I'm baaack... *rises from the dead*
Sorry about the long awaited update, but my teachers have given me a 12 foot stack of homework to complete this week on top of two quizzes, a lesson test, my high school scheduling (I'll be a freshman next year), and a book report. Then, my school is going on an overnight field trip this weekend, so I've been packing. Anyway... tada! Chapter!
Also, there are some of my religious beliefs in here, although brief. I'm a Christian, so don't read if the beliefs may offend you.
Disclaimer: I own nada.
Daniel Corrigan wasn't one to ask for help, but now, he needs it more than ever. Or what was going through Daniel's head during Villainous when the wall fell on him. Mentions of drugs and alcohol, some suicidal thoughts, mentions of child neglect
"My only advice is to stay aware, listen, and yell for help if you need it." -Judy Blume
Daniel Corrigan had never been good at asking for help.
As a child, his parents were always working (the consequence of having a child so early), so Daniel was left with his uncle, who didn't exactly like him. His uncle would often be elsewhere drinking or doing drugs or a hundred things Daniel didn't even want to know about; as a result, Daniel was often left home alone to fend for himself.
He learned to cook on his own. He learned to do his homework on his own. He learned to clean, to tuck himself in, to comfort himself after nightmares. By the time his parents could take some time off work, Daniel was ten; they had a new baby; and... Daniel was as independent as a thirty year old.
For the first time since he was born, Daniel was considering screaming for help.
The memory was fuzzy, but he could recall Lawrence shoving him in front of the falling wall. The damn thing had come crashing down on him.
His chest was aching awfully bad from the hundred pounds of bricks lying on top of him. He couldn't breathe properly, and any time he tried to, he felt something sharp poke at his lungs- his ribs.
Now, he was very scared to breathe. Broken ribs... the slightest movement could puncture his lung.
It was also very dark in here. No pockets of light that he could reach for and dig his way out. No, this darkness was as absolute as the darkness that covered his eyes two years ago after the Shroud kidnapped him.
But what really bothered him was the silence. It was so quiet. No more giggles that gave away the invisble Rose. No more of Mollie's determined speech. No more of Louisa's quiet and soft voice; he hadn't heard that in a while. And Rohan... no more of the 'this is stupid; we shouldn't do this, so listen to me and don't get yourselves killed' tone that he always had. He always knew when one of the others was planning something, especially when that something was dangerous.
He missed Eric's voice the most though. He may love Mollie and she was his girlfriend, but in the end, Eric would always be his best friend. He'd been the one to stick by him all these years, even when Daniel turned his back on him. Even when he could steal Eric's powers with one touch. Eric was always there.
He'd missed Eric and Rohan when they were away at the Academy. And they came back... different. It wasn't like Eric to pick a fight like he did with the Nobles all those months ago.
The part that scared Daniel the most was a very, very, very small piece of his brain was happy that he was dying. No more pain; no more betrayal; no more fighting. He wouldn't have to dive into the abyss of darkness that was his future. He wouldn't have to charge into the unknown. He could be a kid forever; he'd never grow up. He could rest...
But whenever his mind traveled down that road, memories of his friends pulled him back. What about Mollie? She'd be heartbroken. And Eric... if anything was going to make him bitter, it'd be the death of his best friend. And Rose... he was her hero; how could he put that innocent little girl through so much grief?
'Help...' he thought.
And Georgie... his little brother. He needed him.
But it was too late to think of the value of his life. His vision was rapidly fading... The world was going black. It was time to say goodbye.
He could vaguely hear movement and... yelling. Was that Mollie's voice?
"Dan... yal..."
It was all so fuzzy and hard to hear... almost like he was hearing everything through a thick brick wall. Which I guess he was, only that wall was utterly demolished and threatening to crush his lungs.
"Daniel!"
Rohan.
Help...
The world went black.
Gran nodded and rested her chin on her hands as she twirled her can between her fingers. Her bent shape was silhouetted against the attic window, and behind her, Daniel could see the sun drooping low over the trees. In the pink evening glow, she looked like she did before the cancer- rosy and full of health.
"I'm glad that you're making friends, Daniel. I know coming here couldn't have been easy on you- new town, new school. There's a lot of grown up stuff going on around here with my being sick and all, but I don't want for you to forget to be a kid. At least for a little while longer."
"I promise, Gran," he told her.
And then, he was lying in his bed and in the darkness, he would see a familiar silhouette seated on the edge of it.
Mollie.
"Mollie," he mumbled.
She smiled, although it was hard to see in the dark. "Hi, Daniel."
"What are you- I thought I was-"
"Dead? You almost were, but not quite. I'm just here to make sure that this doesn't happen again."
Daniel laughed, disbelievingly. "Mollie, everyone dies. You can't stop it."
"But not everyone dies at fourteen. Some are meant to die young, but you're not one of them, Daniel. There's so much you're meant to do in life."
"Like what?" Daniel snorted. "Honestly... I never really saw anything past defeating the Shroud."
She grinned. "Neither do I... or the physical me, I suppose."
"Physical you?"
"I'm Mollie's subconscious. With enough power, He was able to transfer her subconscious into your mind for the time being."
"He... you mean God?"
"Yes, but religion gets complicated and we're on a time limit. The point is you'll become a famous detective, solving more cases than any other detective in Noble's Green has ever solved. You'll write a famous mystery series. You'll marry Mollie, and have kids. When you wake up, you won't remember me telling you this, but you will remember that you have things going for you.
"Daniel, if there is one thing I want you to take away from this visit, it's that you have friends who care about you and are willing to help you. Let them, or this... will happen again. I know it. Please, just... remember that."
"I will, Mol."
"Good. I love you, Daniel. I always have. Even when I'm being stubborn and won't say it, I really do care for you. Never forget that."
"I love you, too, Mollie."
The image faded away.
Daniel's eyes fluttered open, and he groggily tried to sit up.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice said to his right.
"Rohan?"
"Hey, Daniel. You feeling okay?"
"A little groggy, but otherwise... yeah, I'm fine."
A watery sob sounded from beside him. "Daniel, you're anything but fine. A wall fell on you. If Johnny hadn't saved you-"
"But he did, Mollie. Thank you," Daniel said, directing the last part at Johnny, who smiled weakly and nodded.
"Do you think you can stand?" Rohan asked.
Daniel smiled. "Let's find out."
He struggled to his feet, feeling needles jab at parts of his body, but he took a few steps and didn't fall. Nothing appeared broken. Johnny's healing had done it's work.
He grinned at his friends. "I'm gonna need your help."
They looked shocked and slowly, the pair nodded.
"Well, come on, then. We've got a monster to defeat and a meteor to stop."
That italicized bit I took straight from Villainous, which was taken from Powerless... so yeah, I don't own that. Just wanted to let you know.
Thanks for reading! Bye!
