What Following Brings by S. E. Campbell

still change. It ’ s never too late. ”
    Silence fell as Yuri stared at her open - mouthed and wide-eyed. Their eyes met and she felt a connection with him. It overwhelmed her, and she knew the feelings had nothing to do with the fact he was one of her five. If she had been alive her heart would have been pounding and she wouldn ’ t have been able to breathe ; it would have been all Yuri ’ s fault.
    The moment was broken, though, when Aaron flipped Yuri over onto his back and pin ned him to the ground. Yuri didn ’ t fight this time. Aaron began to punch Yuri in the chest . Eden grabbed Aaron ’ s shoulder and pulled him backward.
    â€œ Stop it, ” Eden said. “ You ’ re hurting him. ”
    â€œ He clobbered me, ” Aaron said, furious.
    â€œ Just help me figure out what to do with him , ” Eden said, desperate. “ I ’ ve got to release the rest of the Raiders. ”
    â€œ What? ” Aaron asked. “ Are you insane ? ”
    â€œ Why do you think I ’ m wandering around in here? ” Eden asked. “ They won ’ t touch me. At least, for now. Just pick up Yuri and let ’ s go. ”
    â€œ He ’ s way bigger than me, ” Aaron said, pouting.
    â€œ And you ’ re a soul, ” Eden said. “ His weight won ’ t matter anymore. ”
    Yuri still remained silent, even as Aaron prodded his back.
    â€œ There is some rope in the store room. ” Aaron glared at Yuri. “ Think you can handle him for a second while I grab some? ”
    Though Eden felt nervous, she nodded. Aaron scrambled away, entered the third door to the left, went inside, and then came out a few seconds later with a couple of pieces of rope. He kneeled down by Yuri and bound his wrists.
    â€œ I don ’ t mean weighty, I mean tall , ” Aaron said , continuing to tie him up . “ Let ’ s leave him in an examination room somewhere with the light and come get him when you ’ re done releasing the Raiders . ”
    â€œ Fine, ” Eden said , watching as Aaron moved from Yuri ’ s now bound hands and began to tie a second piece of rope around his ankles to keep his feet together . “ Then I ’ ll carry him. I ’ m not going to let him go. I need to protect him. ”
    â€œ The idiot ’ s trying to get rid of you, ” Aaron said, standing now he had finished binding Yuri. “ You ’ re just lucky the Demons are required to carry ropes to bind prisoners, or else Yuri would be attempting to slice us into pieces. ”
    Frowning, Eden bent down and seized Yuri by his waist. Picking up a full grown man still caused her to feel uneasy. Though Yuri appeared solid, he weighed nothing more than a piece of paper to her . She swung him over her shoulder, and, even though she was tall, she understood what Aaron meant. Yuri was big. Not only was holding him obstructing her vision and hindering her defensive abilities, but she had the feeling Yuri would start acting up again soon. When he did, it would be easy for her to be taken. Yuri had more fight in him than she did . Plus, he had a foot on her , bound or not .
    â€œ I can see your point, ” Eden admitted. “ Let ’ s put him in an examination room. ”
    â€œ Finally, she sees logic, ” Aaron said. “ Come on. ”
    Eden walked with Yuri on her back to the examination room door. Aaron did not open it for her, so she had to bully it open with her one free arm and a lot of pulling. Just because souls weren ’ t heavy didn ’ t mean the doors were n ’ t . Eden entered the room and placed Yuri in a wooden chair. He continued to stare at her as she looked at him. She didn ’ t like it when he stared at her without saying anything and not fighting. She wished she knew what he was thinking. Maybe he was contemplating her words, but she doubted it. Yuri ’ s guilt, like her own, could not be whisked away so