25 Darkness Takes

Lavender heard me cry her name and panicked. She started tossing about and slipped under the surface. I became worried again, but her head came up close to the edge where I was standing.

"What are you doing?!" The panic was still present in my voice, and I took a deep breath after to calm myself down.

"You scared me! I was just relaxing in the water!"

"Facedown?" My voice slipped from panic to exasperation, and I put my hand over my face.

"Just get out and let me get dressed!" Lavender shouted at me, and I left with an audible sigh.

I walked into the tunnel, far enough that Lavender would have some privacy. My heart was still racing from her silly stunt. Relaxing face down? What kind of ludicrous act was that?

I stood in the soft limelight that the Lumimoss emitted. Soon, Lavender called me, and I went back to the cave. Lavender was out of the water now, and I was speechless.

Lavender must have leveled up while she waited for me. Her body curves were that of a woman, and I had to look away in embarrassment. I could hear her footsteps coming closer, so I looked up and straight into her eyes.

"You look beautiful," I spoke softly, as she got close and pulled her in close.

"I'm ok. I'm sorry if I worried you," as I held Lavender close to my chest, the words became muffled.

"Don't relax like that again! I don't want to lose you, and besides, how was that considered relaxing?"

"I was peaceful laying face down and starting into the water. I was watching some of the smaller creatures move along the bottom."

Lavender had a point but after the fight with Griswald and finding her like that. I don't know, it just made me crack, and the thought of losing Lavender made me feel sick inside. I wanted to keep her and the other girls by my side till the end.

"So then, why did you take off your clothes?" I questioned her.

"Do you find swimming with your clothes relaxing? Honestly, I can see why you're upset, but I'm ok! Stop worrying so much and let's get out of here," Lavender pulled away from me as she tried to reassure me.

Lavender was right, and dwelling on it wasn't going to change the experience. That was a thing that I hadn't given much thought. How do we even get out of here?

"So, I feel a bit silly now for over-reacting, but how do you think we get out of here?" I tried to sound casual, but I kept seeing Lavender lying in the water.

It shouldn't have hit me this much. I don't know why it keeps playing over in my head. When I see Lavender, she isn't moving.

"I'm not sure and don't feel silly. I do understand why you reacted that way."

Did I just see her body in the water again? What is going on? I feel like I'm losing my mind! My skin is starting to feel itchy.

"Did you get anything from the demon? Are you alright, Dave? You don't look too good, what's wrong?" Lavender started to get worried.

"Why? Why won't the itch stop? It's inside my head, and I can't scratch it!" I cried out, while my mind started to crumble.

"DAVE!"

I woke up, and I was in bed. Whose bed is this? Where am I?

I try to get up and away, but I can't move. I open my eyes to see my tied hands and legs. What was going on?

"LET ME GO!" I yelled.

I could see people around me that I knew, standing at the bed. Why were they all just watching him? These were his friends, right? Why would they tie me down?

"Lavender, what's going on?" I pleaded my question to her, but she looked away with tears in her eyes?

"Dave, you need to calm down. This talk is our first time being able to communicate with you since Lavender dragged you back three days ago. She had to tie your hands to keep you from running away from her," Miss Grace tried to explain to me, but I kept feeling that itch.

"So, this is for my good then? Just tie me up so I can't scratch this itch? Just let my hand go! It itches too bad! Please, aren't you all my friends? Being tied up doesn't feel like something friends would do. It feels like I am some prisoner. LET ME GO!"

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[Shift to Lavender's view)

I couldn't look at him like this. It made the tears well up from deep inside when I saw that wild look. Those eyes weren't Dave's, and I moved close to my mom to whisper.

"I have to go, mom. I can't keep listening to him like this."

I turned and ran from the room. The sound of Dave's pleading cries followed me into the hallway. Tears flowed down my face, as I passed all those wretched doors. I ran until I was in my room and my bed.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked myself as I clung to my pillow.

He was so worried about me, but then something happened. Part of him broke inside him, and he became violent, and he stopped recognizing me. A Light Mage came to check and heal him after I dragged him back, but they said nothing was wrong. This situation was all so frustrating, and I don't know what to do.

I heard my door open quietly, and I turned over. Tilly and Victoria came in with tears in their eyes and walked over to the bed. Both of them hugged me, and we all cried for a bit. Dave had done so much for each of us, and now we have him tied down.

