistake!"

"I'm betting your life is full of those." Glare said with a sneer and an eye roll.

"You think I like my life the way it is?" Icy hissed as her face contorted to a look of anger. "You think I like being blamed for everything just because I got us sent here? You think I like being a human punching bag to our dad? You think I like being put down just because, compared to you and Shorty, I'm Satan? You think I like being singled out as a human threat?" She paused, expecting Glare to answer, but he just looked down at his hands. Taking the silence as an answer, Icy continued. "God dammit, Glare! You think ever since mom died that everything that happens to us is my fault! I wouldn't be surprised if you blamed me for mom's death – "

"You blamed yourself!" Glare yelled as he looked up at her.

"Didn't mean you had to agree with me!" Icy shot back. "News flash, bro, dad started hitting me after Shorty was born!"

"No, dad starting hitting you once he realized how much you look like mom!"

"And you're blaming me for that!? How low can you get?"

"Not much, compared to you," he responded as he stood and towered over her, Over the days, weeks, months, however long they were there, Glare had grown and now was taller than his twin by a good couple of inches. Although he was taller and he glared down at her, it didn't faze her and she gave back a glare that matched the intensity of his. A soft knock on the wood of the tent grabbed their attention.

"Am I interrupting something?" SpitFire asked as she looked back and forth between the twins.

"No, Mackenzie was just leaving," Glare responded as he gave Icy a hard look.

"Sure, kick me out of my own tent as you try to flirt," Icy said with a smirk and an eye roll. "SpitFire, come and get me once you're done laughing. It may take a while though." She patted SpitFire on the shoulder and left the tent. Glare let out a big sigh before dropping down onto Shorty's cot.

"Did I catch you in the middle of an argument?" SpitFire asked.

"No…you caught us in the middle of a celebration!" Glare replied sarcastically without turning towards her.

"Don't get mad at me!"

"I'm not mad at you," he said as he pointed at the space next to him. SpitFire didn't say anything and silently sat next to him. "I'm mad at myself actually."

"For what?" She asked as she placed her hand onto of his. He smiled and turned his hand over, intertwining their fingers.

"Letting Shorty dig in the hot sun, I guess. I mean, I knew she seemed sick and all, but…"

"She'll be fine, Glare," SpitFire said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"How do you know?" He asked as she rested his head on top of hers

"I just do."

"Awwwwww," Smirk said as he walked into the tent. "It's about time you two got together." He shook his head and pointed an accusing finger at SpitFire. "You know how annoying she was? She kept asking me 'Why doesn't Glare like me?' and 'Why can't he see the way I fell about him?' and blah blah blah!"

"Shut up, Smirk!" SpitFire shouted without moving. He walked around the cot and stood in front of her with his hands on his hips as he slowly shook his head and made a clicking sound with his tongue.

"Too afraid to finally admit your feelings to a guy when your brother is standing here. And I thought you were tough."

"Shut up!" SpitFire hissed, ignoring the smile that was on Glare's face as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Now that I won't bother you anymore, you can try and go for Icy like you wanted to."

"Unfortunately, he can't do that," Glare told her.

"Why not?" Smirk and SpitFire asked in unison.

"Because she's seeing that Squid guy from my tent," Glare responded. "I wish she wouldn't though. I don't trust him."

"You don't even know him that well," SpitFire pointed out.

"That's exactly why I don't trust him. I don't know how she does, or how Shorty does for that matter."

"I don't want to…hurt your sister in anyway, but if you feel that way, just tell her to stop seeing him," Smirk told him.

"There's another thing, she's been avoiding him so I can't say they're technically dating."

"Well, then you're worried about nothing."

A troubled look crossed Glare's face but he didn't say anything. Smirk and SpitFire said something about having to leave but Glare didn't respond, even when SpitFire kissed him. Once she left, he let a small smile shine through, but it disappeared in an instant.

'I can't be happy. Shorty was the only one who made me genuinely happy and now she's gone. This is all Icy's fault.'

"Can I have my tent back?" Icy asked as she walked in.

"Where were you?" Glare demanded as he stood.

"Why do you care?"

"I have a right to know."

"And I have a right to not tell. Something's bothering you because you usually never pry into my personal life."

"Since when did your life become personal?"

Icy stayed silent as she looked her brother in the eye. She let out a breath before saying, "I was with Zero, if you must know."

"Zero? Why?" Glare asked as he blinked.

"You wouldn't understand," she responded as she brushed by him.

"Try me," he said as he grabbed her arm.

"You wouldn't understand," she repeated as she jerked her arm away.

"What's happened to us?" Icy turned and looked at her twin to see a far away look in his jade green eyes. "What's happened to us?" He repeated. "We used to be so close, now…we're always at each other's throats."

"It's like Shorty said, 'You stick someone you know if a different environment and they change.' Or something like that."

"But…I don't want us to change."

"It's too late for that,' Icy told him sternly. "If you're afraid of me changing, look in a mirror, because you all ready changed yourself."

