#i wanna ruin this man and ride him into the ground thank u for listening to my ted talk | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

apocalypticgargoyle · 3 years

Text

𝙅𝙀𝘼𝙇𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙔 | 𝙠𝙖𝙧𝙡 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙤𝙗𝙨 (18+)

∘ request(s):

Ooh maybe edgy!karl teaching skateboarding :o. I’m also in uni and I remember my first frat party was quite interesting 😂 -🦋

ahhhh part four of your edgy karl was soooo good!!! could i get jealous karl? maybe someone else is hitting on the reader at a party

please please please more edgy!karl if u can. like maybe where him and reader get into a fight because he gets like jealous and he just shows the reader who they belong to fjsjjsj thankyouuu !! 🤍🪐 x

∘ pairing: edgy!Karl Jacobs x fm!reader

∘ warnings: nsfw (18+ minors dni), smut, light bdsm, jealous, somewhat toxic behavior, crude language, frat boys (again), mentions of masterbation, biting, domination, spanking

∘ word count: ~3200

∘ links: 𐐪 ao3 𐑂 𐐪 previous part 𐑂 𐐪 submit an edgy!karl edit 𐑂

a/n: not me having to watch daddy tony hawk tutorials for this bc I'm uncultured and only skateboarded for like three months when I was 14 :)))

thank you for all the requests (especially 🦋 ily). if any of you have ideas for what I should call this series, lemme know! as always, have a great week and happy reading :)

♡ ᵍᵉⁿᵉ

The parking lot behind the campus union was barren. The morning dew in the air left a sweet smell to combine with Karl’s cologne as he walked beside you, his arm bumping yours as he listened to you nervously ramble on about one of your classes. You weren’t sure why, but the thought of falling on your ass in front of Karl terrified you more than anything. This man had degraded you and made you completely submit to him in the past, yet you were worried that not being able to master his ~craft~ would ruin his image of you.

He dropped his skateboard, his feet settling on it lazily as he rolled beside you. You watched quietly as he stopped, kicking his foot down on the front of his board so it popped into his hand. “You won’t fall. I’ve got you,” he joshed, tugging on your hand so you were in front of him.

He set the board down, his hands going to your hips as you stepped on it. His fingers dipped under the hem of your sweatshirt, your skin lighting up at his touch as if his hands belonged on you. “You look like an anemic Victorian boy. I don’t trust you as a safety net,” you grumbled, your hands covering his. You knew, roughly, how to skate from a middle school phase you had. Karl only promised to teach you a few tricks, but to say you were rusty would be an understatement.

He chuckled darkly, nudging you closer to the middle of the board and peering over your shoulder to look at your stance. “I’ve fucked you without your feet touching the floor. I think I can catch you before you hit the ground, baby,” he chided, making you scoff.

Your cheeks flushed with heat at his words. “Dirty, dirty boy,” you mumbled. He instructed you on how to kick the board up to where you needed it. His words were simple and almost plain like he knew you could figure it out. You attempted to push the board up, but crashed into Karl’s arms, your back thumping against his chest.

He giggled slightly as he straightened you up, setting you back on the board as his foot kept it from rolling out from under you. His hands hovered over your hips again as he moved his foot, leaving you to balance on your own. “If you fall correctly, people will just think you were giving really good head,” he jested. You shoved his arms away at his words as he laughed at his own joke.

You attempted a few more times and nearly had it down before Karl’s hands were on your hips again, giving you further instructions. You fought not to smile as his breath ghosted against your neck. You knew he cared about teaching you something that---on paper---was seemingly so easy, but his vulgar teasing was beginning to swarm your head. With his next steps set as your goal as well as the feeling of his hold on you, you kicked the board up and attempted to jump with it. While your brain was up to speed, your feet weren’t, sending the board out from beneath you and you to fall into its place.

Karl snorted as choked back a laugh at you scrapping your hands on the concrete. “Come on, don’t be a pussy. Try again,” he chided, voice uneven and laced with whatever dark humor he was getting from watching you do this.

