Chapter 21
Clara leaned against the doorway, breathing heavily from her run. Jackson sensed that this was something about Herobrine, because he said to him, "Hey, why don't you take this to the patient, too?" he asked, handing Herobrine a red-colored potion. Herobrine looked at Clara worriedly but complied, walking down the hallway out of sight. As soon as he was out of earshot, Clara closed the front door behind her and began.
"There's two guys walking around town looking for Herobrine and you, Steve," Clara explained.
The color drained from Steve's face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Jackson beat him to it.
"The Netherhunters," Jackson whispered, horrified.
Steve cast a glance down the hallway Herobrine disappeared down. His stomach churned but he started walking towards the door.
"Steve, what are you doing?" Clara demanded.
Steve didn't answer. He put a hand on the doorknob. Clara realized what he was about to do and was about to speak, but Jackson touched her shoulder and shook his head. Steve started to open the door but something stopped him.
He remembered his first night with Herobrine. Herobrine was scared and alone. He didn't remember anything about that one night, or anything before waking up in Steve's care. Steve remembered how Herobrine listened to him and put the creeper back outside, despite clearly wanting to keep the monster. When Herobrine electrocuted Steve, he was incredibly apologetic and spent the days after that trying to make it up to Steve.
Herobrine was not the monster he used to be. He was a sweet and innocent little kid that truly cared about Steve, and it wasn't like Steve hadn't earned that. No matter what painful memories came up, Steve still fed and cared for Herobrine when he was sick.
For the first time, Steve realized that he also cared about Herobrine. Steve might have lost his family, but he gained a new one.
Steve shut the door and turned around to face Clara and Jackson with tears running down his cheeks. "H-Hero?" he called.
"Yeah?" Herobrine came skipping down the hallway. His smile vanished when he saw that Steve was crying. "What's wrong, Mister Ste—"
"Nothing, nothing," Steve brushed away his tears. He bent down on one knee to be at eye level with Herobrine. "Listen, Hero, I've made a really bad mistake. I did something I shouldn't have done. I need you to listen to me, okay? I need you to go with Clara and not come back here until she says you can."
Herobrine looked up at him with fear in his white eyes. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
"Nothing. It's okay, Hero. Everything's gonna be okay." Steve hugged Herobrine. "Just listen to Clara and stay safe, okay?"
"Are you leaving?" Hero asked. Steve didn't answer. "Please don't leave. I don't want you to leave." Tears were beginning to form in his eyes.
"It's okay, Hero. Just stay with Clara." Steve gave him one last hug, then stood up. "Take him into the forest, as deep as you can go. Stay there as long as you can. Keep him safe," he said to Clara.
She nodded and started packing stuff into her inventory. "What are you going to do?" she asked him.
"I'm gonna buy you some time." Steve walked out without another word.