The boys of D-Tent noticed how quiet the twins were and thought that it had to do with Shorty. Only Zero and Caveman knew why they weren't talking to each other that much anymore. They also seemed to drift apart: Glare would hang out with X-Ray and Magnet, if not Smirk and SpitFire, and Icy would be with Squid and Zigzag if not Caveman and Zero. The rest of D-Tent knew better than to ask what was going on and just let things be for a while.

"Hey Icy…are things ok between you and your brother?" Twitch asked as he held onto his shovel. Icy stared at him and Twitch fidgeted under her stare. "I-I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have a-asked."

"It's all right, Twitchy," Icy told him with a reasurring smile. "We're just…having our differences right now."

"Oh," he said simply. He paused and asked, "Did you just smile."

"No." Icy said as her smile faded instantly.

"I think you diiid," he said in a sing-song voice as he grinned.

"No I didn't. Maybe the heat is playing tricks on you."

"Maybe…"

Icy slapped her hand over Twitch's visor and it slammed down over his eyes. He grinned as he lifted the visor back up, despite being slightly aggravated by her. Icy stuck out her tongue and he made a face back. Behind them Squid was glaring daggers at Twitch's back.

-Squid's POV-

"You look like you want to kill him," Zigzag pointed out as he pulled on his gloves.

"I don't like that kid," I grumbled as I tied my doo rag over my brown hair.

"Why not? He hasn't done anything to you," Zigzag pointed out. "It's the nice ones you have to look out for. He could sneak up behind you while you're in the shower and it will be that scene in Psycho with that psychotic music and the screaming and the stabbing…man, I loved that movie."

"Focus!" I yelled as I snapped in Zigzag's face.

"Why're you so worked uo by Twitch talking to her?"

"What if she leaves me for him?"

"What do you mean 'leaves you'? You aren't her boyfriend."

"Yes I – "

"Did she talk to you?"

"No – "

"So that means anyone has a shot at her. If she doesn't talk to you soon, or the other way around, I could try to go for her myself. I mean, she is cute." I turned and glared at Zigzag as he looked back in honesty innocence. "What?"

"Don't…talk about her like that to me."

"She isn't your property, Squid." Zigzag said as he brushed by me. I blinked before racing to catch up with him. If I wasn't talking to Zigzag, I constantly glared at the back of Twitch's head. Constantly Zigzag told me that my eyes would be stuck in the glare if I kept looking at Twitch like that. Being my stubborn self, I ignored him as I started to dig. Twitch's and Icy's laughter started to bother me as I clenched my teeth and gripped my shovel tighter.

Twitch and Icy hanging out didn't bother me as much as the fact that Zero was digging Caveman's hole! How did he get a hole digger? He doesn't deserve one! He hasn't been here as long as the rest of us have. He should toughen it out. Apparently X thinks so too, he just talked to Caveman about it and he didn't seem very happy. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead with the hem of my t-shirt before pulling it over my head. I was risking getting skin can-can…or whatever the heck it was, but I didn't care. I jumped as a finger was traced lightly down my back.

"I'd put your shirt back on unless you want everyone else in the tent to know about that part of your past," Icy stated as I whirled around. Her eyes were squinted slightly and her hands were in her pockets.

"It wouldn't be the first thing I kept from someone I trusted," I stated as I continued to dig.

"Are you talking about me?"

"No, I'm talking to you."

"You may be talking to me, but you were hinting that you were talking about me." She paused and asked, "What's going on, Squid? You're either not talking to me or, when you do, you're glaring at me. Did I do something wrong?"

I stuck my shovel in the ground and rested my arm against it as I turned to look at her. She didn't flinch even when I glared at her, probably because she couldn't see it easily from the sun. I shook my head slowly and went back to digging.

"You're doing it again."

"I think I have a right to," I said as I stuck my shovel in the ground and turned to face her once more. "I mean, my girlfriend is flirting with one of my…er…acquaintances."

"For one thing, I don't flirt with Twitch," Icy started. "For another, I never said I was your girlfriend." There was something about the way she said that that resembled me getting shot. The pain felt the same and by the look on her face I could tell she knew how I felt. "…but I'd like to give it a try." I tilted my head and stared at her hard as if she didn't say anything. She was rocking back and forth on her feet as she gazed at me, biting her lip. "Are you going to say something?"

"No, I'm going to keep making you stir up in your insecurities."

"Why?"

"Because you look cute like that," I said with a laugh as I leaned over and kissed her cheek. A blush formed across her cheeks a she tried to hide a smile. My mom used to say that a smile is the best gift I could ever receive, and right now I thought that she was right. I loved Icy's smile.

"I don't take flattery that well."

"Not modest?"

"Never been flattered."

"Well, there's a first time for everything I guess."

Icy kicked dirt into my hole before walking back to hers. I shook my head as I smiled and continued to dig my hole. Feeling my skin starting to bur, I pulled my shirt back on over my head and noticed that the lunch truck had arrived. I climbed out of my hole and grabbed my lunch. As I walked back with Zigzag, he suddenly took a detour and walked to Caveman's hole.

"Hey Caveman," Zigzag said as he kicked Caveman's boot. "I'll give you my cookie if you let me dig your hole." I laughed a little as I watched Caveman's expression. He remained cool as he said, "I get it. I'll dig my hole from now on."

