CHAPTER 55: Internal Conflict? That's For Simps

[George's POV]

My leg rose and ever so slowly moved towards hers. It crept closer and closer until it was right next to hers. My face had taken on a vicious look and I closely resembled a predator looking at prey.

Then at the last moment, I hesitated, which is not like me. I'm usually very decisive when it comes to things like this. Strange as it may be for someone like me, I was having a internal moral conflict.

Am I doing the right thing?

My face scrunched into a conflicted expression.

Just as I was about to remove my leg, I took on a calm expression and all my internal disagreements faded like they were never there. I lightly kicked Girl's leg, just enough for her to lose her already shaky grip but not enough for me to lose my balance.

The next things that happened were engraved onto my memory for a long time. It was like the world slowed down and I saw the minute changes in her expression. I wondered if it was the thing I heard about how when someone is dying, the world slows down and their life flashes before their eyes, but only in reverse.

The thought that the world slowing down was probably just an illusion, but it certainly felt real. Girl's face went from one of surprise to realization and finally hatred, which I assume was directed at me.

She fell from the cliff, taking some dirt and dust with her, but the pure hatred on her face was the worst I had ever seen. I had no doubt that she would skin me alive like Professor A did to those two if she could.

I hadn't even seen this sort of strong emotion from Donovan, and I had been the one to kill him. Maybe she's a special case, it's possible she really holds a grudge.

But anyway, as she plummeted to her death, I watched with apathetic eyes. Her screams were unnerving though, even if I didn't reveal so on my face.

She fell and fell until her body splattered on the rocks in the river into many pieces. It was quite a gruesome sight but I had seen worse.

I kept looking down for a long time, but I had to climb up after a little while passed. My arms and legs were getting seriously tired. I gradually climbed up the cliff even as they started to tremble and wobble dangerously. I lost my grip a couple of times and had to dig my hands into the coarse dirt desperately before I fell.

Every second that passed felt like an hour and by the time I finally made it back to the top, I felt like I didn't want to see another cliff for a long time. I pulled myself up onto the solid ground, panting and very exhausted. After the adrenaline had faded, I discovered suddenly grabbing that branch had done a lot more damage than I had thought.

The skin around my shoulder area had turned purple and was swelling. It hurt to move it even a little. But still, it was better than dying.

There was one more worrying thing. It seemed like the random switching of personalities was getting worse. They were now even beginning to influence each other.

For example, when I had the thought about Girl (may she rest in peace) and the delusional idea I had about the food we would eat was while I was still under the calm me's control. Normally, that kind of thought would never cross my mind while I was still in that state.

This was very troublesome for me, the more this kind of thing happened, the more I'd be in danger in the future. I probably wouldn't have made it out of this in one piece if I hadn't been cool-headed.

If I had to put my current troubles in a nutshell, I would say the boundary that divides and blocks certain parts of myself in my mind is getting thinner. I don't want that to happen, cause I know that my mind is definitely not a pleasant place.

I'm sure this place has messed me up in more ways than I could imagine.

When I had recovered enough, I had to get up. I had things to do, like finding food, building a shelter and the most important thing, getting water.

I got up and dusted myself off. I started walking into the forest but something caught my eye on the ground. The sun glinted off it, making it noticeable. If not, I probably would have walked past it.

I went to it and picked it up. It was a screen of sorts that had several small red dots on it that were moving around. There was also a large green dot that was stationary and a red dot on top of it.

I peered at it for a while and turned it over.

What is this?

It was very strange for me and the red dots kept getting closer and closer to the green one. I would have set off to find sustenance for myself immediately, but I sort of wanted to see when the red dots reached what I assumed was their destination.

The minutes passed and they got closer and closer until one was almost there, practically on top of it.

Then suddenly there was a rustling from the bushes. My head snapped in that direction to see a boy emerge from behind some shrubbery. He seemed to be relieved as a smile broke out on his face and he sighed happily. Then he noticed me.

He stopped and gaped at me. The atmosphere became very awkward. I wasn't sure what to do in this type of situation. Should I try to take advantage of this situation to attack him? He doesn't seem very focused, maybe if I walked calmly towards him I could catch him by surprise.

Wait, do I still have that knife I got from Girl earlier?

I patted myself down and frowned.

No, I don't.

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