Chapter Text
> Until next time, friend.
What?!
What the hell did he just do?!
I stare at the screen. "You Died!" It's so... jolly. Mocking. My hands dig into my hair, pulling it until it hurts. Why?? Why!! I couldn't save him. He... okay. It was a sacrifice. He left himself there, so I would stay unharmed... But it sure as hell didn't work! Now I'm all harmed! Well... Mentally. I guess. I can't get my thoughts together. I pull my legs up and crouch on my chair like L from death note. My vision gets blurry. I can't stop my tears as they roll down my face. It can't be goodbye like this! I spin backwards on my chair. Then back to my desk. And again. This dumb chair is gonna be broken by the morning. I had gotten it for 15 bucks at a garage sale.
I stare at the window.
11:45. 15 minutes till new years. And this is how I'm spending it, huh? All alone. Who do I have, anyway? No one even bothered to visit me. I have no one who cares. Who cares... Well, someone did care. Derek. d3rlord3. The guy who killed me in minecraft a few minutes ago. The guy I'd gotten attached to for no reason. The guy who... probably isn't gonna witness this new years.
Wait- no. NO! I can't be thinking like this. I have some time still, don't I? Let's figure this out.
~
Hey. That wasn't too hard. In ten minutes, I managed to figure out where this guy lives! Well... I was using his laptop, so I didn't expect it to be hard.
Anyway, here I am, on my way to go find him. To save him from whatever is going to kill him. I won't let it happen. Luckily, he turned out to live in the apartment block right next to me. Unit 232. Not long later, I was at his door.
Unlocked?
...why was his door unlocked?
Tentatively, I crept in. It was dark. 11:57. The only light I could see was a subtle shine from a laptop, and over it, or near it... A slouched figure. I think it was him.
"d-Derek? is that..." I ran over, and I could see he was unconscious already. "Oh god. It's you. ohh... What do I do?" From what I could see, he had a large wound on his head, with a splatter of blood on it. I don't even want to know how that happened. My hands start to shake. I've never saved a life.
In the dark, I reach for his hand. He's alive. I think. ughh... I can't waste more time! I fumbled for my phone, and frantically dialled 911. I was answered immediately. My voice shook as I spoke. I didn't really know what to say... My friend here was taken over by an eldritch being that can kill him at any moment? after a few seconds, I got a sentence together.
"m-my friend had- an accident, I need help, u-urgently" I stutter out. every part of me is shaking. I don't know what to do. I guess, just wait?
"please stay calm, sir. We will send out an ambulance shortly."
"T-thank you." I choked out, almost as if I were being strangled by worry, sadness, guilt.
A crackle echoed from the window. I looked up, still holding Derek's hand. The new year. The fireworks. An explosion of colours erupted across the sky. Then another, then another. My eyes began to well up again, as I watched the fireworks.
Here I was, a total loser. sobbing over his friend's almost-dead body while watching the new years celebration.
I shuffled a little closer to him, and wrapped another arm around him. He must be going through so much right now. I'm nothing compared to whatever is going on. I buried my head in his shoulder, but the tears just wouldn't stop. The noise from the fireworks slowly faded as the sirens came closer.
Happy new year, 2026.
~
I hated being at hospitals.
Whether I was visiting or there for myself, I absolutely hated it. The sickly smell of medicine. The lonely white walls. The frantic feeling of all the doctors, nurses and workers, always going somewhere, always trying to fix something.
What if they didn't succeed?
That thought always haunted me.
I waited in a quiet hallway for an hour until I was allowed to see Derek. people walked past me way more than I'd expect so late. A mother with children, at this hour? a girl carrying flowers. A nurse with a tray of medical supplies I couldn't care less about. They didn't look at me. I didn't care about them. I only cared...
He was in an empty room. It had white walls, and a single window with its plain blinds drawn down. Derek was in a plain white hospital bed. There was some funky machinery next to him that beeped quietly but annoyingly. What do I know about it? I'm not a damn medical student. There were two chairs on the side of the bed, and a small table. I sat myself on a chair, and looked at Derek.
He was still unconscious. His wound looked better, but still visible. Even under the bandaging put on by the doctors. Even like this, he still looked depressed and tired. I could see the dark circles under his eyes. Those were most likely from his laptop that he couldn't look away from. I was going to reach for his hand, until I got interrupted by a doctor entering the lonely room.
"Hello. Is it Avery?" she mumbled. I nod, and turn to look at her. She adjusts her clipboard.
"I'm sorry to say this, but your friend Derek Hutchins is in a coma. We do not know how long it'll last yet. Do you know anything about the incident that lead to this? The cause of the coma was hard to identify, as his injury is not that deep." I freeze. From what I've heard, comas can last years. or days. But that's what worries me; the fact that we can't tell...
"Uhh... I uhh... I don't know. I just- I was..." I'm not great at making up lies on the spot. I scratch my head for a second, then turn back to the doctor. "I wanted to go to his place to celebrate new year, but- when I got there, he was- he was knocked out on his desk. I don't... I don't know anything else."
The doctor hesitates, then writes something down. "Understood. you may stay here for another hour. Then you should come back tomorrow. once again, I am sorry that we cannot do anything right now for your friend."
I frown, and nod. I can't cry in front of random people. "H-happy new year!" I call to the doctor as she leaves. It may be inappropriate, but what's better than a ray of sunshine on a cold, sad day?
After I hear the door slam, I turn back to Derek. I look at him once again, and stretch out a hand to place on his shoulder. I wonder if he had anyone. Did he have friends or family meant to visit him today? Or was he alone like me? I thought of the girl I saw in the hallway, carrying flowers. What kind of flowers did he like? A light blue forget me not? Or a pink camellia? Maybe a rose... Which one would he appreciate me getting him..?
I stare at him longingly, but in complete silence. I don't know how long I stay like that. please. don't just leave me here. My thoughts race. 'Please... stay with me. Derek.' I mumble, as if he would hear me anyway. At that moment, I hear the door open slightly. I have to leave.
With a final look at Derek, I turn and go back to the hallway. It's empty now. How long has it been? I check the time... It is 3:16 am. I need to go home. Without a sound, I leave the hospital and walk home. It's still new year, so I can hear some people partying from buildings around me. some people are just walking around. no one looks at me, and good. It's only a fifteen minute walk to my house from here.
My apartment is empty and ghoulish when I open the door. I see the curtain on my small window slightly billowing. I guess I left it open by accident... And my laptop is still open too. The screen is dark, but not closed. I go over to it, and close the lid.
I feel like in this situation, anyone would be deathly tired and ready to sleep. But not me. I curl up on my small bed. I try one side. The other. With a pillow. Without a pillow. I try everything, but I simply can't fall asleep. I mean, isn't it understandable? but at the same time, my eyes really want to clooose. I just lay, quietly, not shutting off, but not fully awake. I think of Derek. I think of the world we were in. The library where I met him. The room with the eyes.
The platform. 'Avery, what's in your inventory?' That line echoed across my mind. It's like saying, 'Hey, look, that sign says gullible on it.'
I'm such a fucking idiot.
It's all my fault.
I curl up into a ball under my covers, and cry.