You rolled your eyes playfully, letting him tug you up in front of him. As you wobbled on the board once again, you let his hands dig into your sides. Obviously, it seemed that he actually was worried about dropping you again, despite the fact that he was holding back some kind of sick laugh. “You would be great at teaching a kid how to ride a bike,” you quipped, the fact that he called you a pussy seeping into your mind.

You gasped slightly as you slipped again, this time Karl’s arms wrapping around you tightly, pressing your body against his. “Awe, you want me to put a baby in you, pet?” He jeered with his lips near your ear. You shrugged out of his grip, breaking up your indecent thoughts at his comment.

You could feel the heat rising to your ears as you balanced on his skateboard again. “Stop, you perv,” you deflected, hoping he couldn’t tell how hard you were having to bite back a smirk.

After your skateboarding escapades, you sat typing away at your computer, Karl occasionally looking over his phone to peer at you. His legs were thrown lazily on either side of you as he stretched out on his pillows.

An alarm went off on Karl’s phone, startling you in the process. He fought against smirking at your surprise as he sat up, crawling over to you. “Okay, I gave you two hours,” he stated, leaning forward to press his lips against yours and gently close your computer. The taste of him on your tongue was like a drug for you, leaving you constantly wanting more.

You smirked into his kiss as your brain finally caught up with you. “I hope that document saved, asshole,” you groaned, pushing him back into his pillows as he chuckled at you. His fingers dragged up the length of your thighs, squeezing the flesh in his hands as you straddled him. “Fucking weirdo, timing me. Who are you, my dad?” You teased, pressing a kiss to his neck and digging your fingers into his hair.

He moaned lowly, grinding against you. “Oh fuck yeah. Call me daddy,” he cantered.

“No,” you answered simply. You sat up, reaching over to his top drawer in search of protection, but running your fingers over a lacy garment instead. Your brows knitted together as your gaze shot to the drawer, your underpants dangling from your finger. Karl tucked his hands behind his head, looking up at you nonchalantly as your mind flashed with memories of your time in the bathroom.

Before you had the opportunity to ask him what he was still doing with them, his door popped open to reveal one of Karl’s roommates, his name beginning with a D but slipping your mind. “What are you guys doing in here?” He asked with a rather dopey smile, gesturing to Karl still between your legs. “Everyone’s downstairs, come on.” You and Karl shared a look as he left.

You leaned back down to him, kissing him briefly before pressing your lips to his neck again. “Wanna come over instead?” You suggested softly, your lips ghosting over his ear.

Karl loped down the stairs in front of you, a heavy layer of smoke hanging in the air above your heads. A mass of people crammed themselves together, finding solace in each other after the long week. If you weren’t so hung up on getting into Karl’s pants, you might have considered joining them.

Before the two of you could reach the door, someone called out for Karl. Their voice boomed over the loudness of the music, making Karl wince slightly. His face flattened into a frown as “Todd” waved at the two of you. Karl took a few slugging steps to stand close enough to Todd’s group that they wouldn’t have to yell at each other. You settled your hand on Karl’s hip as you wrapped your hand around his waist, leaning against him. Todd’s eyes traced over you.

He wet his lips. “You guys leaving already?” He asked, leaning back in his chair and accepting the joint offered to him. From an outsider’s perspective, he looked like the king of the castle. Luckily, you knew better. “Come on, play a game with us!” He suggested, patting the empty spot beside him. Even though you couldn’t see his face, you could tell Karl was rolling his eyes. “I got a seat warmed up for you, baby girl,” he nodded towards you.

You perked an eyebrow in his direction and Karl slipped his hand into yours nonchalantly. “Thanks, but no,” Karl stated.

“Come on, Karl. Don’t make me pull pin.” At Todd’s words, Karl groaned reluctantly, the sound barely audible. You furrowed your brows at him. “Fifteen minutes. We were gonna play Never Have I Ever.”

You leaned towards Karl. “What’s pulling pin?” You mumbled.

“Flexing rank,” he grunted back. He tugged you with him to join the group. Before you could sit down, Todd pulled you into the spot beside him. You laughed nervously, watching as Karl’s features darkened as he sat across from the two of you. Todd handed you a drink, which you took but avoided sipping out of.

