Chapter 98 - 97: When the Story Finally Broke

Chapter 98: Chapter 97: When the Story Finally Broke

Winter arrived before the Hales were ready for it.

The first snow had seemed harmless. People had gathered around the windows of the settlement that morning, watching white flakes settle across the walls and rooftops. Some survivors had even smiled. Then the temperature dropped.

The roads became difficult to travel. Supply runs became less frequent, food became harder to replace, and the settlement’s stores began disappearing faster than they could be replenished. The atmosphere changed with the weather. People became suspicious. They watched one another more closely. And when supplies began going missing, someone needed to be blamed.

Iris remembered the accusation. She remembered how suddenly it appeared.

One evening, the settlement leaders called everyone into the main hall.

The Hales were already there when Iris entered. Benjamin stood beside Henry. Veronica sat near the front. Rose was on the other side of the room.

Iris noticed her immediately. Rose didn’t look surprised. That was the first thing that made Iris uneasy.

A settlement leader stepped forward with a small wooden box in his hands.

"We found this hidden inside the Hale family’s assigned quarters."

Benjamin frowned. "What’s inside?"

"Food."

A murmur went through the room.

Iris stared at the box. "We didn’t hide anything."

The man opened it. There were several sealed packages inside.

Someone behind Iris whispered, "They’re hoarding."

Benjamin immediately stepped forward. "Those aren’t ours."

The leader looked at him. "They were found in your quarters."

"Then someone put them there."

More voices rose around them.

Veronica stood. "Please."

The room quieted slightly.

She looked toward the leader. "My family has followed every rule since we arrived. If you believe something has been done wrong, investigate it properly."

The man shook his head. "We’ve already investigated."

Iris looked at Rose.

Rose was watching her. Calmly. Almost sympathetically.

Then Rose spoke.

"I don’t think anyone wants to punish them."

Benjamin turned toward her. "Then don’t."

Rose sighed. "But we can’t ignore what happened."

Iris felt something cold settle in her stomach. She knew that tone. It was the same tone Rose had always used when she wanted to appear reasonable while pushing someone toward the edge.

"We’re running out of food," Rose continued. "If people believe some families are keeping supplies for themselves, the settlement will become dangerous."

Henry’s face hardened. "We aren’t."

"I believe you," Rose said.

Her eyes moved toward Iris.

"But not everyone does."

That was all it took.

By the end of the meeting, the decision had been made.

The Hales were allowed to remain.

Everyone except Iris.

She stared at the settlement leader. "You’re sending me out?"

"For the safety of the settlement."

Benjamin immediately stepped forward. "No."

The leader’s expression tightened. "Benjamin."

"She’s not leaving."

Several guards moved closer.

Henry grabbed Benjamin’s arm. "Don’t."

Benjamin looked at him. "They’re blaming her for something she didn’t do."

"I know."

"Then why are you stopping me?"

"Because getting yourself killed won’t bring her back."

Iris looked at her family.

Veronica was already crying. She stood and rushed toward Iris.

"No."

A guard blocked her path.

"Mrs. Hale..."

"Move."

The guard hesitated.

Veronica pushed past him. She reached Iris and grabbed her hands.

"You’re not going anywhere."

Iris tried to smile. "Mom."

"No."

Her voice broke.

"We’ll fix this."

Iris looked at the snow falling beyond the windows.

She knew what the novel had written. She knew this was how it happened. The story had never given the original Iris a chance. She had been accused, condemned, and abandoned.

Only this time, she wasn’t reading it.

She was inside it.

The doors opened.

Freezing air rushed into the hall.

Iris was forced outside.

Veronica screamed her name.

Benjamin tried to follow. Several guards held him back. Henry shouted for them to stop.

Nobody listened.

Iris stumbled into the snow. She turned around.

Her family was still inside. Veronica was fighting against the people holding her. Benjamin was shouting. Henry was trying to reach them.

Then the doors closed.

Iris stood alone in the snow.

She looked back once.

Then she disappeared into the white.

That was the last time the Hales saw her.

They searched for hours, then for days. They sent people outside whenever the weather allowed it. Benjamin refused to accept that she was dead. Veronica refused to speak about it. Henry kept telling them they needed to remain inside.

Nobody listened to the silence that settled over the family.

They had lost Caleb. Alexander was still missing. Now Iris was gone too.

Veronica finally broke.

She stopped eating. She stopped sleeping. She sat beside the window every evening, staring toward the settlement gates.

Benjamin tried to make her eat.

"Mom."

Nothing.

"You need to eat."

She shook her head.

"She’s cold."

Benjamin froze.

Veronica’s eyes remained fixed on the snow.

