For anyone who has been keeping up with this story, I am sorry. I did not want to take so much time off! Life has been busy, I just got married! Moved to a new place, started a new job, all kinds of stuff haha. So this sorta took the backburner, but I hope to keep up now that I am feeling a bit more stable! I also feel bad for posting today instead of yesterday, I was trying to stay consistent! But I didn't want to make you wait another whole week just to post on Monday, haha.
Time for Some Revenge
I can't believe I did it. I can't believe I shot Trent.
I'm so, so dead.
I turned on Ethan and Trent. My secret allies. Sure, I still have Chloe and Brock. My first allies. But… I'm starting to wonder.
What a day. After the… incident, Chloe asked me to enchant weapons. But why? In an attempt to get rid of me for a while? So her and Brock could get even with me, too? I had nothing to do with the rocket!
But why didn't I? Why didn't they tell me about the rocket? They were shooting at me, too. They couldn't have known I wasn't home at the time. They never asked. They didn't even warn me to leave.
But I still didn't want to shoot anyone.
What do I do now? What options do I have? I could stay with Chloe and Brock, but I'm not sure how long that will last. I could try to negotiate with Ethan and Trent. But they hardly trusted me before, let alone now. Redge? Yeah, I think Chloe ruined that for all of us. I know the kids have kept mostly to themselves, I wonder if they'd be accepting any…
"Issac?" Huh? I straighten up, putting away the last of the weapons and tools in our upstairs room. Brock is standing in the doorway with a somber expression. What's on his mind? "How are you holding up?"
Well, I wasn't expecting that. "I'm, uh, alright. I guess. Long day."
"Been a couple weeks of long days." He snorts, coming into the room and taking a seat on one of the chests. I didn't realize how tired he looked when he walked in, but seeing him hunched over with both hands under his chin just to keep his body upright, it hit me. I'm not the only one who is stressed out.
"Are… you? Okay?"
"I didn't want to make you do that." Brock sighs, leaning back to sit against the wall. "I tried to convince Chloe to leave you out of it. It wasn't easy."
"Tell me…" Don't ask, please, I don't want to know. "Was my head ever on the chopping block?"
"Not from my mouth." Gosh, that means it was. "Like I said. I had to talk her down. But she still thought you needed put in your place, around here. So she wanted you to see it. To feel it. I'm sorry."
He protected me? Maybe I do have an ally, yet. "No, I should be thanking you."
"I want to trust you, Issac." He scrubs his face and stands up to come face-to-face with me. "But I know you've been looking around. If you thought this was a worthwhile place to be, you wouldn't need to be hanging out so much with our enemies."
So I guess I'm not completely safe. "I know how it must seem. But I wanted to combine our two groups, eventually. We're outnumbered here."
"You could've at least told me." He glances down at the chain of the pocket watch on my side. "I trusted you."
"I know. I'm sorry. I should've told you, you're right. From now on, ok? I'll tell you everything."
"I hope that's true." He nods, putting a heavy hand on my shoulder. It's weird that, though he's shorter than me, I feel like I'm the one looking up at him. "Good talk." Then he leaves. And I have a lot to think about, again. But I'm not sure it's helped any.
Gideon left in the morning, but I didn't ask where. I know his loyalty is fleeting. But I don't count it a loss. He's dead weight to me now. The sooner he's gone, the better.
Although, his knowledge of traps could still be of some use. Albeit, little use. Traps are a weak man's game. But until the numbers dwindle I would be a fool to engage in hand to hand.
Which is precisely why we spend a majority of the day gathering any explosives that we can. It had been a rather quiet day, despite us being side by side through the most of it. After he came back, of course, from whatever sort of back stabbing meetup he had this morning.
Water under the bridge. Afterall, isn't that to be expected when working with someone as deviously clever as me? Anyways, we gathered the supplies and returned to our base to hide them in the desert. That's when a beautiful thought came to me.
"I bet we could trap the castle," the words sputtered alongside a raspy voice, dry with sand and heat. With a quick clear of my throat, I turn about to witness his shrunken expression. "That is, if you're still with me."
