Toby settled on the desk waiting for the weird glowing bug thing to do something.
"Any moment now," He said awkwardly after a long pause.
Nothing happened. Another moment ticked by and Jim let out a sigh and turned away, pulling out his phone.
"I don't have time for this," Jim said tapping in a number.
"But you need to study m…"
Jim shushed him as he held the phone to his ear.
"Claire?" He asked after the person on the other end picked up.
Toby perked up. Good idea. If anyone could figure this out it was Claire!
"… Yeah meet me in the cafeteria," Jim finished before slipping his phone in his pocket and then turning toward the door.
Toby got up to follow him but Jim held up his hand to stop him.
"Stay here," He said sharply as he pulled out his amulet. "Claire and I will take care of this."
"But…"
"Stay. You'll just get in the way."
Toby stood there frozen as his friend left him. The door closed and there was a flash of blue through the glass. The clock slowly ticked away the time as Toby stared blankly trying to register what had happened. Had Jim really just left him? Was he really that much of a burden?
There was a distant roar and Toby shook himself out of his stupor. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth before shoving open the office door. Burden or not, he had to help.
He ran toward the cafeteria full tilt and skidded through the doors.
There! Jim was locked in combat with Angor Rot. The sigil on his face glowed an angry yellow.
"Jim!"
At Toby's shout Jim glanced in his direction and, during that split second of distraction, Angor Rot lunged forward driving Daylight into his ribs.
"NO!"
Jim went limp, his glaives falling out of his hand as his blood began to stain the white floor. Toby couldn't move. His friend was dying and he couldn't do a thing about it.
The amulet rolled across the floor coming to a stop at his feet. Numb with shock, Toby reached for it but it was snatched away. He found himself staring into Claire's angry tearstained face. (When had she gotten here?)
"Haven't you caused enough trouble? It's your fault that Jim's dead," She snarled before she donned the armor and charged into battle against Angor Rot.
Toby tried to follow her but his hammer was too heavy. (When had he pulled it out?)
"Why would you choose a weapon you can't even lift?"
Toby turned to see Blinky looking at him in disgust. (He wasn't supposed to be here. They were at school. It was daytime…)
"Foolish," He said shaking his head.
"But I…" Toby shrank in on himself.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Aaarrrgghh's disappointed face.
"Leave," the troll rumbled. "Bad wingman."
"But…"
Aaarrrgghh turned and followed Blinky as the scholarly troll ran to help Claire.
Toby tried to follow but the battle kept getting farther and farther away. Soon he couldn't see them anymore.
"Jim? Claire?"
There was no response.
"Aaarrrgghh? Blinky?… Anyone?"
Toby was alone.
They had all left him.
This was all his fault. Why did he have to be so worthless?
Toby slowly sank to the ground and cried.
Something slammed into him throwing him to the ground.
Toby blinked in puzzlement. Where had all these people come from? And why where they acting so…
A glowing yellow blur shot by his face.
The bug!
On reflex Toby swatted it into the wall. It squished easily, staining his fingers yellow. He stared at the mush heart racing.
It wasn't real! It was all just one big hallucination! He felt almost giddy with relief.
Of course it wasn't real! Jim wouldn't leave him like that…
"Jim!"
Toby scrambled to his feet. He had to find Claire and Jim before Angor got to them.
He shoved the nebulous sense of unease to the back of his mind and started searching for his friends.