Chapter Text
The first time I met Avery was when I met IT. IT stood before me, ITs golden eyes dripping the knowledge of eternities down to me. Every one of IT’s teardrops burned my very soul as IT cried IT’s philosophy out, and into IT’s new vessel. The pain was excruciating, but my eyes stayed locked on this thing. I couldn’t look away, I couldn’t bear to. I kept my eyes locked on this creature, something so incomprehensible. ITs form was one I could not fathom, no longer 3D, and more powerful than anything that relies on mere dimensions. Blinding lights emitted where IT's tears had fallen, filling my view. Something in my head knew that those colours were not just white, but a mixture of every visible shade of light culminating in a white light so bright it burnt through my bones. My eyes instinctively shut to keep the pain out, but that only made the growing throbbing in my skull worse. I opened my eyes back up when the light subsided. And just as quickly as IT appeared, IT was gone. There was a lot I knew about Avery: his age, his height, what he looked like, and his favourite colour. I know a lot of things, past, present and future.
Call it a blessing or a curse, I now know every infinite number of possibilities. But Avery? He couldn’t stop stumping me.
+++
“You're not a very hard guy to catch, you know,” Avery whipped around to face me. “Avery.” It took him a second before he spoke.
“It’s you.”
“Me,” I replied.
“I found you.” He fidgeted with his hands. He looked like a thousand thoughts were going through his head.
“That you did.”
“I-I was starting to think I would never find you.” His eyes darted around, avoiding my gaze.
“What can I say?” I changed my footing.
“Are you okay??” Avery was concerned; he stepped closer to me. “What happened?” His eyes met mine, another step. “What- why did you leave that entry for me? How did you know my name?” The distance between us closed.
“Well, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t in the best state of mind when I left that message.” I sighed.
“What do you mean?”
“Did you read the book?”
“What book?” He tilted his head.
“The book on the lectern, behind you.”
“Well, you kinda cut me off.” He chuckled, smiling at me.
“My bad.” My gaze softened. “You should read it.”
“Okay, one sec,” He searched for something in my eyes for a mere second. “Lemme read it.” He bailed.
I stared back, but nodded. He stepped back and turned around to face the lectern. He finds the page and flips to it. I walk to his side.
…
He furrows his eyebrows, looking back at me as I take a step back to give him space. “What does it mean?” He asks. I tilt my head ever so slightly, and he picks up on it. “It’s weird, but like- what does it mean?”
“Do you know about the King in Yellow?” I say simply
“No?”
“Do you know about Hastur?” I move closer.
“Is that the King in Yellow?”
I sighed, pulling up a chair at one of the myriad tables in this weird place for him. I sit in another myself.
“There’s no way I can put this that doesn’t sound a little insane.” I sighed. “So bear with me.”
“The thing this book talks about—the king, I guess—is something unknowable.” I gesture with my hands, glancing at the table. “IT’s something that shouldn’t be able to exist because IT is everything that exists.” I looked back up at Avery.
“That’s what the book is talking about, that’s what was behind the gates.” I take a breath. “But IT’s not like anything I can describe. IT doesn't have a shape—Or at least you don’t see a shape. When I looked at IT, at least.”
“IT floods your mind with knowledge; knowledge it was never meant to hold. Everything that once was, everything that now is, and everything that will be, stuffed into your head. Through that, IT shows you everything you think you know, your whole reality, is a world that doesn’t exist. That everything you think is true is a tiny minuscule part of an unknowable whole. You live in an illusion. And IT crams all that truth into a mind far too small to handle it.” Avery stared at me.
“Instantly,” a pause. “And it hurts like a truck.” Avery furrowed his brows, taking a long pause before speaking.
“So that was behind the gates?”
“..Yeah.”
Avery loved urban exploring. He was usually part of the popular crowd, but urban exploring and studying graffiti were his guilty pleasures. He would travel to other parts of the country to explore new abandoned buildings to look for new artists.
So in the weeks leading up to the summer holidays, he looked for a new location. Soon, he had his eyes set on this small abandoned gas station. It was around a 4-hour drive from his town, but with his newly acquired license, it was possible. It was hard to get to, an approximately 2-hour walk from the nearest road. He had assumed it was relatively untouched, as he looked through map after map to find it. He had packed a myriad of supplies: food, water, a flashlight, and firewood. He had driven for hours and parked his car on the side of the road.
After a rather long trek, he had come across the gas station. It was very run-down, originally built in the fifties. There were a few different tags around the building, all by a “D3rlord3”. He was a good artist; a mural had been painted on the left wall. Avery opened his notebook, writing down the tag in his book and trying to transcribe the basics of the mural.
