Chapter Text
Howard can't help but back himself into the wall, and curl into a ball, closing his eyes and blocking. He's shaking. He can't breathe. This can't be real. This can't be real.
1.... 2.... 3.... 4....
"aaaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
5.... 6.... 7.... 8....
A thump echos throughout the hall.
9.... 10.... 11.... 12....
Screams of panicked students. Howard can't move. Howard can't open his eyes.
13.... 14.... 15.... 16....
Silence. Complete silence.
Through shaky breaths, Howard opens his eyes. He looks around the room. Thick, greenish black ooze covered the walls and floor. It smelled horrible. Carefully, Howard stands. He relaxes as he lets out a sigh of relief. The battle is over. But.... where was the Ninja?
"Ninja!" Howard yells out. He slowly starts walking through the room. "Ugh, this stuff really stinks.... Hey, Ninja! Desuit already so we can go home! I'm tired...."
Nothing happens. Howard can't even smell a hint of the smokebombs, though that might just be because of how bad the ooze smells.
He looks around again, scanning the room like a robot. In the midst of all the black stuff, he sees the bright red of the ninja scarf.
"There you are!" He exclaims. He starts rushing over. The closer he is, the more red he sees. Red, green, and black swirled together until....
Ninja lay on the ground, his body still and limp, a gaping whole in his torso. His arms and legs were all attached, bending in inhuman ways, but his stomach, intestines, and heart spilled out all over the floor. The heart was still quietly thumping. The ninja mask was pulled up over his eyes, but not completely off, face frozen as he stares upwards at nothing.
Howards eyes widen. He stumbles backwards.
"Aaa.... aaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Unable to keep his balance, he falls down to the floor. His stomach flips. He can't keep himself from throwing up.
The smell was even worse now.
Tears flood his eyes as he finishes throwing up. He groans and moans in pain. He looks towards the body again. He can't breathe.
The Ninja is dead. The Ninja of Norrisvile is dead. The Ninja is.... Randy. Randy Cunningham. Randy Cunningham is dead. His best friend is dead. Randy is dead. Randy is dead. Randy is dead.
His guts are spilled all over the floor. His body is limp and lifeless. His eyes have nothing behind him. All the memories they made together are gone. His video game highscores, grades, clothes.... all of it is meaningless now. They belong to no one. Because Randy is dead.
Randy is dead.
Howard screams more, louder. He begins to sob, unable to stop his tears.
"No.... no!!!!! You can't be dead!!!! You can't!!!!" Howard screams at Randy, expecting a response. "Get up.... get up....!!! Please!!!!!"
No response.
"Dammit.... i knew you shouldn't have trusted that thing....! Why didn't you listen to me?! Why?!"
"Howard....?" A familiar voice speaks up. He hears gentle taps of steps coming closer. He jumps, feeling a hand on his shoulder.
"You're okay.... thank god.... I was worried...."
Howard looks up to see his sister standing above him. He swallows the lump in his throat. "H... Heidi....?"
"I heard you screaming.... Are you okay?"
Howard freezes, tears still dripping down his face. How does he answer this? Of course he wasn't okay - his best friend just died. His guts are spilled all over the floor. But.... he can't tell her what happened, can he? He promised Randy he would keep his idenity a secret....
Howard once again swallows the lump in his throat. Heidi reaches her hand out. Shaking, Howard takes it and pulls himself off the ground. He wipes his eyes.
"Howard? Were you.... crying?" Heidi asks, sounding genuinely concerned. They weren't the closest of siblings, but she knows her brother doesn't cry.
"What? No...."
"Where's Sandy?" Heidi asks, looking around.
"His name is Randy." Howard snaps at her. "Randy! He told you this a dozen times! And he.... he went home already...."
"Oh, okay.... Lets go home too...."
Their walk home is silent.