"Of course I'm with you, but…" his own voice cracks behind chapped lips. "Scout, maybe we should just take a little break from the trapping. I mean, we really don't…"
"I didn't ask for your opinion." As I walk past him, my shoulder slams against his, causing him to stumble. "I assure you, if I do, you'll know."
"Right. Sorry." Sarcasm I do not appreciate. However, what else is to be expected from a lying freelancer? Who was he talking to this morning?
"Just do what I say and don't mess it up this time." With a handful of sand I bury the remaining explosives and brush dirty palms against my chest. His eyes are on the ground. For a while I just stare down at him, until he's ready to look me in the eyes. "We got lucky last time. But they were the ones stupid enough to huddle around your defective bomb. I do not take Chloe to be an idiot."
"Neither do I." He takes another interest in his shoes as we walk back up the hill. Maybe I'm being a little hard on him. How am I supposed to know whether or not he rigged the bomb? I mean, it still worked, after all.
He's not a bad guy. But who was he talking to earlier? I thought he was on my side and mine alone. No one else here even cares about him! Do I?
No, he's dead weight. Emphasis on the dead. Because as soon as I get the chance, I'll get rid of him, too. But for now he's still useful to me. Guess I'll have to drag him along until that day comes.
Good grief, my head is pounding. If I could focus long enough we could get this started already. Ok, the plan,
I will distract Brock and Chloe outside the castle so Gideon can sneak in the back
Inside, if he doesn't screw it up, Gideon will plant a trap at the top of the staircase, something potentially to do with fire since we need to save our explosives
Somehow lure them back inside without getting myself killed
Is there a step four?
Ah, gosh, whatever. It's good enough. So we set out. Man oh man why is my head throbbing? Whatever. I can still charm them with a splitting headache.
Before we even leave the wooded area I send him off. Laid out in front of me is a field of craters and loose rock. Who hosted this party? And why wasn't I invited?
"Ah, Chloe! Scout's at the door!" Brock's voice floats through the halls of the shambled castle and rests on my ears. They're in the doorway instantly. Great, almost there already.
With a toothful smile, I offer them a bow. "My lady and gent, I come in peace."
"Yeah, right." Chloe snorts, loading a crossbow and pointing it towards me. A coward's weapon.
"What do you want, Scout? And where is your lackie?" Brock accuses me, fishing out a bow of his own.
"Lackie, ay? That's a good term for him. I don't know, off, he's been fraternizing about I presume. Was off this morning, too." Notice Chloe's foot digging into the ground as her eyes begin to drift. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
"Course not." She shifts her weight and peers down my face. Well, now I have my answer.
With a turn of my heel, I stuff both my hands into worn out pockets. "Looks like you've made quite the mess out here." My foot swings and knocks a rock into a nearby hole.
"Why would we blow up our own base?" Chloe's voice drips with sarcasm. A smile tears through my cheek.
"Not my business, I suppose." A tiny chuckle slips past my lips.
"We've already served justice for what was done here, Scout." Brock announces rather loud, following me into the torn field. Halfway there. "Careful, or you'll be on that list."
"Not intending to," I surrender both hands and turn about. "Scout's honor." Offering a small wink at Chloe, I lower my hands. "So? Don't tell me you're going to make me guess?"
"Ethan and Jay." Chloe's arms relax and she steps into the grass. "But like Brock said, they've paid since."
"Might I ask how?" Now this is the juicy stuff. Keeping up with the death log is one thing, but hearing the first person account is even better. It almost makes me forget we are here to kill them. Almost.
Now if this headache would just settle, maybe I could listen. If luck exists maybe my face won't show a cringe. "Firing squad for Ethan and Trent," Brock smiled, pointing out long around the tree line. "Trent had been causing us grief as well, and we shot him down just over there. When he came back he finished the job on Ethan."
"Wow, didn't know you all had it in you." A genuine shock. I mean, they're not even red! But delightful, nonetheless.
"We're within our rights." Chloe smudged her face with a dirty sleeve as she dabbed at sweat. "They came at us first."
"Hope I didn't sound insulting." I protest with raised palms, my thumbs resting on the belt strap of my pants. "And Jay?"
"Heh," Brock's extended finger rose up the hill where I could see the sooty shambles of what used to be a house. But the only reason I know that is because I had been there. Not much remains of it now. "I think you can see what we did to him just up there."
