Chapter 4:
I continued to block all of Adam's attacks, our swords clashing together with a fast, steady rhythm, creating sparks from the tension between them. Adam's face was controlled by a focused image, as was mine, set with blank expressions. He looked like he actually had to think while fighting me. I managed to twist his blade from his hand, flipping it over behind me and leaving my blade close to his face and neck.
"Damn, what the hell happened, when did you become good?" Jerome asked. I put the blade back in its sheath, which was still on my back, then turned and pulled Adam's sword out of the ground where it had landed, inserting itself into the soil. I then handed the sword to Adam. He smiled, even if I'd defeated him.
"Well done, I guess I need some more practice then." He determined, shaking my hand as he sheathed his own blade. That counts as a compliment, right? I gently shook his firm, strong, yet soft hand. My skin compared to his was a bit pale, and his hair looked fluffy, curling loosely like it always has. The sun lit up his face, and his smile was divine. Damn it…
"Alright, well, with that out of the way, let's eat breakfast!" Mitch stated, standing and rushing inside, Jerome following close behind. Adam, Ian, and I all followed, sitting at the table as we were passed our breakfast, bacon and eggs, with a side of sliced apple. I ate quietly, adding a comment here or there while they all talked, until eventually I finished, standing and washing my plate.
"How you feeling Ty?" Ian questioned, washing his plate as well.
"Honestly, terrible." They all looked to me.
"If you felt terrible, then why'd you agree to fight? We didn't have to, you know." Adam objected.
"Its fine, I just need to lie down most likely, rest a while." I insisted. "Don't worry about me, go do what you need to do. I'll be fine, and I'll come and get you if something's wrong." I went upstairs, returning with my journal, quill, and ink jar, setting myself up in the living room.
3rdS/1stP/28thD
I've been telling everyone about me liking someone. So far, Jerome, Mitch, and Ian all know. Other than that, I need to tell Adam. Once I've talked with Adam, they're all going to try and figure out who I like, but I doubt they'll know, considering they don't know I'm gay yet, but I'll tell them… maybe next year? No, I need to tell them soon, so I will, like I promised myself last year. Ok, I can do this. I can't tell Adam now, but I can tell him tonight. Definitely tonight. He needs to know today. Deep breaths, you can do this. Distract yourself for now, read the papers Adam got you last night, find out what the Endermen have been up too.
Deadlox
I closed the book and set it in my lap, closing the lid on the jar of ink and setting it all onto the table, grabbing the papers and flipping through them, skimming them.
Gromwell destroyed…
Central city: Section 1 destroyed…
Millow's Wood fields ruin…
I know most of this, where's the new information? Continuing further into the handful, I found something that interested me.
Endermen are looking for someone, the map says it all, the pattern, the destruction. They must be looking for someone Cursed, but there are no Cursed in MineCraftia, that's just an old legend. Maybe they are searching for there long dead mother? If anyone has any information over what the Endermen have been doing and why, please come to White Flag immediately. You can find me staying at the inn in this city. I hope to see you soon.
- Professor Williams
So a professor realized what I found, huh? Oh well. It says to find him, but I can't just go and tell him the Endermen are looking for me, now can I? Sorry Williams, but I don't think you'll be getting anywhere anytime soon, not unless Endermen can start talking. I gathered my stuff, bringing it back upstairs, putting everything back where it needs to go, then taking my blade and hanging the sheath up on a rack in the wall, blade inside.
Going downstairs, I found the front door slightly ajar, going to it and closing it. I went into the living room, but heard the sound of the door creaking open. Entering the kitchen again, I approached the once more ajar door. I looked outside, but no one was there. Slowly closing the door again, I made positively sure it was closed, then waited. It opened again, and I looked outside quickly, starting to get annoyed. When I closed the door again, it never reopened. Going into the living room, I laid down on a couch, having nothing to do. I drifted off to sleep again.
I was woke up, Jerome standing over me. I gave him a weak smile, rubbing my eyes.
"Lunch already?" I asked, yawning.
"Yep, I see you had a nice nap." He answered as we returned to the kitchen. I sat down, was handed a plate, and began to eat, noting that everyone was in the room with me, no one else having food. I slowly stopped eating, glancing around with a confused look.
"Why aren't you eating?" I asked.
"We ate an hour ago, Jerome just wanted to make sure you ate lunch." Mitch admitted. I nodded, continuing to eat. When I finished, Jerome took my plate, washing it, and I went back to the living room, fell face first onto the couch, and instantly fell asleep.
A dreamless, black horizon was all I saw. Nothing was here. Just me, lying here, alone, no bracelet to consume the monster I am. Not scared. Not lonely. Just nothing. I am nothing. I am something to take up space in the empty cavern of the universe. Why am I even alive and breathing? Why would I be put in this realm, this dimension, if my purpose lies elsewhere, where my mother once was… and of my father? I have none. This black and empty dream… It's getting to my head…
I shot up, not breathing heavily, but because I needed to see where I was. Thank god, I'm just on the couch. For a second I thought… Oh, they're staring at me again. I smiled.
