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Derek stared at the half-black screen, nursing a cup of water. He had already known what was going to happen. He would not make it out of this place alive, at least in Minecraft. Time would not allow him to do so.
He closed the google doc, fullscreening Minecraft again. He had written his goodbyes, as bad as it was.
Derek had long since come to peace with this. He had his plans in place already. But, for as long as he remained looking at the computer screen, he would live. For now anyway.
Derek could look away for the briefest of moments. It caused pain beyond any imagination but it was neither death nor completely and utterly intolerable. Derek could live for some time if he looked away. Not for long and in pain far worse than anything any human has experienced, but he could live. But a brief moment was all Derek needed right now. Derek lifted his head, looking up and away from the laptop screen.
It was one thing to know everything. It was another to actually experience something.
For that brief second that Derek had managed to look up from the screen, he had caught sight of blond hair and green eyes sitting across the cafe. Of another man, scrolling through his phone, sipping at a coffee.
He groaned quietly and looked back down at his black laptop screen. He probably looked demented, staring at a black Minecraft screen, clutching his head, but the carefully planned and even more carefully executed plan of coming down here had been well worth it.
To see that brief glance of Avery.
To see him properly. Even if Avery didn’t know who he was and wouldn’t even know what Derek looked like, that short sight had been all Derek needed.
His first and last look at his dearest, and really, his only friend.
Derek smiled softly at his laptop. He hoped Avery would be alright. His laptop would end up in Avery’s hands soon anyway. Better in his hands than in the hands of the DMS.
Derek scrunched his face up at the thought of the department. “They’re so stupid,” Derek muttered to himself. He shook his head, his head still aching. He took a sip of the water that he’d ordered. Derek continued to sit there for the next hour, letting his headache radiate away. He soon came to feel as good as new, or least as well as he could under his conditions.
Derek carefully stood up, taking his laptop with him, careful to never look away. Using his omniscience, he carefully made his way out of the cafe without bumping into people. He made his way out onto the street. It was a beautiful day. Or Derek supposed it was. According to all the information he knew, it would be a beautiful day, but he couldn’t look up to appreciate it. He couldn’t enjoy his surroundings.
Derek wouldn’t live. The King had ensured that. But he was confident in his plan. It was crucial to ensure that Avery had his laptop and that the DMS didn’t.
Derek entered the storage locker and dumped his laptop down. He dropped the charger next to it and slowly walked backwards, keeping his eyes locked on the computer screen.
He grabbed the door to the locker and as fast as he could, slammed it shut.
Immediately, he felt his head begin to split open in pain.
Derek cried out but began sprinting for his life. Some of the last moments of his life and he would be running. He couldn’t help but curse his existence.
He entered his apartment complex and climbed up the stairs. He shaking and sweating. Blood started to drip from his nose. He stumbled up into his apartment, locking the door behind him.
His brain was frying. Almost literally. It was getting overwhelmed. Blood poured out his nose, coating his green shirt in red. He had maybe a second of life left.
As that last second crossed his mind, he couldn’t help but think of a time that has already happened and yet has not happened. Of his one friend.
“Avery…”