You ok?

Raven sat down and removed his gear. It wasn't long before his two friends arrived to join him.

"Bro, are you well?" Jacob asked, looking at Raven's ghostly appearance.

Raven nodded, but his head moved in a circular motion rather than up and down.

"I'm… Fi-Fine." Raven said, slurring every word.

Raven's head was spinning, and everything around her seemed to blur.

Raven pulled out his phone, his fingers dancing across the screen as he searched for the contact labelled 'mom.'

With a few swift clicks, he sent a message via text.

"You here?"

Raven's phone buzzed with a reply just seconds after he hit send.

"Yes, just out front."

After slipping his phone into his pocket, Raven leaned against the wall for a moment before walking out of the room.

He traced the wall with his hands, ignoring the concerns of his two friends.

As he left the dark room, the bright lights of the arcade burned his eyes, making it impossible for him to keep them open.

Vanessa's guidance was the only thing keeping him from getting lost as he stumbled through the main area.

Many people looked at Raven with weird eyes, questioning what he was doing.

Raven didn't know, and wouldn't care if he did.

Right now, all he wants to do is get out and sleep for the next couple of days.

As he approached the exit of the arcade, he was met with the blinding lights of heaven as he looked outside.

His vision vanished and was replaced with a blinding yellow light.

Raven still pulls through and makes his way out of the arcade.

The fresh air hit him like a wave, and Raven took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

He stumbled forward, his legs feeling weak and unsteady.

With each step, he felt a pulsating headache intensify, making it difficult to think clearly.

Despite his deteriorating condition, he pushed himself to keep moving towards where his mother was waiting.

As he neared the front of the arcade, his mother's worried face came into view.

She rushed forward, concern etched on her features.

"Oh my goodness, Raven! What happened? You look pale. Are you okay?" his mother exclaimed, reaching out to support him.

Raven leaned into her, feeling a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"Nothing much… Just some troubles, that's all."

His mother's worry deepened, and she gently guided him towards a nearby bench.

"Sit down, sweetie. Let's get you some water and take a moment to rest."

Raven nodded weakly, grateful for his mother's presence.

She quickly returned with a bottle of water and handed it to him.

He took a few sips, feeling the cool liquid soothe his parched throat.

"Mom, I think I need to go home and rest," Raven said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't think I can handle anything else right now."

His mother nodded and helped him to the car.

As Raven sat in the passenger seat of the car, he felt as though his body was shutting down.

His eyes closed, and he leaned his head back against the seat, trying to conserve energy.

"Mom, can you turn down the volume? My head is pounding," Raven requested, his hand rubbing his temples.

"Of course, sweetie," his mother replied, reaching over to turn down the radio.

The car ride was silent, and the only sound was the hum of the engine.

Raven drifted in and out of consciousness, and before he knew it, they had arrived home.

With his mother's help, Raven got out of the car and stumbled toward the front door.

As he collapsed onto the couch, Raven felt as though he were in a dreamlike state.

His mother sat beside him, holding his hand and stroking his hair.

"It'll be okay, Raven. Just rest now," His mother said, soothingly.

Raven nodded, his eyes closing once his head rested on the couch.

Not too long after, Mia came home.

She walked into the living room and was immediately taken aback by the sight in front of her.

"Mom, what happened to Raven?" Mia asked, worry etched on her face.

"He's not feeling well, sweetie. He pushed himself too hard over the past weeks and his body couldn't take it and passed out on the way home," Raven's mother explained.

Mia rushed over to Raven's side and placed a hand on his forehead.

"He's burning up. We need to get him to a doctor."

Raven's mother nodded in agreement and quickly made a call to set up an appointment.

As they waited for the appointment, Raven's condition worsened.

He was barely conscious, and his breathing was shallow.

Mia panicked, but his mother stayed calm and tried to keep both herself and Mia composed.

Finally, they arrived at the doctor's office and Raven was immediately taken in for an examination.

After a series of tests and examinations, the doctor came out with a grave expression on his face.

"I'm afraid I don't know what Raven is suffering from. If I had to guess, it would probably be extreme exhaustion in the brain. He needs to rest and hydrate himself immediately, or things could get worse."

Raven's mother nodded and thanked the doctor before ushering Raven and Mia out of the office.

Raven's mother drove them home, keeping a watchful eye on him the entire time.

His health was still a major concern for her, as his condition remained extremely fragile.

When they arrived home, Raven was so exhausted that he needed help to make it to his room, where he fell into bed.

Mia stayed by his side, rubbing soothing circles on his palm and adjusting his pillows.

During the next few days, Raven took ample rest and drank plenty of fluids to recover.

Slowly but surely, he recovered, and soon he could stand on his own two feet again.

The experience left him with a valuable life lesson.

He came to the realisation that he had to prioritise self-care and avoid pushing himself too far.

From that day on, Raven rested and hydrated himself properly, and he never let himself get to that point again.