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Jax was not having a fun time.
Unusually, Caine had no adventure planned today, so they were stuck at the beach. Jax sat in a sun bed, far away from the others, a large umbrella shielding him from the annoying sun that didn't seem to ever shut up. The shade was nice; he could close his eyes and nap without overwhelming light blasting in his face.
However, he couldn't stop his gaze from wandering to the other side of the beach, where the others where.
Zooble and Gangle were building a sand castle together, happiness glowing through their smiles. Pomni, Kinger and Ragatha were playing in the ocean with a stripy beach ball. The fact that Pomni seems to be better having so much fun without him bothered Jax for some reason. Not like he cared.
What if she forgets about me-
Ever since Jax and Pomni's fight, Pomni had been avoiding him like the plague. Not that Jax was hurt by it, why did he do that, he'd expected it. Not like she'd want to hang out with him after what he did.
Not like it mattered anyway.
Not like he ever cared.
Jax wouldn't have even come, if it weren't for the fact that his room was becoming increasingly suffocating to stay in, and he'd rather suffer at the beach than endure another hallucination-induced acid trip that made his heart race with emotions Jax couldn't put to words.
Truth be told, as much as the hallucinations scared Jax, he also liked them. If it was the only way he could see Ribbit and Kaufy again, even if it wasn't really them, so be it.
Jax groaned, scrunching his eyes shut.
I'm sick to death of my fucked up brain. Can't it just shut up for once?
Jax lay like that for what felt like hours, eyes clamped shut, thoughts cursing him with anger and sadness. Guilt churned in his stomach as his thoughts raced back to Pomni.
No. Stop. You don't care. You don't care about anyone here.
how long can I keep lying to myself like this
Crunch!
Jax shot up, eyes snapping open at the sound.
What the fuck?
Jax's eyes darted around the place, trying to find the source of the sound. Everything seemed normal, the others were still hanging out, Pomni and Ragatha now having ditched the sea for sun beds and Kinger resting in the shade next to a tree.
Crunch!
Jax's eyes snapped to the location of the noise.
The lake.
Jax could feel his breaths speed up ever so slightly.
He knew that noise. There was no universe where he didn't know that noise.
It was the noise that he heard every time Ribbit came to see him and take him to that strange psychedelic place.
But he was hearing it now. Not in the sanctuary of his room, where no one could see him, he was hearing it now. At the beach, where everyone could see him.
This can't be happening.
Slowly and carefully, trying his hardest not to draw any attention to himself, Jax got up from his sun bed and creeped towards the source of the noise, heart pounding against his rib cage. Each step was more difficult than the last and his body grew heavier with each dread-filled step.
His foot clipped the edge of the waters.
CRUNCH!
The sound was even louder now, Jax flinching as it cut through the air.
His feet became submerged in water, attempting to get closer.
He didn't.
Something cold and slimy closed around his ankle. Jax's eyes darted to it, horror filling his limbs and he recognised Ribbits swamp-green hand through the crystal clear waters.
Then she pulled.
And Jax went under.
The ocean surface was above him, slowly getting smaller and smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and-
Jax jolted as bright colours of every kind filled his vision. He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxation weighing om his limbs.
What was I even worrying about?
Wakeup
He was floating like a graceful butterfly through the magestic colours and alternating shapes as the strange calm overwhelmed his senses even more, seeping into every part of his being. Kaufy and Ribbits faces appeared in the shapes, a reminder that he was not alone here.
Everything Is okay. I am okay.
why can't I breathe
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Pomni's POV
Pomni was having a great time.
She never thought she'd ever have so much fun had the circus. Playing catch with Ragatha and Kinger, building Sandcastles with Gangle and Zooble, sunbathing with Ragatha. Right now, with her friends, she could almost pretend like they were in the real world. The circus seems so far away, travelling to the back of Pomni's mind.
I wish everyday was like this, just relaxing and hanging out with all my friends.
