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I stared at Derek. He was basically begging me to leave. I would leave him, I couldn't. Something pulled me closer towards him. His voice rang out, sharp and clear.
“Avery, what's in your inventory?” Derek asked. I didn't feel like arguing, I wanted him to believe that I could stay. I clicked ‘E,’ and looked for what he might’ve wanted. Then I heard it. The damage noise. I spammed all my movement keys, trying to move, but I was still stuck in chat. By the time I exited the chat, it was too late. All that left my mouth was an audible,
“WAIT!” I screamed, scraping my throat. I watched in horror as the cruel, red, ‘You Died!’ screen appeared. I clenched my shirt, grasping at my heart. I had to find him. I didn't care if he lived hours away, I needed to be at his door. I pulled up everything I could find on him. I knew his full name, that he was American, that he lived in the same state as me… There he was. My heart nearly stopped. He lived across the street from me.
I grabbed my sweatshirt, the only thing accessible to me as I ran. I had no shoes on, just my socks. I ran down the hallway, my footsteps echoing and reverberating off the walls. I pushed the door of the fire stairs open, the door slamming on the wall. I ran, nearly slipping multiple times. I pushed open the main door, and crowds of people, as far as the eye could see, surrounded me. I pushed through them, not even bothering to apologize.
All that was on my mind was Derek. I had to save him. I needed to save him. I couldn't live without him. I pushed into the streets, jaywalking. The dirty roads made my socks go all black, and the rocks cut my feet. But I didn't even notice. Every second that I wasn't next to him, wasn't hearing his voice, was torture. I felt like I was drowning again. I was calculating the excruciating seconds until I was at his door.
I slammed his main door opening, ignoring the requests of the doorman as I ran up the stairs. My lungs burned, begging him internally to not do anything stupid. As I ran through the hallway of Derek’s floor, fireworks boomed outside. The colors reflected across the dim hallway, and the thunderous roar shook the floor. My whole body was shaking, but I kept running. I slammed my entire body into the door, before pulling the doorhandle. I basically busted down the door.
My entire body froze at the horror in front of me. Derek was slumped slightly back in his chair, eyes glazed. I took in his entire body. He had beautiful pale skin, and long dark hair, that looked like he styled it a couple days before this hell. He had black nail polish on his nails, that messily crossed onto his fingers. “DEREK!” I screamed, finally pushing my body towards him. He actually responded, eyes slowly moving towards me.
“Avery…?” His voice seemed to shake as he spoke to me. I ran towards him, and held him close. His limp body fell into mine as he slipped out of the chair.
“You idiot, you fucking idiot. What did you do?!” I shouted, panicked. He seemed to laugh softly as my fingers clenched his hair.
“I stopped him, Avery. For you. For everyone.” As he talked in his raspy voice, I felt his tears start to fall.
“YOU IDIOT!” I yelled, pulling him closer. My own tears were spilling by now. “What am I going to do without you?! What will I be without you?!”
“Yourself, Avery. You’re wonderful. You will do wonderful things.” He whispered. He raised his hand and rested it on my cheek. I put my hand on top of his.
“No..no, no! What… I can't be without you, Derek!” I could feel his grip slipping as that cruel yellow faded into his dark eyes. “That bastard!”
“Avery..” he said softly “Just, be here. Please.” My tears fell as my sobs grew louder. I pulled him closer, his head under my chin.
“I love you, Derek.”
“I love you too, Avery.”
And then, he was gone.
Why him? Why not me? He's the smart one, I'm the idiot. Curse you, stupid fucking king. I'll never forgive you.
I'll never forgive myself.