A boy beside Karl piped up. “Okay, so never have I ever graduated high school. My degree is literally fake.” The boy smiled before taking a drink, making you giggle slightly. Todd draped his arm around the back of the couch where you were sitting. He wasn’t touching you exactly but every ounce of his being was getting under Karl’s skin.

Todd smugly shook his head. “No, Zeke. Those aren’t the rules. You have to say something that’s not true about you. Like…” he trailed off slightly, his gaze settling on you before his mouth twisted into a smirk. “Never have I ever slashed someone’s tires.”

You humored him with a subtle smile as if to ask if he was serious. He gestured towards Karl, who took a drink. You bit back a grin. “Well, never have I ever masturbated to a girl my roommate’s sleeping with,” Karl retaliated. Your eyes grew wide, suddenly happy to watch the event unfold before you.

Todd took a drink after glaring at Karl. He leaned closer to you, this time his arm dropped to pull you against his side. “Do you wanna take a turn?” You shook your head, flashing your eyes to Karl before looping your fingers with Todd’s. Karl chewed the inside of his cheek, looking like he was holding back another laugh. “Alright, I’ll go.” Todd brought your hand up to his lips, kissing your palm. “Ah, I know. Never have I ever betrayed the secret oath of the frat and called the police.”

Karl took another sip, his eyes on you. “Yeah, because never have I ever set the house on fire trying to light a bong,” he answered, making you snort.

You let your free hand settle on Todd’s knee. “Awe, I’d light your bong for you,” you chided, making Todd laugh as he took a drink.

“I bet you could do a lot for me, Princess,” he flirted, his lips nearing your ear. You raised your eyebrows in Karl’s direction, who was sitting with his chin in his hand. His expression was darkly entertained as you flirted with Todd. “Speaking of,” Todd looked to Karl again. “Never have I ever fucked someone on my roommate’s bed,” he teased, tucking his nose in the crook of your neck.

Karl smirked. “You’re right, you probably haven’t,” he stated simply, downing the rest of his drink. Todd tensed slightly beside you. Karl stood, ruffling the hair of one of the other Brothers that were in the group before holding his hand out for you to take. As the two of you left, you heard one of the guys whistle and say something about never having peed in a pool before.

As the two of you left the house, you walked in time with Karl’s heavy steps, swinging your entwined hands as if you were completely oblivious. “I can’t believe I made you jealous,” you taunted. You could practically see the steam rolling off his shoulders as he opened the passenger car door for you. Before you could slip into the seat, Karl’s hand gripped the back of your neck, bringing you to press your lips roughly against his. He pinned you between him and the cool metal of the car as the taste of beer spread across your tongue.

His fingers dug into your hips, his other hand tightening around your throat. The coolness of his tongue ring was a welcomed sensation as you attempted to find friction against his hips. Your fingers moved to close around his wrist as he pulled away, leaving you gasping for air. His face was expressionless as his gaze danced from your lips to your eyes. “I’m going to fuckin’ ruin you for the way you acted,” he ribbed, stepping away from you.

You nearly slid down the side of the car at his words. “Okay,” you whispered, heat rising to your cheeks and ultimately to your core.

Karl’s calm exterior followed you until you finally got your apartment door open. Karl pinned you against the wood of your bedroom door, reaching to twist the lock as his lips began to commandeer your own. His hands dragged up your thighs beneath your skirt, squeezing at the flesh roughly. He yanked your shirt off, grinding his hips up and against yours as his teeth moved to nip at the skin of your neck before returning to badger your lips.

The taste of beer on his lips blended with your flavored chapstick as your tongue slipped into his mouth. In a mess of tugging and biting each other, your body melted into his rough grasp. You wanted whatever repercussions his twisted mind could come up with. You wanted him to do whatever he wanted to you. You fought against diving your hands into his jeans to beg him to continue, but he broke away from you as you fought to catch your breath.