"Hey." I weakly stated, moving my legs off the couch. Adam moved from the floor to sit next to me. I need to tell him.
"Have a nice 24 hour nap?" Ian teased. I nodded, feeling my forehead, then stretching.
"Hey Adam, can we talk?" Almost instantly, everyone but Adam dashed up the stairs, making me flinch.
"Sure?" Adam mumbled, just as confused as I was.
"So remember when you told me to sit any of you down to talk?"
"Oh, is this about liking someone, because they already think they figured it out… and also filled me in on everything…" He nervously laughed. I just gave him a smile.
"No, it's fine. I'm going to go to bed now then, if you already know who I like." With that, I went to my room, shutting and locking the door. I sighed heavily, sliding down the door until I was sitting on the ground. That's... Damn it, if he knows already then why hasn't he asked me about it? Someone knocked on my door. "Yes?"
"Could you run an errand real quick?" I heard Ian ask.
"Why?" I questioned, opening my door. He just smiled at me.
"We're all really sore and considering you've just been sleeping all day we were just wondering if you could run to town real quick and pick something up from Hazel." He explained. I sighed.
"Ok, sure, what am I getting?"
"Grain." He informed me, placing money in my hand and turning around. I followed him downstairs, and everyone said bye to me. The night was definitely getting colder, but it felt great. The moon was high in the clouding sky, and the crickets softly communicated with each other, despite the fact they'd be dying off soon.
In town, the streets were dimly lit with lanterns, casting a dark golden glow over everything. I saw Hazel's shop was one of the few still open, and entering, she gave me a warm smile. I smiled back.
"Ty, I thought you were sick, how can I help you?"
"Well everyone else is sore, so they sent me in there place. They said something about getting grain."
"I don't sell grain silly." She softly giggled as I just gave her a confused look. "But, I was wondering… A little birdy told me that you might have a little thing for me." I instantly went a dark, rich crimson, shaking my head no. "I didn't think so, I'm always getting that gay vibe from you- oh, sorry, no offence." She added.
"None taken." I mumbled, turning and leaving without another word. I basically ran home and threw the door open, startling the people sitting calmly at the kitchen table. My face was still red and I just frowned intently, my hair spread over my face, hiding the angry look in my now cold eyes. "A little birdy told me?" I demanded.
"Oh, hey Ty, it's you, you scared us." Adam insisted, placing a hand over his heart. They're stalling.
"A little birdy told me?!" I screamed, slamming the door as I walked in.
"Why are you so mad?" Ian questioned.
"Because I don't like Hazel! I don't like Cameron or Megan either, and you know why?!" I asked, turning to them before going upstairs.
"No…" Mitch uneasily stated. "Why…?" He cautiously asked.
"Because I'm gay!" I yelled, then ran upstairs.
"Oh fuck." Jerome said.
"We fucked up." Adam added. I slammed my door shut, making them flinch, locking the door. I just fell to the floor and hid my face in my arms, holding my knees tightly to my chest, biting my lip. I tuned in on them.
"I really thought we had him figured out, but damn…" Ian mumbled.
"I just wanted him to be happy, I didn't mean to… fuck me…" Jerome quietly whispered.
"It's ok, you didn't know." Mitch replied.
"So, wait a minute…" Adam began.
"What?"
"Ty like's someone with brown hair, who's taller and older than he is, and he's known them a while…" Everything was silent for a long time.
"… And?" Mitch questioned.
"Damn it, look around! Who are you seeing in the same room as you?!"
"Oh shit…" Ian responded.
"Adam, please tell me you aren't saying-"
"Jerome, I am saying that. We all have brown hair, we're all taller than him, hell, he's know us for 6 years and we're all older than him. Hell, if it isn't one of us then…" He didn't finish.
"But… That means it's either you or Ian. It can't be us, right?"
"Never say never. Don't forget, he was unsure to tell the person." Ian quietly stated. I stood; my breathing shaky, slowly managing to take my shirt off. I just stood there like that for a long time, lingering in the subconscious of my mind. I went to take off my bracelet, but paused as footsteps rushed upstairs. A frantic knock pounded on my door, but I didn't reply, slowly looking to the door.
"Ty… Ty, open up, please!" I heard Jerome quietly begged me.
"No." I harshly replied.
"Ty, please!" He pleaded.
"No!" I shouted as I heard more footsteps approaching.
"I wouldn't have said anything if I'd known you were gay, I was just trying to help a bit, I'm sorry!" His voice cracked.
"Jerome, it's ok." Mitch whispered.
"Go away, leave me alone!" I demanded, beginning to mess with my belt. There was no response, and frankly I didn't care. I got my pants off, then threw the bracelet by the mirror and climbed into bed, but didn't sleep, just lied there.