Pomni frowned, a sudden thought shooting into her mind.
Well, not all my friends, I guess. Jax isn't here.
Despite everything that happened that day, despite everything Jax had said, Pomni still considered him her friend. She could see right through his act, his fear, his loneliness, his sadness. She wasn't about to abandon him.
Getting up from her sun bed, Pomni started wandering towards where she had last seen Jax: lying on a lone sun bed, far away from everyone.
Pomni frowned.
Jax was gone.
It's fine. He's probably gone back to his room. It's not like he would've wanted to talk to you anyway.
Dead settled like a pit in Pomni's stomach
So why do I feel so worried?
Eyes drifting towards the lakes, Pomni felt inclined to dive into it. She wasn't sure why, it was just an odd feeling that had suddenly overcame her.
Stepping closer, her dread split into confusion as she realized there was a strange pink glow coming from under the gentle waves.
The waves clipped her feet.
Pomni froze.
Oh no.
She now new why she felt so worried.
Jax.
Taking a very deep breath, Pomni dived into the waves, bolting for her friend.
Jax was drowning.
She didn't know how, but he was.
If I don't reach him in time, What's going to happen?
Jax was getting closer and closer and Pomni bolted for him, and her eyes widened at the fact that Jax's eyes were glowing.
What's happening to him?
To her relief, Pomni reached Jax, wrapping an arm around him and slinging him over her shoulder, before bolting it for the surface.
Once why had reached the surface, Pomni practically threw Jax onto the beach before kneeling in front of him, unsure of what to do as his eyes glowed pink.
She grabbed his arm tightly, shaking it violently.
"Jax!" Pomni cried. "Wake up, please!"
There was no response from the rabbit, not even a flinch.
Pomni tried again. She was not giving up.
"JAX!" She cried, even loading this time, voice strained with panic. "WAKE UP!"
Jax's body flinched this time.
She tried again.
"JAX!"
Again
"JAX!"
Again.
"JAX!"
Pomni was crying now. Pomni didn't cry often, but her fear was too strong to hide.
Again.
"JAX!"
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Jax's Pov
It had been calm. Jax wished it had stayed calm.
The first few minutes were bliss. No sensation in his limbs, his head foggy with joy, Ribbit and Kaufy by his side. He couldn't have been happier.
Then, his chest started to feel tight.
It was bearable at first, a mere thorn in his side, but now? Jax could barely handle it as he folded in on himself, breaths catching in his throat.
I can't breathe.
The realization made him panic.
Icantbreatheicantbreatheicantbreatheicant-
"J--!" Something cried out. The sound felt foggy and far away, but Jax focused his attention on it, wanting any way out of here.
"JA-!" It was getting louder.
"JAX!"
Jax's eyes flew open, and he immediately became aware of the fiery sensation in his lungs.
Water.
He started spluttering, water tumbling out of his mouth. He was vaguely aware of another set of hands wrapped around his middle, preventing him from folding in on himself as he puked out water and sick.
He didn't know how long he was like that for, but it felt like hours.
When his lungs finally felt empty, he gasped a sigh of relief, tears streaming down his face.
Hands wrapped around him, pulling him into someone's embrace. Jax didn't know who it was, and he frankly didn't care. He felt too broken and exhausted to care. He started bawling into the person's chest, pain reeking in every muffled sob.
He couldn't keep doing this.
Jax knew the hallucinations were bad. He was too wrecked by grief to care. But now, he saw the consequences of trusting something so unknown.
The person didn't move, they only pulled him tighter, one hand stroking one of his ears. It felt so comforting it made Jax cry a little harder.
Maybe he didn't need to look to the past to be happy.
Maybe it was time to leave that behind.
He knew Pomni still cared about him, in the way she glanced at him when he passed, and when she came and informed him when adventures where happening when he felt too exhausted to move.
He hoped she would forgive him for the fight.
He hoped.