Your lips were buzzing as the feeling of him still lingered. He brought his hand up to your jaw, tipping your chin up to him. “Fucking slut,” the devil’s grin painted across his face before he continued, pressing his lips against yours once more, his grin dragging your bottom lip between his teeth. “You act like I don’t fucking own you,” he nearly growled, his face hovering over yours as his hand squeezed your throat. You moaned quietly as he regulated your breathing with his hand. You wanted to drink in his dark, commanding appearance.

He pushed you back on the bed, making you instinctively crawl up towards the pillows. He smirked slightly, undoing his belt and slipping it into his hands. He put the garment on your bedside table. After tugging his shirt off, he was on top of you again, pushing you into the pillows and the fluffy comforter. Karl’s lips seared yours, showing you how much command he had over your body. He ground his hips against yours, the fabric of his jeans digging into you to elicit a moan echo from your mouth. You could feel his erection hardening against your leg, the tension deep within you tightening at the prospect of what he was going to do to you.

His fingers tugged at your skirt, gripping the material in his fist and dragging it down your body as if it was nothing. He flipped you, your elbows crowding the pillows as you felt him sit on your back, snapping the belt in his hands again. You let out a short breath as Karl’s nails raked up your back before his fingers dipped in your hair, tugging your head back to look at him. “I want you to scream my name tonight,” he groaned. You obliged as he dropped his grip on you.

He pulled your wrists between the bars of your headboard before binding you to the metal with his belt, yanking the leather to sinch against your skin. He dropped his head to press his lips against your shoulder, a tender nod of affection you knew would be the last. You leaned on your side to watch him sit back on his knees to unbutton his jeans. “Be gentle,” you leered, tugging your bottom lip between your teeth to fight your grin again as you watched him spit into his hand and stroke himself in preparation.

He chuckled. “I’ll take good care of you, sweetheart,” he murmured darkly through a smirk. He pulled your hips up and against his own, forcing your face into the mattress. Your hands tightened around the metal bars, as he angled himself at your entrance before driving himself into with an act of force you knew you deserved. A moan of his name slipped past your lips as his fingers dug into your hips, thrusting into you to drive himself deeper into you. “That’s right. I want the neighbors to know who’s fucking you,” he groaned, snapping his hips against yours.

Moans of pure bliss escaped your lips as his head neared yours. Karl used your hips as leverage for his unwavering pace, leaving you a mess of pleasure beneath him. His lips found their way to your neck as he nipped against the sensitive skin. You wanted him to mark you, to claim you, and he deserved to. His hand from your hair became wrapped around your throat as he began to reach his peak.

His hand slapped your ass with such force you knew there was a handprint, but you were too overwhelmed with the noises escaping his lips and your climax threatened to disobey your control to be concerned with the sting. If anything it threatened to push you over the edge. Your hands pulled against the leather of his belt as he pounded into you.

Your toes began to curl as he leaned over you, his breath fanning against your shoulder as you bit back heavy moans of pleasure. Karl’s hand was knotted in your hair again, his other fisting the sheets beside you. “Who’s making you feel this good? Huh?” You moaned out his name as he punctuated his sentence with the thrusts of his hips. “That’s right, you fucking slut.” You tightened around him, your orgasm sweeping over you with an element of shock.

You could practically hear Karl’s smirk as he moaned at the sight of you coming undone beneath him. He continued to ride you, finishing rather abruptly. He pressed his lips between your shoulder blades before loosening the belt around your wrists. Your back popped as you were finally able to move freely. He bit back a chuckle as you gingerly snuggled beneath the covers beside him. You slipped your hand across his torso, hugging his side against your chest as he rested an arm behind your head.

As you laid your head on his chest, his heartbeat began to steady, his fingers lightly brushing against your skin. “I’d rather eat my own feet than sleep with Todd, you know,” you croaked, realizing just how much your voice was weakening, breaking the silence between the two of you.

Karl chuckled softly. “Me too,” he commented, making you smile slightly. “I’m actually…” he paused slightly before continuing as if searching for what he wanted to say exactly. “I’m actually not sleeping with anyone else.”

