Enjoy!
Cipher's Code Ch37
Cipher pushed off the haphazardly made ship off the murky ocean feeling distinctly as if he was pushing off his own funeral pyre, wishing with all his hope that the message made it to shore.
"That won't work you know," a voice behind him said cheerily, making odd figures in the sand.
"Don't have much a choice do I?"
"Nope!"
Day one… I learned something about it today… Don't give in to it. It can only control you once you've given up. Only then are you in danger. Don't give up; don't give in to it…
"So have you given any thought to freeing me or not?"
"Yup!" Skie's face lit up happily. "I've decided that you can stay here to play! Isn't that fun?"
Cipher just growled, wishing that he could just destroy the island to get away from it, but inside, he new he couldn't.
Day two… whatever it is that is controlling the island is stronger than anything I've ever seen… It's almost as if it's part of something bigger, and stronger. I know I can't try to kill it. I advise this to any soul misfortunate to see this as well.
"What is with your obsession with playing," Cipher asked Skie dejectedly. "Is this some sort of wacked up abandonment issue that you're taking out on me?"
"Of course not! No-one abandoned me." But even as those words came out, Cipher noticed, that had an odd quality to them, as if they were confused and didn't know why.
"Well, do you know why you won't let me off this forsaken place?"
"To play!"
Day three… It has an obsession with playing… I thought that it could be a child, but some of those skeletons are hundreds of years old. Either they came here before, or It lured them here. Something tells me that it isn't the first option either.
"Whatever." Cipher tossed Skie a pack of dried beef, knowing that, though Skie was being possessed, and moved around as carefree as someone who was quite healthy was, the physical requirements were still there, and if he didn't eat, his old friend would become like the skeletons I the corner.
"So have you given up yet?" A darker tone shown through Skie's carefree words, as if he was waiting for the inevitable.
"No. I don't plan on it either." Cipher gripped a circular object tightly, as if it was his only lifeline, the only thing keeping him sane.
"Pity. We could have some fun luring more guests here," the thing tried to tempt Cipher, "but you don't want to yet do you?"
More friends to play with would be cool, Cipher began to think, then stopped himself, gripping the object woven around his hands so tightly that it dug into his skin, making small red rivulets of blood ran into the white snow, but Cipher, who had already become numb from the elements didn't notice.
Day four…. It can get inside your head; make you think things you don't want to originally. Only something important to you can anchor you to sanity. Memories fade, become warped. I don't remember who I am anymore. Who are my parents? Is anyone crying for me as I waste away? Is there any escape? Is it worth it anymore?
"Stop it," Cipher snapped.
"Stop what," Skie said innocently. He grinned as if he had won a battle.
I don't snap like that generally, do I, Cipher pondered with dread. He realized, with dread that he was slowly, but surely losing his loose grip on sanity, and the thing controlling Skie knew it.
"I'm going outside," Cipher said quietly, not sure who he was talking to anymore. "That sounds like a good idea." Then, as a thought crossed his head that it might be the island's thought, to try to lure him out, he cursed. I can't even trust myself! Cipher looked down at the glimmering frame in his hands, and took his first steps outside. He was wasting here; it was time to get food again.
"Looking for these?" Skie held up a pack of E- crystals, to which Cipher nodded hungrily, but then shook himself as he realized that Skie was holding up a bony, skeletal hand instead, a smirk etched across his face.
Day five… I'm hallucinating… what is it that I'm doing? Is this the journal, or some piece of driftwood? I can't tell anymore… Help… I'm losing it…
"Nice try." Cipher sat down to shakily unwrap a canister of E- crystals, shaking out a few loose shards as well. "Could I have some more of these?"
"Why? It's not as if you'll be around much longer?"
"You're… wrong," Cipher stopped himself from admitting that Skie was right. What have I become?
"I can show you where they are," Skie asked Cipher, picking up the discarded canister of E-crystals to examine it curiously.
"Sure," Cipher slurred, exhausted. Skie's eyes lit up as if he had just won a battle. "Show me where."
Day six… What a wonderful place this is… It says that it is going to show me where it really is… What… Fun…
Cipher followed Skie down into the darkness below where underneath the Ancients' symbol lie, with each step, a dawning sensation of fear collapsing within him. I've lost, Cipher realized with dread, but couldn't stop himself from taking the last few steps inside the cavernous space inside.
"Now why don't you drop that pretty little picture of yours," Skie suggested, but Cipher resisted.
"No," Cipher half-groaned, trying to stop his fingers from peeling themselves from his one lifeline to sanity.
Drop it. Skie's form slumped to the floor, and a dark shadow loomed above it. Give up already. You have lost.
"Yes… I… lose," Cipher said, dropping the locket to the floor, where it shattered to the floor.
Com closer…
But inside, Cipher's mind reeled as he tried to figure out who the person was with the brown hair, who seemed to be smiling at him alone. Don't give in, Cipher, it seemed to say. I believe in you. "Who?"
No one of importance, the shadow hissed, angrily circling Cipher.
"No." Cipher stood up, this time with perfect clarity in his voice. "I knew you wouldn't let me in here unless you thought you could win. You lost, this time." Cipher picked up Sorra's picture lightly, noting with satisfaction what the shadow had not in its frustration. Skie had awoken at last.
"Why won't you give in? Why aren't you like the others? Why can't we have fun together? Ahaha-" its laugh stopped abruptly as Skie slammed a gun on the glowing disk in the center of the room, and it stopped, revealing a jig-saw like piece with the Ancients' symbol etched across it, but only a fraction of it.
"Game over," Skie said grimly, picking up the Relic. "I did not have fun." Then, turning to Cipher, he grinned shakily. "I can't tell you how sick of this thing I am."
Cipher returned the grin. "Yeah. Got it?"
Skie placed the Relic back inside the pocket. "I don't think it'll cause us much more trouble," he finished. "I think I know what it was though."
"What?"
"It kept talking gibberish about the past, but things like 'master' and 'Aranea' kept appearing." Skie stopped. "I think its Aranea's cast off playful side. Even down to the end, all it was trying to do was have fun, like some maniacal five year old."
"Aranea's… playful side? Are you sure about that Skie?:"
"Yeah." Skie looked outside. "Looks like the rescue party came. Wonder if they'll have anything to eat?"
Cipher snorted, slipping Sorra's picture back to safety, looking at it one last time with a small smile. "Is that all you think about?"
"Hey! I've been on a diet of lake water and dried beef! Cut me some slack here."
"Yeah, whatever." Cipher waved his arms out to the lights, where a hovercraft waited outside, untroubled by the winds, which had disappeared since Skie cracked the dome, slipping the old journal back in his pocket along with an old pen he had found.
Say seven… Freedom.