"Really, I am rather impressed. It seems you understand the point here." Survive. In any way necessary. With a long glare up the mountain, I begin to wonder, "What about his dogs?"
"Dogs?" Chloe scoffs. "What dogs?"
"Ah, well," My eyes drift back to the broken remnants of the castle walls as I see Gideion climbing down. "That's my cue to leave." I regain their eyesight so as not to cause suspicion. "If you don't know about the dogs, I am certainly not sticking around for you to find out. Jay is easy enough to handle, but not those beasts." My head spins and throbs when I turn to go.
"Hey, wait now," she chases after me as I retreat. "What dogs? Stop! You can't say something like that and just leave!"
"Sure I can," another smirk, "See? That's what I'm doing here."
"Stop, or I shoot." Regardless of whether she is bluffing or not, I know she's capable. So, I stop, and turn around with what I hope looks like annoyance rather than fear. "What did you come here for?"
"Just feeling out where everyone stands right now, I suppose," my shoulders jump.
"I don't believe that for a second," Brock jumps in. I had almost forgotten he was even here. Almost. "Why would you be looking for allies here? I thought we were on your, like, most wanted list for stealing that stupid llama."
"Yeah," Chloe agrees, shifting her weight with the crossbow in hand. I stare down the arrow. What a beautiful weapon. At this range, I'd be a goner for sure, but it wouldn't be quick. Definitely not the most ideal of circumstances for myself, but I have to admire her gusto. "We know you're looking for revenge. So tell us your real motives."
"And how do you know that?" The edge of my lip tugs upwards. She doesn't answer, digging her feet further into the terraign. Got her. "I think we're done here."
"Fine, leave," her weapon relaxes to her side and she mumbles a bit more to herself. Brock looks quizzingly between the two of us but goes to stand with her with an unraised bow.
"My pleasure." And just as I came, I leave with a small bow, and trot off to find Gideon.
He's waiting for me just out of earshot. With a couple of squirms and avoiding glances, I begin to believe this is going to be a difficult conversation. "What happened?" My voice deadpans. Ridiculous. One job, I give him,
"Look, there wasn't much to work with," he defends weakly. Excuses.
Weird how asking someone to kill for you makes them a bit shaky.
Oh, look who has finally woken up. Care to keep your nose out of this? "Well, that is disappointing." With an un-arched back I let my full height tower over his fragile form. "If you can't do this right, of what use are you to me?"
F-R-
I thought I told you to get lost.
I-E-N-
I'm not listening.
D-S-H-
Doesn't affect me if I'm not listening.
I-P
No one ever needed that. Just go away, I've got an unruly subordinate to deal with.
"I can try again!" He protested with wide, wet eyes. Good. He knows his place. "An idea came to me, I just need a little more time,"
My arms cross over my chest, feeling my heart beat faster. "It was hard enough to get their attention once." Gosh, could this headache just go away?
"We'll get someone else's help then, yeah? I don't know! But give me another shot." See? This is the reaction I'm looking for. Fear is a driving factor of loyalty.
Or an invitation for anarchy.
"Fine. One more chance." But let it be known, I will drop his deadweight one day. You can't stop me now.
Yeah, well, let it be known I'll fight you with every ounce of power I have left.
One day you'll come up dry, Scout. You can't fight me forever.
So we looked around a bit, wondering who we might possibly find who both hates the castle people as much as we do and… well, doesn't hate us. Eventually we stumbled across Ethan. Someone you came to know well, right?
Leave him alone.
I do appreciate you getting him to trust us.
"Oh, no," his freshly yellow eyes widen as we approach him. "Look, I don't want trouble…" A rigid scar stretched across his forehead outwards from a definite point near the middle.
"We're not here to bring you any." Well, directly. I suppose if things go south at the castle, there could be trouble. Nothing we can't handle.
This guy literally just died to them. Maybe give him a little space.
If he's angry enough, the timing is perfect.
"What do you want, then?" He pulls down the mask to reveal a tight lip, but I can see a little quiver. Atta boy, trying to look strong. "I'm a little busy."