You couldn’t fight the smile spreading across your face. “I’m not either.” You hugged him tighter, letting his fingers twirl into your hair. “I’m good with you.”

“I’m good with you, too,” he mirrored, a smirk evident in his voice as his other hand traced over the red marks on your wrists from his belt.

Tags:

@mrwinemaker @madsbbg @idiotinnit @xxtakechancesxx

#karl jacobs x you #karl jacobs smut #karl jacobs x reader #edgy!karl #edgy!karl jacobs #edgy aesthetic #eboy #🦋 anon #mcyt x reader #mcyt smut #karl jacobs imagine

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ladyseaheart1668 · 6 years

Text

Endless Summer Fan Novel (Book 3, Chapter 4)

Malatesta swears fluently under his breath. Jake edges closer to me.

“Ol' Nessie is harder to shake than mono!” he mutters ruefully. Helpless frustration bubbles up in my gut.

“Damn you, Cetus!” I scream. “Why can't you just leave us alone?!”

Dark clouds rush in overhead, following the ocean Guardian. A peal of thunder crackles through the air, and Cetus lets out an ear-splitting roar. As if answering him, the storm erupts in earnest, bright lines of lightning arcing across the angry sky as rain batters us below.

“I don't think he came to mess around this time, yo...” Craig says nervously.

“Back to the reef!” Sean shouts over the rising storm. “He can't get to us in the shallows!”

Yvonne and Malatesta struggle to turn the boats in the choppy water, but a dark shape rises to block our path back to the atoll.

“Oh, god,” Diego whispers. “That's his tail!”

“The grinning devil has us trapped!” Yvonne growls.

“Cetus!” Varyyn roars furiously. “I swear on my mother's grave, I will cut off your head and mount your skull over my throne!”

A wave swells beneath us, sending us scrambling to keep our balance. Michelle's backpack slides across the boat, wedging beneath an oar handle. The light of the Island's Heart streams through the half-zipped flap. Cetus' terrible visage turns, drawn by the brilliant light. For a moment, there is relative calm. Quinn stands on the prow of our boat, facing Cetus boldly.

“Guardian!” she shouts. “I command you to leave this place!”

Cetus turns his attention on her, but only seems to be angered by her words. He howls furiously. Sean and Michelle rush forward to protect her.

“Stop him!” Varyyn suddenly cries. “He has the Heart!”

“What?!” I whip around to see Malatesta raising the shining half-sphere toward Cetus.

“Ye want this, do ye, monster?!” he roars. “Then take it!” Before anyone can react, he lobs the Heart at Cetus. Horror floods through me as I watch it arc through the air and disappear into the serpent's cavernous maw. Cetus closes his jaws. Then, as soon as he appeared, he is gone again, disappeared beneath the raging waves.

“Did he just...eat the Heart?” Diego asks incredulously.

“Yup,” Jake confirms numbly. “That just happened.”

“Malatesta, you bastard!” I hear myself screaming as I come out of my stupor. “Do you have any idea what you just did, you selfish, double-crossing...”

“Plague-eating gut worm!” Yvonne finishes for me from the other rowboat.

“I did what none of you wallflowers were willing to do to keep us alive!” he snarls. Deafening thunderclaps explode overhead. Forked tongues of lightning strike the waves with ear-splitting pops, and a piteous cry rises from somewhere below.

“He's leaving!” Estela shouts. “But the storm's only getting worse!”

She's right. The waves are getting higher and stronger, and our rowboats are bucking and rearing, rising and falling like roller coaster cars.

“Hang on! Everyone just hang on!” I grab the oars, trying to control the boat. I row furiously against the tide, and the boat steadies slightly as we climb and descend the waves.

“Yeah! What a ride!” Craig crows. I turn frantically to look at the other rowboat, and a flash briefly illuminates a cluster of rocks directly ahead of Yvonne's boat.

“Yvonne, left! Break left!”

Yvonne pitches her weight left, turning the boat. They narrowly miss the rocks. I turn help them, but my eye catches the sight of the sea turning and falling away.