How could I be such an idiot, of course they were going to try and help me… They don't think I can do anything myself because I ask them for so much advice and help with stuff, but I can do things myself, that isn't me anymore… I'm not weak anymore…
I've been lying here for hours, but I think everyone finally fell asleep. I got up, grabbing my clothes and quickly dressing, slipping my bracelet on. I then slipped my sheath on and slowly slipped from my room, shutting the door silently and rushing from the house. It was nearly pitch black, but I could see with the enhanced vision I have. I just started killing. Killing, killing, I was becoming bloodlust, but I needed this.
If I didn't do this I'd yell at all of them, and I didn't want to do that. I was gathering anything I could from the mobs, anything worth value. The bones of the archers could be given to dogs without homes, the gunpowder of the Creepers could be used in making explosives, the pearls of the Endermen could be used in mechanics, or I could just keep them for myself, and the flesh of zombies could be frozen and cooked to make edible food for anyone who can't afford the food we're lucky to eat.
But the real reason I'm killing all these worthless creatures… Hell, I'm just doing it to kill something. I know that's not me though, that's my subconscious. Still, I don't mind killing everything, I'm protecting my town. I wore no armor, nothing but the clothes on my back, but I didn't have a scratch, just blood splattered all over my clothing. I finished killing the zombie horde, calming my breathing down again, then looking to the sky. I've been out all night, damn… I turned towards the house, rushing back. I got insides, no one else up yet, grabbing a rag from the armory we used to clean off the weapons, then hurrying to my room and locking the door behind me.
Walking slowly and pointlessly around my room, I slowly cleaned my silver blade, wiping all the blood away and making sure the blade shined like new. I sheathed it after that, slipping the sheath off and hanging it back up. After that, I slipped off the blood splattered shirt, tossing the bracelet at the mirror and lying down on my bed. I wasn't tired, but I wasn't leaving this room either.
I hadn't moved from my bed. I know they all left, that I could go downstairs, but still. I got up, looking out my window. The day was beautiful, but something didn't feel right. I slowly left my room after grabbing the bracelet and putting it on, creeping downstairs. All was silent, and no one was home. I went to the front door, opening it and standing outside for a bit, but eventually going back inside and up to my room. Before I even opened my door, I heard the front door open.
"Please, put me down!" I heard Adam beg.
"Here you go, here you go…" Ian responded as the door shut again.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck…!" Adam cried out.
"Damn it, what do we do?" Mitch asked.
"No, stop- FUCK! THAT HURTS, STOP!" Adam screamed as I slowly started to the stairs.
"Adam, you have to let me treat your leg, you'll either bleed to death or get an infection!" Jerome argued. I slowly started down the stairs.
"PLEASE- OH FUCK… JEROME, PLE-mmhn?!" I looked around the stairs, holding part of the wall, not letting any of my body show. "Mmmm… mmhn!" Adam tried, his voice muffled by the rag in his mouth. His leg looked messed up badly, and Ian was holding him down, as well as Mitch, while Jerome continued trying to stop the blood that was slowly spilling everywhere.
"God damn it…" Ian mumbled.
"MMHN!" Adam tried to scream out as Jerome pressed down with a rag on the open flesh
"Hold still." Jerome simply stated.
"Oh fuck, what the hell happened?!" I demanded, coming into the room.
"Adam fell down a cavern and got his leg all messed up, it didn't help there was a zombie horde either." Mitch informed me. Adam had tears running down his face as he once more tried screaming out.
"Ty, hold him down for a minute." Mitch asked, rushing upstairs. I quickly went to Adam and held down an arm as he tried desperately to swing it around, but Ian and I didn't let him. Mitch soon returned with a very small bottle, opening it and force feeding it to Adam as he swallowed, not willingly, but he did.
"Thanks." Jerome mumbled as Mitch took his place again. I stumbled away from the bloody mess, bumping against the wall and falling down.
"Ty, are you ok?" Ian questioned as Adam calmed down, relaxing and closing his eyes. "Ty? Ty?" Ian continued, sitting next to me.
"That smell…" I mumbled.
"Do you feel sick?" Ian questioned as I went to stand and leave the room. I didn't feel sick, I just… I nodded as he lead me slowly upstairs, leaving Jerome and Mitch in the living room, sitting me down on my bed. He sat with me, the door slightly ajar, just letting me lean on him. I honestly did want to vomit, considering I just witnessed the person I love bleeding to death. He never left my side, and as Jerome and Mitch continued working, Ian and I talked a bit, but not much. Mitch opened the door.
"Hey, Jerome said he's done; then passed out from exhaustion, so I put him in bed. You ok? You seem a bit green." Mitch confirmed, sitting down on my left side, considering Ian was on my right side. I slowly nodded, still leaning on Ian. "Hey, and about trying to set you up with-"
"No, it's fine… I should have known you guys would try…"
"We didn't mean to upset you." Ian added. I nodded.
"I know." I assured.
"Ok, well… if you don't mind me asking, is it one of us you like?" Mitch calmly questioned. I didn't respond.