"He doesn't want the cookie," Zigzag said as he glanced towards me. He knelt down and shoved the cookie in Caveman's face. "C'mon, eat the cookie." Caveman shoved Zigzag's hand away and Zigzag shoved him. I know I don't know Ziggy that well, but I do know that he hates being shoved. "Don't shove me!" Zigzag snapped as Caveman tried to get up. Zigzag shoved him again and repeated, "Don't shove me."

"Dude," I started, but I knew it was a lost cause. Once Zigzag gets mad, he goes crazy and it's hard to calm him down. Next thing I knew Ziggy and Caveman were wrestling. Then there was this battle cry and Zero was chocking Zig! I didn't know the little dude had it in him! Soon Armpit was trying to get them to stop but Mom got them to stop by firing his shotgun into the air. The Warden came soon and made our tent stand around waiting as she inspected our faces, as if we were automatically going to start talking.

"What happened here?" She finally asked.

"Well, Ziggy was beating up on the Caveman, and Zero started chocking him. I had to get him offa him," Armpit explained.

"Why was Zigzag beating up Caveman?" the Warden asked.

"He just got a little hot," X-Ray explained. "The heat makes you do crazy things."

"Yeah, I just got a little hot working in the sun all day, when Caveman sits around here doing nothing," Zigzag agreed.

"Excuse me? Caveman digs his hole like everyone else."

"Sometimes."

"Ex-cuse­ me."

"Ma'am," I interrupted as I pulled my toothpick out of the corner of my mouth and held it in between my thumb and index finger. "Zero's been digging part of Caveman's hole everyday.

"I'm teaching him how to read," Caveman confessed.

"What?" the Warden, Mr. Sir, and Pendanski asked in unison.

"He's a smart kid."

"Smart!?" Pendanksi cried out with a laugh. He turned to Zero and asked, "What does c-a-t spell?" Zero stayed silent as he glared up at Pendanski. "See? He's so stupid, he doesn't even know how stupid he is!"

"All right, I don't want anyone else digging someone else's holes!" the Warden announced.

"I'm not digging anymore holes," Zero announced.

"Good. Now I don't want you teaching him how to read either!"

"You're better off teaching this shovel how to read," Pendanski said as he grabbed the shovel that was leaning against Zigzag and held it out to Zero, who took it in his small hang. "D-I-G. What's that spell?" Zero slowly put down his canteen as he looked back and forth between the shovel and Pendanski. The he gripped it tighter and hit Pendanski across the face with it!

"DIG!" Zero declared before he started running; Icy and Caveman cheering him on.

"Whoa," Zigzag and I muttered in unison as Mr. Sir ran around and the Warden barked out orders as she poured Zero's water over Pendanski's face to wake him up. She growled to Caveman, "I still expect eleven holes."

-Normal POV-

Grumbling, Icy rolled out of her cot and sat down on the edge of it. Sighing, and without thinking, she went to her crate, pulled out her clothes, and stuffed them into her backpack. After hearing Dr. Pendanski talking to the Warden and Mr. Sir about Zero, she's been missing him a lot more than her own sister. Icy felt ashamed, but knew she had a better chance of finding Zero than Shorty. Glancing out the tent flaps she saw that there was silvery moonlight on the ground. Now she had light to go by when she escaped.

"Where are you going?"

Icy jumped at the voice and whirled around. Squid was standing in the doorway with a troubled look on his sleepy face. His hair was messed up and he was rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"What're you doing up?" Icy hissed as she hid her backpack behind her back.

"I heard noises. I thought Mr. Sir was in here to rape you or something."

"As if he'd be able to touch me."

"You never answered my question. Where are you going?" Squid peered down at her as she shuffled her feet. He narrowed his eyes as he asked, "You're going after him, aren't you?"

"I have to, Squid," Icy responded in a hoarse voice as she lifted her backpack onto her shoulders.

"You'll die out there."

"Chances are I'll die here too. Not much of a difference."

"But…I'll miss you too much," he said in a childish voice as she started to walk past him. He wrapped his arms around he waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I don't want you to go."

"I told you, I have to."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you care about him more than me. I am your boyfriend, you know." He said as he gently rocked her from side to side.

"I know. But, because of Shorty, I have a soft spot for kids. If I see them treated badly I have to do something about it. I hope you understand."

"I guess I do," he whispered into her ear before kissing her neck. He softly massaged one area with his tongue, feeling every one of her heartbeats in the process. She couldn't take the teasing anymore. She lifted her head and moved her mouth to his and kissed him deeply. She gently pulled away as he said to her cheek, "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," she said with a sigh as she pulled away from him and turned to look at his face. "Do me a favor…tell Glare not to worry about me. I'll be fine. If I don't come back in three days…then you can worry."

Squid nodded as Icy gave a small wave and turned and left the tent. He could hear her rapid footsteps as she ran down the dirt path. He stared out at the bright ground and waited a couple of minutes before he started walking out of the tent. He stopped when something wet dripped down his cheek.

It was something that he hadn't felt in a while.

It was a tear…