Avery had this innate interest in street art. While he didn’t look the type that indulges in that sort of stuff, he adored it. His goal was to one day save up enough money to buy a camera. While definitely not cheap, he wanted to show the world how graffiti and street art change depending on where, and who you were. He had found that the art in the UK and America was very different, having many different styles and tastes. Avery had visited the UK in 1996 to see some extended family, like every year. That is where he found his passion for graffiti. His grandma lived in Bristol, about a mile out of the city centre. One morning on one of his walks, he had come across some wall art so compelling that he felt the need to show his friends back home. He had rushed home and begged his dad to borrow his camera. When his dad declined, he got his sketchbook and rushed back to the wall art. He had tried his best to transcribe it to paper and spent over an hour sitting on the cobbled pavement to get its true glory. There was a small tag next to it, “BANKSY”, it read. He had spent that whole week up there trying to find more of this person’s art and ended up finding 3 pieces of wall art around Bristol. He had looked forward to that UK trip every year, to find more and more of these pieces of wall art. He found his muse in graffiti, doing studies on it in his home state, New York. He found that abandoned buildings were the best place for the most beautiful pieces of work. He was too afraid to go much further than his state, but after this year’s trip to the UK, he had changed his mind. Banksy had done something big, moving up from his wall art now to full stencil work on an advertising billboard in Bristol. It depicted this small teddy bear throwing a torch at the police chasing it. Avery loved it. He had spent countless hours sitting there, admiring the work. He had transcribed it to the best of his ability, then finally convinced his dad to take a picture of it for him. He had cherished that Polaroid. He didn’t know much about cameras, but he was so grateful he could finally show his friend BANKSY’s talent as it was. He loved this art style so much, recently adding a photography club to his repertoire of art, art history and journalism clubs. All he wanted to do was show these beautiful artworks to the world and give them the recognition they deserved.
The sun was setting over the horizon behind him. He should finish up and get back to the car soon, he had thought. He walked to the front door of the building, attempting to open it, but it had been stuck closed by rust. He used his shoulder to bust open the door. A strong smell greeted him: a mix of rotting food and rusty water.
He looked around and turned on his flashlight, illuminating the small gas station. He walked around the building, through the aisles and peering into the drink fridges. There were a few cans left on the shelves, a rotting milk jug in a fridge. He walked towards the cabinet, finding a black backpack on the cashier’s desk. He raised an eyebrow. He reached inside to be only met with a rat scurrying out. He jumped back and screamed, watching it scurry behind the cashier’s desk, down into a hole. It was a tunnel of sorts, rocky and small, heading downwards. Avery quirked an eyebrow at the man-made cave. He paused, curiosity getting the best of him.
He walked behind the counter and checked out the tunnel. It was dark, but he had a torch, so he ventured in. It was a bit bigger than a crawl space, slowly heading downwards. He crawled for a bit; this tunnel was surprisingly long. The passageway soon opened into a larger cave, around 3 metres tall and long, very long. He surveyed the cave. Vines grew on every wall, and lichen and moss covered the floor.
Avery shuddered. It was eerily silent and dark. He moved forward, following this winding cave until he came to a crossroads. Left or Right?
A very long pause. I looked at him, and he didn't break eye contact.
“You knew to warn me because…?”
I answered quickly. “Because I knew you the second I saw IT.” Not fully true.
“I knew you would find this place and get curious.” Fully truthful.
“Are you okay?” Avery was concerned, as expected.
“Something about this weird realm makes it better. God knows how. That's the interesting part. I know nothing about this place, so much about the real world,” except one thing. ”But nothing about here.”
Avery focused on one detail. “So you’re okay?” He stared into my eyes.
“Well, I feel like my head’s going to explode whenever I leave this place. But as long as I stay here, I’m okay.” My voice softens. Avery only slightly untenses. “But you don’t have to worry, Avery.” I look into his eyes. He stares back, but there’s something still worrying him. I move my hand towards his. “Avery.” He blushes. “I’m okay.” He nods. I pull my hand back.
“So how long have you been here?” Avery asks.
“I couldn’t tell you.” I sigh. “After I wrote the book, I passed out for a second. But, I knew that I would die or at least not be able to think if I stayed where I was.” I look down. “It’s like I could see in my mind all the possible routes I could take. And the only gap in my brain was if I went back through the gates.” Avery stared at me. “So I went back. I have no idea how long it’s been. I have no sense of time anymore, especially here.” A pause. “I wonder how long it’s been.”
“Its been five years,” Avery said
“What?”
“Derek, it’s been five years.” He repeated himself.
Five years? No, No. There’s no way. If it had been that long, I would’ve starved. I stared at him.
“The date today is December 31st, 1999.”
He stared back at me.