"I'm sure you are." Gideon retorts, earning him a glare from me. "Maybe we can just keep…"
"How would you like to get revenge on the people who did this to you?" Pushing Gideon to the side, I offer my widest grin. Ethan's jaw loosens as he struggles for the words, so I'll supply them, "We want to get revenge on the castle people, too. They're getting to make a place for themselves in this world that doesn't belong to them. They're getting big headed, don't you think? Green and yellow names taking out people. That's my job."
Really? Your job? You can't do anything without using one of us.
Yeah? It's worked so far, hasn't it?
Nothing to say to that?
"Well, isn't that what I would be doing?" He retreats a couple steps backwards, but I match his pace easily. "I'm only yellow."
"No, because I'm leading this expedition. And we're using traps. No sense fooling with the whole provoking rule." I offer him a little shrug, and he looks me up and down. He's considering it.
He's afraid.
Whatever works.
"I'm not incredibly popular there, right now." Ethan sighs. "If I'm caught setting traps I think that'll be it for all of us."
"You won't be caught. All you've got to do is stick with me and lure them out of the castle so Gideon can set the trap." A twirl on my heel leaves me facing the man himself. He is startled to look up at me. "And not mess it up this time, right?"
"Right." He repeats. Ethan passes a glance between the two of us.
"Fine. But I won't get close enough to not have coverage in the woods if I need it. I don't trust them." Well I can't ever imagine why not.
Leave him alone. You don't care about them, so stop dragging people into your twisted games.
Ah, but isn't that what he did?
We… We don't know that for sure.
"Just follow after me." So we talked it over on the way, but there wasn't much to discuss. Basically, we do it again… but better. Most of the talking bits would be impromptu anyways. So after Gideon breaks off, Ethan and I pass through the valley near the tree line.
"Ah, Chloe! He's back! And he's gathering people!" And just like that, they're back outside. Ethan takes a few nervous steps behind me. Worthless. Well, he is a yellow name after all.
At least he isn't green. "Hey, let's not jump to conclusions." With arms held up in mock surrender, we step forward only slightly. Better to bring them to us. "Not my fault that the way to the desert is in your path."
"The desert is huge." Chloe spits a strand of hair out of her mouth and readies her bow. "You came this way on purpose."
"Not true," very true, "The best entrance is through here," actually, the worst.
"Where is Gideon?" She insists. Why does she care so much about him? Both times, she asks about the coward!
"Away, as I said before. Why do you think I'm looking elsewhere for partnership?" I shove a thumb in Ethan's direction. He shrivels away from my gesture. A shame. He should be honored that I would even pretend to claim him.
"You're turning to them?" Chloe laughs, shaking her head at my new partner.
"Yeah, well, not like I've got any place else to go." His glare turns hard onto the castle dwellers. Ooo, even I got shivers!
"No place for traitors, here." Brock shoots back without a stutter.
I push myself to the middle of the crowd and extend my arms, "Well, you've asked for my lackie," take another glance around, and snort, "where is your third?"
"I sent him to enchant some materials for us." Chloe lowers the bow. "See how easy it was for me to answer that?"
"Very well rehearsed, maybe." I offer a shrug. Wow I didn't know her face could turn that color. Oh, I am definitely getting under her skin. What fun! Let's see how far I can push her before she tries to shoot.
Although, I may want to stop before that extreme. "What do you want, Scout?" Her arms cross atop a battered sweater, and her mouth is a near perfect line.
"Like I said, just passing through," so we begin to walk. Not enough time… we need to think of something else… If not, Gideon won't get off so easy. And, maybe, neither will I.
"Not so fast," Brock jumps forward and we both stop. Or, maybe he will set his own trap. "I want you to admit it."
"Admit what?" One eyebrow rises over my face. There are quite a few things I have to fess up to, so I'm not sure which one in particular he's referring to.
"Not you," his eyes peer down on my masked partner. "Admit you did this to the castle."
"Does it matter if I do or don't?" Ethan scoffs. "You obviously believe I did, and I lost my first life because of it."
"I just want to hear you say it." I'm not sure I've ever heard Brock's voice get so quiet. And the funny thing is, it's still at a normal volume compared to everyone else!
"So you can stop feeling guilty about what you've done?" Ethan looks down his nose at the much shorter man. Woah, woah, woah! I chose the right person to accompany me! I think everyone felt that one!