“Guys!” Craig cries. “It's a tidal wave!”

Caught in the current, the boat is drawn higher and higher by a towering wall of water. The dark sea churns beneath us, looking at least a mile off. As the wave crests, I find myself airborne, and hear screaming all around me. Some of it is probably my own. Then the dark water breaks painfully underneath me, rushing in to close over my head. Sinking figures surround me as darkness fills my vision, and even the rush of water singing against my ears starts to fade into silence...

… Light suddenly stings my eyes. My chest feels tight. There is a salty-tasting mouth pressed against mine, surrounded by scratchy stubble. Air rushes into my chest.

“Come on, Princess,” Jake pleads desperately. “Come back to me.” His mouth presses to mine again, and another rush of air sends a wave of seawater crashing up my throat. I feel my whole body seizing violently as the water in my lungs explodes out of me in a fit of coughing.

“Oh, thank goodness!” I hear Quinn breathe. I try to focus my vision. Jake is beside me, Quinn and Diego are kneeling at my other shoulder. Jake helps me sit up. He pulls me into his arms, trembling and kissing my hair.

“You're okay...you're okay, Princess...”

“I'm fine...” After taking a moment to catch my breath, I pull back to look at his face and gingerly lay a hand on his injured ribs. “Are you okay?”

He flinches at my touch, gasping sharply, but he forces a smile. “No worse off than before, I think.”

Diego smiles weakly at me. “How many near-drownings is this now, Allie?”

“Too many,” I admit. “Honestly, it's getting embarrassing.”

I glance around me. Besides Quinn and Diego, I see Sean, Michelle, Raj, Craig, Estela, and Varyyn are all gathered nearby, all soaking wet, but apparently unharmed. Jake kisses my forehead.

“There's no sign of the pirate duo,” he murmurs. “Maybe they washed up somewhere else.”

Abruptly, Quinn frowns, tipping her head to the side. “Hey...does anyone else hear that?” We all go quiet, listening. A faint melody is drifting through the trees, strains of an acoustic guitar.

“What the hell?” I murmur.

“Sounds like we ain't alone,” Jake remarks with a frown. He helps me to my feet. We all make our way into the rainforest, following the dulcet tones until we reach a ruined stone structure almost completely overgrown with clinging vines. At the center of what must have once been an impressive courtyard, an amphitheater descends toward a small stage.

“I think these are Mayan ruins,” Diego says. “I learned about them in Pre-Colonial Art History.”

“Yeah,” I murmur. I can't help pausing for a moment to admire them, to imagine them whole and filled with people living their daily lives. How many generations have walked this ground before me, unaware of what will come in the future, unconcerned about what came before them? Consumed with their own lives, their own problems, each making a thousand tiny decisions that shape the world into what it is now...

The mysterious guitar strains break into my thoughts again. I look toward the source of the music, which turns out to be a handsome young man sitting against a wall at one side of the stage. He's ruddy-skinned, with dark hair that brushes his shoulders, wearing a brown military-looking uniform and dogtags, like the kind Jake wears. Sensing our presence, he pauses.

“Hello? Someone else here?” We're still mostly concealed by the trees and the decaying building, but after scanning his surroundings, he seems to notice us. He starts to put his guitar away.

“...He's kinda cute,” Diego murmurs, with an unmistakeable grin curving his lips. “Don't you think so, Allie?”

“Down, boy!” I quip.

“He's more than cute,” Michelle replies. “He's downright dreamy.”

“No argument here,” Quinn agrees.

Jake raises an eyebrow. “You kiddin' me? That's a paratrooper kit he's wearing.”

“He's probably got some firearms on him,” Estela says flatly. “We'd better watch ourselves.”

“Definitely,” Sean agrees, he glares at Michelle and the others.

The man in the paratrooper kit walks over to a small pot perched atop a campfire and stirs its contents.

“Plenty of room here if you'd like to share my camp,” he calls.

“...Should we?” I ask uncertainly. “Call me paranoid, but I'm inclined to be suspicious of humans here who aren't...you know, us.”

