Chapter Text
"Derlord!!!" I screamed at the screen as I fell to the void. I died, respawned back at my house. I stared at the screen for what felt like hours but was probably just a few seconds before someone shook my shoulder. I flinched so bad I fell out of my chair.
"Avery! Jeez, why'd you scream so loud, did you see a spider?!"
It was Leo, he must've just gotten back from his friend's house. I couldn't say anything yet, too busy catching my breath. "I swear, you were on this all night! Didn't even come down for dinner.."
I stared at him for a bit before jumping back into my chair and trying to find the mine again. I could only run a few blocks before Leo shook my shoulder. I wanted to turn around, tell him I was okay, but I couldn't. Not when the guy who SAVED ME was still out there, probably dying. Leo shook my shoulder again once I got 100 blocks from my house, "Avery!!" I didn't look at him, I couldn't, I had to keep going. I had to find D3rlord before I was too late. I stared at the scream, panic beginning to show on my face when Leo pushed me out of my chair. "Why won't you answer me?! Avery, please, say something.. ." I could see he was crying now, tears streaming down and falling to the floor. I tried to go back but he shut my computer. I stayed silent as Leo clung to my arm, unable to look away from my computer. "Derlord..." I whispered, barely able to hear my own voice. "Avery, look at me.. Please."
I looked on for a few more seconds before I looked at his face. Tear tracks filled his cheeks, his nose was an irritated red, his eyes staring at me. He was wearing yellow. I shoved him off me and jumped out my bedroom window, tears running down my face as I continued on. Hours must've passed before I could get my hands to stop shaking. I don't know how far I've ran but I'm at a park right now. Blue flowers flow on the grass, children are playing, smiling and laughing, on the slides, I'm alone on the abandoned swing set. Red leaves are writhing in the wind, struggling against the yellowish brown bark that holds them in place.
I held my head in my hands as I tried to remember anything that Derek told me, anything at all that could help me find him. I replayed all those worlds in my head, over and over, searching for anything I could've done differently. Just as tears threatened to fall again, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, expecting.. I don't know who I was expecting, D3rlord wouldn't be here. Tyler was standing over me, Leo gripping his other arm, still crying. How? He- what?
"Tyler? How are you here?" My voice sounded rough and distant, Tyler looked as confused as I was.
"Avery," his hand tightened on my shoulder, " I want you to tell me what happened. Do you know where you are right now?"
He seems stressed, like something bad happened. I wonder what it was. His hand hasn't left my shoulder yet. Wh- ow! He lightly smacks my cheek and I look at him.
"What the fuck?!" I shouted at him, my voice cracking at some point. I rubbed my cheek where he hit it, feeling the sting. "Avery, I need you to tell me where you are right now." "What?" "Do you know where you are?" "I.. I don't know. How are you here, you live a fucking state away from me!" "Avery.. You are at Lamplight Park, 5 minutes from my house." "I- what?" I stared at him, he stared back. Leo grabbed my hand, which was still holding onto the swing chain. He was crying. He was wearing my oversized dandelion shirt, holding my phone. I hugged him, bringing him close to me. I looked at Tyler. He seemed to understand what I was wondering. "Leo called me, said you just ran from him, like he was a monster. That's not like you. .. What happened?" I stared at him, my eyes feel like steel weights. Why is that? It had only been an hour, right? He says something else, the only thing I can make out is his panicked voice screaming my name. I'm trying to keep my eyes open but it's so hard. My mind... It feels compelled.. . Compelled to shut my eyes and block out the sun. Leo is screaming something, I want to listen but.. . I can't.. . I feel so heavy, like gravity is trying to pull me into the Earth. .. I.. I want to let it drag me. I don't want it to drag me.. . The last thought that crosses my mind before the sun fades is that I need to find D3rlord3. ..