"What are we going to do?" Tilly sniffled.

"What can we do?" Victoria through tears.

Dave touched Victoria's and Tilly's lives in different ways, but Dave brought me here with his touch. I am Lavender, Serina, and Destiny all because the stipulations for me entering this round was his first kiss, and my consciousness transferred over into that body. It was my only way I could guarantee to find him, but now that I'm here, my blessing is gone.

A loud knock came from the front door downstairs. It was loud enough that we could hear it so Tilly rushed downstairs to see who it was. Victoria stayed with me, and she put her hand over mine and squeezed it.

"Don't worry, we will fix him. Want to know something funny?" Victoria asked as she wiped the makeup and tears away.

"Hmm?"

"I met Dave in the game before the wipe, and it was only because of him that I was able to even remember this. I used to serve him a Chai Tea Latte on Fridays," when Victoria said the last part as a small smile crept on her face, and then she turned red.

"Let's just say I've known him for a long time, and I'm sure you have met him before. Dave might have looked different and had another name, but he has always gathered us up. You might know me as Destiny just don't tell Tilly yet," It wasn't time yet, Dave still hadn't shared the moment with her yet, and trying to explain it to Tilly would confuse her.

Victoria's eyes went big, and she scrambled back, away from me. Then she got right off the bed and went down on her knees, along with head to the ground. I was stunned and momentarily at a loss for words with Victoria's display.

"What are you doing!? Get off the floor before Tilly comes back, you idiot!" I scolded Victoria.

"But how are you here? You're a god! I've seen carvings, but they don't look like you, but that might not mean much in this work. How have I been around you this entire time and not known?"

"It's not like I give off some aura, and I only got transferred in when Dave kissed me, or Lavender. It gets a bit confusing."

"Ahhh! That makes sense! Wait! Hold on! You KISSED HIM?!"

"No, Dave kissed me after healing a mental sickness from a demon."

"Hmmm, that's pretty amazing. I guess that's fair. I was hoping to get one from him."

"Really?"

"What do you mean really? He's cute, but you and I both know it's more than that. He cares about each of us, and he helps us to get better. If our lives are real games, then we shouldn't take things so seriously. I think we should have some fun with him when he gets better."

When he gets better, I thought. I hope we can see him get better soon. What was taking Tilly so long, maybe they should all go out and ask around for help. It was better than waiting and doing nothing.

I was about to get up when I saw Tilly walk into the room with a girl in a white nurse outfit. Her long blonde hair had been done into pigtails along with a massive syringe attached to her back with a shoulder strap. The thing that made her stand out though was the cold look on her face and a twisted smile.

"This is Iona Chase, she is a... well nurse of sorts. She said she could feel him or something coming from him, and she was drawn to the mayor. I think she can help!" Tilly explained excitedly.

"Well, that depends on his SANITY stat. If he is higher than eighty-five there is nothing I can do for him." Iona used a matter-of-fact tone while explaining.

"SANITY stat? So, he's losing his mind?" I ask.

"Yup, not a lot I can do from here, so where is he?"

All of us got up, and Tilly led the way to Dave's room. Upon arriving, I could see mom holding her hand over Dave's, as she examines his AVATAR. She didn't notice our guest, so I cleared my throat.

"Mother, there is someone here that might be able to help."

"Get back from him, you old croony is this place your house?"

"UGH! Iona, of all the rats you would drag from the streets," My mother retorted back.

"What does the stat out of 100 say?" Iona asked my mother as she made her way to the bed with Dave tied up.

"eighty-three."

The little nurse ran to the bed, ripping the syringe from her back. The giant needle connected with mom and sent her flying. We all rushed to my mother, but I still was watching the nurse.

Iona shoved her needle into Dave's ear. Bracing with one hand and pulling the plunger on the syringe with the other, the tube started to fill with brown-black goo. Soon the needle was full, but Dave still did not move. Iona turned and glared at my mother.

"If I was two minutes later, you stupid cow! Why didn't you get me? This boy could have died!" Iona chastised my mother for her mistake and pride.

Then she turned and put the massive needle into Dave's mouth. Everyone but Iona screamed stop as she plunged the blackish goo down his throat. She finished before we could stop her, and Dave's body started to convulse.

Then his body erupted in black flames.