“I'm with Alodia,” Craig agrees. “This guy is waaaaaaay suspicious.”

“Yeah. But we should find out what he's up to,” Sean murmurs.

Quinn rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on! Did you guys even hear that music?”

“Yes,” Varyyn says mildly. “It was very beautiful.” I can't tell if he's agreeing with Quinn or with us.

Sean shakes his head and steps warily toward the young man. The rest of us follow.

“Hey!” Sean calls.

The young man smiles warmly. “Hey, Mac. Pleased to meet you. I'm Kele.”

“You with Arachnid?” Sean demands.

“Arach-what?”

“Don't try to play dumb, bro!” Craig growls. “Lundgren give you all this gear?”

“Hey, look, don't snap your cap, pal. I don't know anything about any Arachnid or Lundgren. I'm on my own out here. Have been since the Shenandoah got brought down by U-boats.”

“You sayin' submarine torpedoes sunk your ship?” Jake asks, frowning.

“Germans really know what they're doing with those things,” Kele says ruefully. “We got hit in the zero dark hundred and we were taken totally unaware.”

“We're stranded on La Huerta, too,” Quinn admits.

“Now that's a sure shame.” Kele smiles disarmingly at her. “Pretty girl like you must have a lot of friends back home.”

Quinn blushes. “Oh, well, heh...Actually, all of my friends are here...”

Jake leans over to murmur in my ear, “Princess, his uniform is downright antique!”

“Kele,” I say, “don't take this the wrong way, but what year do you think it is?”

He shrugs. “Last I saw a calendar, 1941. But there's not much use in keeping track of time here.”

“So you are a World War II soldier!” Diego exclaims. “You were fighting Nazis before it was even cool!”

“Yeah, something like that.”

I feel Jake relax beside me. “Well, you got my respect.” He steps up to Kele and holds out a hand. “Jake McKenzie, former Navy pilot.”

Kele shakes the offered hand. “Oh, a flyboy. Pleasure.” He returns to the pot and starts stirring.

“How long have you been here?” Estela asks.

“Long enough to stop worrying about it,” he replies. “Can I interest you all in some chili or do you wanna keep beating your gums all day?”

Raj chuckles. “Dude's unflappable. I like him.”

“I saw him first,” Michelle retorts.

“No fair!” Quinn laughs.

“I guess he's all right,” Sean finally relents. “So, you really don't know anything about the Arachnid paramilitary outfit? Or Rourke?”

“Oh, you mean the machine men? Yeah, they've been around. I saw a bunch of them come out of the ruins. Looked like they were searching for somebody.” He frowns, looking up at us. “...Is it you they're trying to find?”

We all exchange glances. Finally, I take a deep breath. “Well, the short answer is...yes.”

“Huh.” He shrugs. “Well, you can hide here for as long as you like. There's a vista over a waterfall a few minutes away that's good for scouting.”

“Probably a good idea to send a couple people up there to keep lookout,” Jake remarks.

“Not you,” I say firmly, before he can volunteer himself. “You're still injured.”

“Alodia's right,” Michelle agrees. “We won't even know the real extent of the damage for a day or two. You need to rest as much as possible.”

“I'll go,” Sean volunteers.

“Not alone you're not,” I say. “I'll go with you.”

Kele arches an eyebrow at me. “Think I've figured out who your CO is.”

Jake chuckles. “That's Alodia. She may be tiny, but don't tangle with her. She's a firecracker.”

“Duly noted. I'll show you how to get there.” Kele puts down the ladle and wipes his hands.

“Need any help in the kitchen in the meantime?” Raj asks.

“Sure. More cooks means more food. There are some mangoes you could slice up in that rucksack.”

“Comin' right up!”

Kele directs me and Sean on the proper route up to the vista. We take the hill in silence for a few minutes, concentrating on keeping our footing on the steep, uneven terrain.

“It was good of you to volunteer,” I remark after a time. “I know you really haven't had much time to unwind since we found you. But if you hadn't, I know Jake would have, and in his current condition...”

“It's fine. Honestly, I kinda think I needed this.”

“Yeah?”