"My daughter is out there."

"We’ll find her."

"You couldn’t find Caleb."

The words left the room silent.

Benjamin looked down.

Veronica covered her face.

"I couldn’t save him."

Her voice cracked.

"I couldn’t save Iris."

Henry moved beside her.

"Veronica."

She shook her head.

"I keep losing them."

Henry held her hand.

"You still have us."

She looked at him.

For a moment, she tried to believe it. She really did.

But grief had already taken too much from her.

Her health deteriorated quickly. The woman who had once been the elegant matriarch of the Hale family became so fragile that Benjamin began helping her walk.

Henry stayed beside her whenever he could.

He tried to remain strong for Veronica, for Benjamin, for himself.

But his heart condition was becoming harder to manage.

His medication was running low.

Benjamin noticed.

"How much do you have left?"

Henry hesitated. "Not much."

"How much?"

"Enough for now."

Benjamin stared at him. "You’ve been saying that for days."

Henry looked away.

"I don’t want your mother worrying about me."

Benjamin’s jaw tightened. "You’re my father."

"I know."

"Then stop pretending you’re fine."

Henry smiled faintly.

"I’ve spent my entire life pretending I had everything under control."

Benjamin sat beside him.

"You don’t have to anymore."

Henry looked at his son.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Henry said quietly, "Take care of your mother."

Benjamin nodded.

"I will."

But there wasn’t enough time.

Veronica’s condition worsened.

One morning, she didn’t wake up.

Henry sat beside her bed for hours.

Benjamin stood in the doorway.

He knew before his father said anything.

Veronica was gone.

The family had lost another member.

And Henry lost whatever strength he had been holding onto.

He continued for a little while. He forced himself to eat. He took the last of his medication. He helped Benjamin with what needed to be done.

But after Veronica’s death, there was nothing left inside him that wanted to fight.

When his medication finally ran out, his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Benjamin stayed beside him.

"Father."

Henry’s breathing was shallow.

"Don’t..."

He struggled for breath.

"Don’t become like me."

Benjamin frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"Don’t let grief decide what you become."

Benjamin looked at him.

"I won’t."

Henry gave him a tired smile.

"Good."

Those were among his last words.

Henry died before the next morning.

Benjamin was alone.

Completely alone.

Caleb was dead. Alexander was missing. Iris was presumed dead. Veronica was gone. Henry was gone.

And the only person Benjamin could think of was Rose.

He began looking for proof. He searched through old conversations, questioned survivors, followed rumors, and eventually found enough pieces to convince himself of what he already suspected.

Rose had known.

She had known Iris would be blamed.

She had allowed it to happen.

Benjamin stopped thinking about survival.

He started thinking about revenge.

He found Rose three weeks later.

She was standing near the eastern wall when he approached.

She looked at him and immediately understood.

"Benjamin."

He raised his weapon.

"You took everything from us."

Rose’s expression changed.

"I didn’t kill your family."

"You didn’t have to."

He stepped closer.

"You just watched."

Rose took a step backward.

"Put it down."

Benjamin laughed bitterly.

"You know what the worst part is?"

She said nothing.

"I used to think the apocalypse took them from me."

His grip tightened.

"Now I know people helped it."

Rose’s eyes hardened.

"You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"I know enough."

He raised the weapon.

For one second, Iris remembered thinking that maybe he would succeed.

Maybe Benjamin would finally change the story.

Maybe Rose would finally pay.

He didn’t.

The people around Rose reacted first.

Benjamin was overwhelmed before he could reach her.

He fought anyway.

He fought until there was nothing left.

When he finally fell, his eyes remained fixed on Rose.

She stood over him.

Benjamin smiled weakly.

Not because he had won.

Because he knew he had tried.

Then everything went dark.

The memory ended there.

Iris opened her eyes.

The trees of Velaris surrounded her again.

For several seconds, she didn’t move.

She had remembered Caleb’s death before.

She had remembered the family’s decline.

But this was different.

This was the end.

The original Hale family had not been destroyed in one day. They had been worn down by every loss until there was nobody left to hold the pieces together.

Iris lowered her gaze.

She had died in that story.

Her mother had died.

Her father had died.

Benjamin had died.

Caleb had died.

Alexander had disappeared.

And Rose had continued living.

The novel had simply moved on.

Iris stared toward the Hale residence in Velaris.

This time, Caleb was alive.

Benjamin was alive.

Henry was alive.

Veronica was alive.

And Iris was alive.

The story had given her something the original Iris had never received.

A chance.

She stood beneath the tree.

The memory was over.

But the past had left one thing behind.

A warning.

Iris was no longer interested in surviving the story.

She intended to destroy the ending.