Brock doesn't answer. At first, anyways, it seems he would just shrink behind Chloe and drop it. But he shakes off the look and pulls back the bowstring with an arrow pointed right at us. Right at Ethan, specifically. "And do you want pride to be the cause of the loss of your second?"
I've been hanging out with the wrong people. I was so caught up in the Pizza debacle that I never realized how valuable the castle people might be…
"Fine, but let me show you. I just need a few supplies." Ethan's eyes close in on the aggressors.
"You can't be serious?" Chloe scoffs. "You think we're going to let you–"
"Fine. But be quick." Brock slides the arrow tip towards me. "He stays." I just offer a smile. This will buy us some time. Enough time for Gideon to get out safely, I hope. Ethan nods at them, catches my gaze for a few knowing seconds, and then heads into the woods.
"We're not just going to let him go?" Chloe scolds Brock under her breath. Can't help but agree. I wouldn't have let him go.
"No, of course not! But he's going to show us whatever it is he did before, we can use the design to defend ourselves in the future." See, I need thinkers like this. How was I the one to get stuck with a dead-weight sweater man? Who could really be speeding it up a bit. Where is he?
"So he can do this again?" Her arm swoops across the landscape, which more or less just looks like a minefield.
"We're watching him this time, it's not like he can fire off an explosive while we're watching!" That's a bold statement. You know what? Just for it, I'd like to see it. So what if it gets me killed?
No, we cannot die yet. We must purge this world first.
Oh, that's right. Gosh, I had almost forgotten about my headache. Almost.
Woah, wait… what? But if you're in my head, why am I…
Shhh, he's coming back! This is going to be fun.
Ethan comes back dragging large pieces of dead wood. He starts assembling, but my head starts spinning. The ramming of the hammer echoes the throbbing in my head. What am I doing here?
What's the problem? We're almost done now, and you've not even got to get your hands dirty.
"What exactly are you intending to do with that?" Chloe is a bit more skeptical, as she should be. He's building a weapon in her front yard while she sits around watching him.
"Showing you what I made, I thought that was what you wanted?" He ignores them to continue his project and begins setting up a very rudimentary structure.
"Yeah, well, don't try anything funny." Chloe protests behind clenched teeth. There are not many words passed while he builds, so my attention drifts to the castle. I cannot see Gideon. Which, I suppose, is a good thing, because no one else can either.
"What are you looking at?" Chloe shows me with her shoulder and follows my gaze. Right, right, I should stop staring.
"Can't a guy be bored?" I clear my throat and look back towards the growing device.
"This is a catapult." Brock crossed his arms. "I know a catapult when I see one."
"Yeah, you're right." Ethan smirked, slipping a small device out of his pocket. Chloe and Brock fail to notice, but he meets my gaze. Oh boy. Here we go. He slips it into the spoon part of the arm and clicks the trigger. To their surprise. We are able to slip into the forest and run. Flying arrows and the sound of an explosion behind us, we just run.
They didn't see me, ok, ok, let's just get out of here. It's primed and ready. As soon as they come up the stairs, it'll trigger the tripwire and break their furnace. It's a good thing they made a furnace, though I'm not sure what they're burning… Whatever it is, it is hot. Nearly burned myself several times.
Alright, no time to consider that, I should get out. With a bit of footwork I make my way down the back of the building and land in the dusty foundations.
"Squuuaack!"
What was that unearthly sound? A flash of color swoops past my nose, nipping at my hair as it goes by. Ouch! I think it grabbed a few strands, too! Was it a bird? It was a bird! My eyes fix on the bright blue of a large, yellow beaked… parrot? Since when do parrots live in this biome? No, it's not a parrot. The blue ones are called Macaws, right?
"Shoo!" I shout in as much of a whisper as I can. That cheeky creature tucks the pieces of my dirty blond hair into the tree trunk and then stares at me. "Get off, then!" I mumble and continue my descent.
"Squack, get off, then."
Shoot. It can talk. "Shoo! Go on now!" My foot nearly slips on one of the rocks, causing a large shift in a significant portion of the wall. Double shoot. With clammy hands, I cling to the rubble and hope it doesn't fall. The parrot makes another dive for my head, claiming another few strands. "Gosh, you're going to get me caught! Then we're both going to be in trouble!"