Avery looked around this cave, trying to decipher whether to go left or right. He sighed, shook his fear off and walked forward. His flashlight illuminated a note on the wall in front of him. “Avery, please don’t run..” Avery got chills, furrowed his brows and took a step back “Oh fuck no!” He audibly announced, slowly walking backwards before turning and running towards where he came from. He sprinted as if his life depended on it. While a very smart decision, his footsteps triggered something in the cave’s structure. He heard a small rumbling, then soon enough the little carved tunnel collapsed in on itself, blocking his only way out. He stood there for a second, staring at the uncomfortable truth in front of him. He was trapped here. After some thinking, he sighed, making his way back to the crossroads. He had made the same dumb decision I did, leaving his supplies outside the cave. He made his way back to the crossroads, sighing and picking up the pieces of paper. He went to sit down, back to the wall, to take a breather and read these pieces of paper.
“12/31/1994, 5:24pm
I’m beyond excited. I have scouted out an abandoned building about 30 minutes away. It’s a small gas station on a now blocked-off road. The road was shut down after a landslide. There were no restoration attempts, as a new highway was only 2 months away from completion. So it’s the perfect spot, out of range and secluded. No one has graffitied it yet, and I’m so excited to be the first. I’ve got 4 cans of spray paint and all my equipment is prepared. I’ll be going tonight when it’s dark. What a way to spend my New Year!
-Derek.”
“12/31/1994, 9:03pm
I made it to the abandoned gas station. It’s cold, and it started snowing on my way here. I prepared for this. I have a fire going under the cover of the roof above the pumps. The gas was pumped out after the place went out of business, so there’s no risk. I found some dry firewood in one of those firewood dispensers out front. I’m keeping warm. I have a few jackets on and a scarf as well. Mom would have a heart attack if she could see what I was doing right now. My parents have left on a little trip with some work friends for the new year. They trust I wouldn’t throw a party, as I’m not the most popular. I’ve done some graffiti on the left outdoor wall so far. It’s the perfect canvas: clean, dry, and unobstructed. I’m planning on seeing what stuff is inside next, but for now, I’ll eat and warm up.
-Derek”
“12/31/1994 11:43.
I’ve finally found somewhere safe. Holy fuck. I went into the building, but there was nothing interesting. Bare shelves, empty drink fridges, a few odd cans here and there. But there was something more. Behind the counter. I found this weird tunnel downwards. I was curious and went down, but it kept going, and now I'm in some sort of cave. There’s a crossroad- I- I don’t know where to go. I only have a torch and a couple of supplies. I didn’t bring much at all, just to keep my bag light when going down. I don't know how to get back. I’m stuck with a water bottle, flashlight and a shitty-tasting protein bar. My gut says to go left- but- I- I don't know. I’m not going back, I’m already so into this. Let’s see how this goes.
- Derek”
“12/31/1994 ??:??
Avery, whatever you do, don't go left at the crossroads. Something- something is there. Don't make the same mistake as I did, Avery.
-D3rlord3”
“Well, what do we do now?” Avery asked.
“I’d ask you to leave, but-”
“I’m not leaving.” Avery stood up.
“I know.” I stood up.
“There’s no way I’m leaving you here.” Avery’s eyes darted; his breathing became unsettled. My eyes softened.
“You know there’s no reason for you getting involved in this.” I stepped closer.
“You have an agenda here, and I am not backing down.” He stepped back. “I’m spending my fricking New Year's Eve down here.” He was agitated. “Do you know what time it is?” He shoved his watch towards me. “It’s almost midnight.” He sighed frustratedly. “I’ve been down here in this fucking cave for 13 hours. Looking for YOU!” He gestured wildly with his hands. I got closer. “I’m fucking green! I was normal before I went into this place. And god knows what you looked like before any of this!” He was right. He had turned into some sort of slime-human thing. “And after all that, you expect me to just leave you here?!” He looked at me, wide-eyed. I looked back at him. He looked away, and I slid the knight’s helmet off my head. “I don’t want you to go through this alone.” He continued, quieter this time. I grabbed the nape of his neck and moved in towards him. His eyes widened, and his breath hitched. I closed my eyes and kissed him. He froze for a moment, then closed his eyes and returned the kiss. It was sweet, like he had been yearning for some sort of connection. It must’ve been scary having his only exit collapse on him. My hand relaxed, and my helmet dropped to the ground. He leaned closer, his hand coming to rest on my hip. He wanted more out of me, but I broke away.
“I know,” I said quietly, “and I appreciate it more than anything.” I sighed and dropped my hand from his neck. “But you’re getting into something that isn’t worth getting into. I don’t want you hurt.”
“Then why are you getting into it?” He frowned
“I’m already in it, Avery.” My voice softens at his name. “I saw it, I can’t leave this place. I might as well figure out something while I’m here.”
“Okay.” A pause. “So let’s figure it out together.” His words stumped me. I looked into his eyes for some sort of answer, but I found nothing.
“You’re putting yourself at risk, and for someone you don’t even know.” I furrowed my brows.
“Yeah, I know. It doesn’t matter if I know you; you’re a person, and you have looked out for me enough to warn me.” A pause. “I’m here now, and I’m staying.”
Who have I just dragged into this?