We were sitting in a big circle around a fire. Those of us who were alive, that is. After narrowly escaping a head-on collision with John, Jade, and Me-sprite's ship, we all met up with Post-Scratch Bro and people.
I smirked when Bro told me his name was Dirk. That's so lame. Must be why he never told me his name before.
"At least I don't sound like a twenty-nine-year-old man with chin stubble who repairs vehicles," he said. Touche, Bro. Touche.
John and Jake had gone off to do God knows what. Something about food. Did God Tiers even need to eat? A stupidly loud rumble from my stomach answered my silent question.
I cast a wary look around the darkened scenery surrounding us. I started to worry about them. Just a little. The Island (Jade's Island, only full of weird troll mommy duplicates and occupied by Jake, rather than Jade) looked really dangerous at night. I would've gone after them, but I didn't want to take the chance. Yeah, lame, I know. Shut up.
"John and Jake have been gone a long time... Are they okay?" Voiced a concerned Jade, seemingly reading my mind.
"I'll go look for them," Bro offered, standing up.
"I'll go, too," I said, standing up as well. Couldn't let him be the hero, could I? Heh heh.
"You sure, Bro? It's pretty scary out there. Wouldn't want you to scream like a little girl at a rabbit or something and alert the more threatening predators." He teased, smirking.
"I should be saying the same thing, Ponyboy," I retorted.
"Ponyboy? Really?" He shook his head, "You've got a lot to-"
The sound of a large being crashing into a bush cut off his words. We all whipped our heads toward it with the speed of a thousand Olympians.
What greeted our eyes was a mop of black hair clad in a hooded tee with red tarnishing its vibrant baby blue. The first one at his side was me. I haden't even felt my feet move, I was just suddenly there.
"John! John, are you okay?" I picked him up from the bushes and put him in my lap, holding his face in my hands and wiping the grime from it with my thumbs, "What happened?"
He attempted to speak, but coughed instead. I simply wiped the spray of blood from my cheek, too frazzled to be discusted by it.
"I..." His voice was painfully scratchy, "I found...this session's...Jack..."
My eyes widened and I cursed, before realising something and feeling a wave of relief wash over me.
"You're a God Tier. You can't die. I forgot." I laughed. It sounded empty and scared.
"Nope...I can die a...heroic death..." He grunted and coughed again.
"John... Where's Jake?" Jane asked warily.
John was too tired to look over at her, but I could tell he wanted to.
"I was...too late," he looked like a kicked puppy.
Jake wasn't a God Tier.
"Fuck!" Dirk exclaimed, bolting into the forest without a second thought.
"What happened, John?" I demanded. Not really demanded, it lacked the power. More like pleaded.
"I was...a hero, Dave. I...defended him. Finally...something important...I..." He never finished what he was going to say. His words sunk in as I watched the light leave his eyes and his eyelids flutter closed. I felt like both world wars and 9/11 happened simultaneously in the left side of my chest.
"John," I pushed his bangs back. He didn't react. Not even a twitch. "John, this isn't funny. This prank sucks ass. Wake up. John, wake up! I'll do any thing, I'll... I'll even watch Con Air ten times straight with you, so please...!"
I held him to my chest and buried my nose in his nair.
"I never got to tell you I love you..."