"Trouble! Trouble! Squack!" Of course that's the word it heard. Just don't talk back to it and it'll go away.
Once the foundations settle I make my way down. My little birdie friend doesn't seem to understand the seriousness of this situation, making yet another grab for my hair. This time I swat him off. "Pesky bird." I grumble, finding my footing at last on the ground.
"Pesky bird, pesky bird." It repeats. Because of course it would. I don't have time for this nonsense, I need to get out of here. Time to move to the meet up spot. The whole way Mr. Pesky Bird follows along, taking the occasional dive at me and singing his name. "Pesky bird, pesky bird!"
"Yes. Yes, you are a pesky, pesky bird." My teeth grit together and I drop to my knees to find myself a nice big stone. "Get off!" With a large swoop I hurl the stone at the nuisance bird and it flies off. Finally!
"Oi, Pesky Bird," Ethan's voice and hurried footsteps approach quickly. I jump to turn about and see the pair of them running away from a flying arrow. "Let's go!" So we run.
My ears barely miss something Scout says to me as we stop at the edge of the desert, but he doesn't let me miss it long. He takes both my shoulders and shakes me up a bit till my eyes are on his. "Try using your ears instead of playing with birds. Did they see you?"
"I don't think so, but I, I…" What am I supposed to say? It wasn't my fault that stupid parrot wouldn't leave me alone!
"Get your head in the game, gosh," he took up the lead towards the mountain. Goodness. Catching my breath never felt so unhelpful. My chest is so tight it could pop.
"Hey, Scout," Ethan grins, jogging a few steps to show him the player log he had brought up on his wrist watch. "It worked. We got him." Oh no.
It was true. The trap worked. Brock burned to death.
Why did I do it? Why can't I stop? I can't keep playing with people's lives! It's not right!
"Pesky bird!" I run right into the mountain of a man in front of me. Oops. I guess he was trying to get my attention again. "Listen, won't you? Go and collect some of the food rations we tucked away in the forest and bring it up for us to eat. We're going to start a fire."
"Uh, yeah, sure thing." I swallow. Why should I complain? At least then I have time to think before getting berated again. Well, I suppose this is just my lot. What I've been given as punishment for making this stupid game. To constantly have someone on my shoulder, forcing me to take lives… and I'm not even red!
But… he's not really forcing me, is he? Sure, he makes it hard to say no when he pushes me around a bit but, I've got to say, not all of me was so sorry Brock was down one.
Not to say he was the one I wanted to see down the most, but it doesn't hurt to know others are a lot closer than me. If the stakes really are as high as I think they could be then I'd be lying to myself if I didn't want to live. Want to survive. Get back to what is normal, get back to my family and friends.
And, hey, if I did win then I could end this game. Scold the people who ruined my idea and then left me stranded here! Or… go down with them.
Who's to say they wouldn't lock me up too? Oh, well. Not something I really have the time to think about here. I need to get these scraps back up to Scout before he loses his head. Or, worse, takes mine…
So I push back the moss curtain hiding our small chest underneath where I recover some of the pieces of bread and apples and take the long hike back up the mountain.
"That's all you got?" Scout scoffs, snatching two of the loafs from me and passing them between himself and Ethan, leaving an apple for me.
"It's all we have left." I mumble.
"Fine, whatever, shoo off then, pesky bird. We've got business."
"Can that not be my nickname, please?" I sigh, taking a large bite from the nearly dried fruit.
"Well, maybe if you hadn't nearly jeopardized us by playing with your little feathered friend, it wouldn't have to be." His eyes pierce through me. Why does he look so scary? A face that was once filled with compassion now replaced with bitter hatred.
"Yeah, alright." So I take up inside the shelter and just rest my eyes, thinking about tomorrow, until I see the fire die outside. Ethan's voice drifts over the dunes and I assume Scout will be right in. But, ten minutes later, he's still not. So I go to see if he's still around. He's not up around our base, and not around any of our storage areas from what I can see. Just as I'm about to give up and head back in to sleep for the night, I spot him.
