To Find: Season 1 (Don't Break My Heart Tape)

Story Tape #29

The tape starts with Just waking up from his sleep, breathing heavily as he frantically looked around. The squad member looked at Just, confused as he unlocked the door to the vehicle that stopped near the front gate of the town.

"We're here…?"

I came to my senses as I looked at the squad member, nervously chuckling as I rubbed the back of my head as I exited the vehicle apologizing to the man. 

"S-Sorry. Bad dream, am I right?"

He slowly nodded his head out of being weirded out, locking the door as he drove back into the Forest. I sighed to myself as I headed inside the town, seeing a lot more military personnels than before. Whisper appeared beside me as we walked towards the town hospital, he spoke to me.

"What did you see in your dream, Just?"

I was quiet, my breath becoming shaky as we entered the building. Talking to the front desk lady as I gave her my information, wanting to see Soren as she pointed me towards the door nearby leading to his room. Whisper continues to pressure me with questions of what I saw before opening the door. I stopped myself, looking back at Whisper.

"Fire, Whisper… Fire and the sound of screaming. The town, in flames."

I took my mask off before covering my face, holding back my tears as I clench my fist. Whisper spoke firmly, making a fist and placing it on my chest where my heart is located.

"We won't let that happen."

I was doubtful, was the dream a vision that God gave me? Or was it just my subconsciousness… No… It's just something that I made up. My Lord is here with me, guiding me. I can't just fall into hopelessness. I need to be brave and to get the job done, no matter what… I will kill D.E.F.E.A.T. I nodded my head at Whisper before opening the door, walking inside to hear the song (Don't Break My Heart, By The Weeknd) as the atmosphere in the room was mixed with blue and green colors. For once in this dark, twisted, scary world… I felt… Relieved. Soren was laying on the hospital bed, weakly smiling at me behind his face mask with bandages in his face. He spoke playfully.

"Just, you're here. You stupid fucking idiot."

I smiled at Soren as I set my mask down on the counter, giving him a tight hug as I patted his back causing him to wince a bit.

"Shit, my bad. Soren, it's good to see you again. You look like you're in a good mood."

Soren nodded his head, leaning back against the bedframe sitting up. Reaching to grab a cup of mint tea from the counter, taking a sip.

"Yeah, I am, actually."

Soren looked around the room, seeing everything lit up with a blue-greenish calm theme to it. The atmosphere expresses his mood, his feelings, him letting go.

"I've learned to move on… After Mahajah did me wrong. It was just… During that moment, I was in so much pain mentally and emotionally. At times, physically…"

I grabbed a chair and sat next to Soren, I questioned him.

"After Mahajah, you've met someone else."

Soren chuckled nervously, nodding his head as he took a couple sips from his tea before looking at me.

"Yep. Not on IMVU though, I've met her on VRChat. She was like a sister to me, but then our relationship grew into something more. She was dealing with some stuff, the death of her brother from suicide. I genuinely was there to comfort her, but we've gotten close and started to date."

I leaned back against the chair, putting one leg horizontal on above my knee; crossing my arms together.

"Do you remember her name? I can't remember it that well. Wasn't it B-"

Soren cut me off as he answered my question.

"Bunny. Her name was Bunny, but I forgot her real name though. It's fuzzy… I can't remember as well."

I smiled a bit.

"Bunny was the shit, wasn't she?"

Me and Soren both chuckled as he nodded his head, remembering his time with her.

"Oh yeah, she was a good woman. Very understanding, wanting my company, she says that when she's with me she feels safe. I told her about my previous relationships and how much I care about her and I um… I told her not to break my heart because it's been broken so many times."

Soren looked down at his tea in silence, sighing sadly. I looked at him, concerned.

"Whenever we have a bond with someone, we always think that they're meant for us. You really loved her, didn't you Soren?"

Soren looked at me tearing up, nodding his head as he started to sob. I gently pat his shoulder, standing up from the chair as I hear the door opening from behind me; seeing Cherry as she smiles at the both of us. 

"Well, well, if it isn't Just and Soren. The two souls. I'm not going to lie, this is pretty awesome. How's it going you two? Are we feeling better Soren?"

I nodded my head, giving her a thumbs up as Cherry went to give me a hug. I hugged her back for a while as I rubbed her back before she pulled away, underlining my chin with her index finger before walking over to Soren, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Soren spoke to her.

"Yeah, I'm doing okay. I still feel a bit of pain but I'll be fine. It's good to see you again Cherry, it's been so long." 

Cherry smiled at Soren, they've had their histories together before I was even born. 

"It has been, hasn't it? I've been trying to look for you, but thanks to Mr. Goosie over here, Just and my team were able to track you down and rescue you."

Soren looked at both me and Cherry, thanking us.

"I can't imagine what y'all been through, especially you, Just. D.E.F.E.A.T showed me a poster of you with a bounty, dead or alive. I was fucking scared. I thought that they'd got you, but you're still standing. I have no doubt in my mind that you won't fuck D.E.F.E.A.T up. I mean, look at you."

I looked down at my bloodied, torn-up suit as I chuckled a bit. Seeing how much horror I've gone through. 

"You're dressed up like a wannabe John Wick, I mean, don't get me wrong, the suit looks good on you. But everything on your body, on your suit tells a story. I wonder what your story is and I can't wait to see it."

I started to tear up from the way he was talking to me, Cherry saying "aww" as she playfully nudged at me. I looked at Cherry with a smile before turning my attention to Soren.

"Thank you Soren. I'm going to free us from this nightmare, I promise. Cherry."

She looked at me.

"Yeah? What's up?"

I grabbed onto the duck mask, looking down at it.

"The Goo creatures are weak against light, the light from God. Is there a way I can use the light within my bat to create a weapon or a trap to keep the Goo away from the cave entrance?" 

Cherry rubbed her chin, thinking of a plan.

"I think so."

I walked up to Soren, handing him the duck mask.

"This belongs to you, Soren. You're the original Goose, you've had this before I was born. So it belongs to you."

Soren took the mask and smiled at me, reaching forward to shake my hand.

"Thank you Just, but you're the coolest Goose."

I shook my head as I raised my hand up momentarily, turning around to look at Cherry.

"I'll need to use some of your teams to push the Goo back into the source. Can you provide some?"

She nodded her head, reaching for her phone in her pocket.

"Yeah, I can do that. What is the plan?"

I give Cherry a hug before exiting the room, looking back at her.

"I'll discuss the plan with the team, look after Soren." 

The tape ends with Just walking out of the room, filled with determination and courage in his heart filled with a purpose. He walked down the hospital hallway, putting his neck gaiter mask on, clenching his fist tightly. The thought of flames, screaming and the sounds of flesh being torn apart bothered Just but all he can focus on, all he can think about was preventing that from happening.~

-End of Story Tape #29-