He's by the river. Sitting down there, it does something to him. Makes him calmer. Makes him almost normal again. But last time…
And then that awful laughter worked its way up his throat again. "That's right, you did swear your life to me." I gulped. Springing to his feet, he grabbed my shoulder and hoisted me upwards. "So it's time to train you how to fight."
It just didn't end well.
"Next time, you won't question me." The tip pushes into the flesh just above my hip. Gosh, oh crap, I didn't think he would actually… my hands cover the injury as he pulls the sword out. Blood soaks through my fingers. The stench of iron makes me gag, and my watch buzzes to pull my health bar up to view. Two hearts. One and a half. One. A half.
But the river is possibly the only place I get to see my friend again. And even if it means risking my life, maybe–I mean, just possibly, or maybe even uncertainty but–no. It's worth it. I owe him that.
So… I slide down the shifty hills. I could turn around, he hasn't spotted me, I mean… stop it. Just go.
He doesn't even look up when I sit beside him, his face hidden by the shadow of his shaggy hair. I wonder what he's thinking. The crazy side of him seems to be toned down, at least, or maybe he's just angry with me still.
Could be that. Nothing I do anymore seems to be approvable in his opinion. Not him, I shouldn't say that, whatever is inside of him.
"G?" His voice is soft, unlike how I've heard it in a while. G? Did he just say G?
"Not a pesky bird anymore, am I?" I allow myself a chuckle, although I just as quickly flinch in preparation for what he's going to say.
But he doesn't say anything. Instead, he just looks at me. Tears running down his face. His lip quivers slightly around a wrinkled expression. Oh, Scout.
"G, I don't like your game very much." My stomach plummets to my feet. Gosh. For goodness sake. If I didn't feel guilty enough!
"Scout, I-I'm sorry." Why can't I fix this? Why did I make it in the first place? And why can't I remember any of it?
And why don't I know what to do now? My limbs are frozen to the sand.
"I can't take it anymore." With a sweaty arm, he smudges the tears off his cheeks. "I can't. I don't want to kill anyone."
But he hasn't… I have. "Me either."
"I know." He turns back to the river. The currents and chirping and the heat rushes through the rapids of our minds. "Which makes my next question a really hard one to ask."
What does that mean? "Scout… what are you…"
"And I don't want you to feel bad." He says without looking at me, and places his hand on the sword which laid in the sand between us. He always has it with him, I hardly even recognized it was there.
No. No, I know where this is going… "Scout, I can't, please don't." With a rigid jump I stare at him with large eyes. But still utterly cemented to my spot. "Don't say it."
"If you don't, we're just going to keep… hurting people!" He turns back to me with sad, sad eyes. No. Stop. Stop! "I'm going to hurt you… make you do things you don't want to do! A-and I can't take him anymore, G, I can't." The tears come more rapidly.
"Take… who?" My hands are shaking. Why? Why did I ever think this would be ok? That this game was not the worst idea anyone has ever had? Ever.
"I only have one life, and," he pauses. Maybe I can stop him from saying it. He doesn't have to… "I don't want to ask you to do something so drastic, but, if you kill me…"
"Scout,"
"If you kill me, it might save everyone else."
"No." That's all I could say. All the strength within me. But I can't do it. I can't kill him.
I know it's my fault, all of it. Even when he's threatening me, influencing it… it's still all me. Whether by my hand or another. But it's not over, no one is lost until someone has lost their last life. And that I just won't do.
As long as the strength is within me, I'm going to hold onto hope.
We're going to get out of here. All of us.
He nods a few times and doesn't pursue it. Instead, he just turns back to the river. "Maybe you should go."
Go? Go… where? "No." It's still all I have.
"I don't want to hurt you." Is he sending me away? Can he feel it coming back? Or… if I don't do it, will he?
"No." And I realize, "You can't." It doesn't matter what he does. Right here, right now, this is him. And I'm deciding it, "Because I know you wouldn't." This is why I've stayed with him. It's why I'm staying.
He sniffles. "Thanks, G."
Tears for Scout, everyone, lol. As an author we do like to make characters cry! Question for you... what is your favorite insdie-joke from the Life Series, Hermitcraft, Empires, or other related servers?