He sighs, flexing his fingers anxiously. “I dunno. So much has happened in the last few weeks, but there's so little that I was able to do about it. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to get a break, but...I just need to feel useful right now.”

“I feel like I ought to be telling you to chill out,” I reply ruefully. “But the truth is, I totally get it. It's just generally tough to enjoy yourself when you feel like you're not doing enough for those around you. And in a situation like ours...honestly, I feel like I'm forgetting how to relax.”

“I think it's like using any muscle. If you don't practice with it, it gets weak.”

“Well, for my money, staring at a waterfall together has to be a pretty good place to start.”

“Only one way to find out.”

I can hear the water rushing before it comes into view. When it does, my breath catches in my throat. I have found myself on the edge of the placid pond that spreads from the bottom of the waterfall. The water that flows over the cliffs above me is clear, crystal blue, and the whole scene is framed with mottled green and brown foliage. Beside me, I look out to see verdant greenery rolling below us.

“...There's worse places to be lookouts, that's for sure,” I murmur. I take a seat on a large boulder beside the waterfall and pat the spot next to me. “Sit down. Take a load off.”

Sean comes to sit beside me, casting his gaze over the valley. The gentle smile on his face starts to fall. He points somewhere in the distance.

“That's where Craig and I were held,” he says softly. “When we were captured.”

“So close?” I taste alarm at the back of my throat, but Sean quickly shakes his head.

“They moved camp awhile ago, so we're fine. ...It's just weird to see it again.”

It takes a moment for my heartbeat to return to normal, for my breath to descend from my chest into my abdomen. “...That must have been really hard...”

“It was,” he agrees. He is quiet for a long time, searching for the words. Finally, he shakes his head again. “It's hard to explain.”

“...What were they going to do with you?”

“I'm not sure. They clearly weren't there for us to begin with, which explains why we stayed in one place for so long. They would ask us questions sometimes. If we knew where the Heart was. Or what the Vaanti were planning. ...About halfway through, we overheard Aleister talking to someone about how we were the only survivors.”

I swallow hard. “...Shit...God, Sean...”

“...That was really hard, hearing that. After all that time, it seemed likely. And then after awhile, they wouldn't let me or Craig speak unless spoken to...”

“...Did they hurt you?”

“Some of them got a little rough, but nothing too bad. ...Aleister made sure they didn't treat us like garbage, so that was something.” He sighs. “I bet everyone thinks I was insane to ask him to come with us.”

“It's not insane, Sean. You saw something in him worth saving.” It's my turn to sigh. “The others...just aren't in a place to even ask that right now. They're still too raw.”

“That's fair,” he admits. “Regardless, I'm glad you had my back on the ship. It felt good to not be alone on this. ...It just hurts, Alodia. To see what he was doing. How he was doing it. I mean, I won't say Aleister was my favorite person to begin with...”

“You're not the first to feel that way,” I admit wryly.

“But while we were captured, I realized how similar our lives were. We both had to pretend to adore our fathers when they were horrible behind closed doors. We both felt this pressure to carry on a legacy, terrified of failure. Sometimes I would see him at the campsite, and all I could see was myself. Maybe I'm just scared that if I give up on Aleister...”

“...That you're giving up on yourself?” I finish for him. He nods, leaning a little closer to me, perhaps unconsciously. “...It's taken a lot of courage and strength for you to get where you are. But in the end, this is Aleister's journey to figure out. It won't matter how strong you are if he just won't move.”

“You're right. I know you're right. It just...sucks, you know? Seeing someone make the same mistakes you did?”

“I know. But you gave him more chances to do the right thing than anyone. It's not your fault he didn't take any of them.”

He regards me thoughtfully, a smile lifting one corner of his mouth. “What's it like, always knowing the right thing to say? It seems pretty great from here.”

I chuckle. “Oh, you know. I try not to let it go to my head.”

A sudden sharp breeze whips over the waterfall, sending a tepid spray over us. Sean puts himself between me and the waterfall, shielding me from the soaking blast. As the spray dies down, he smiles at me.

“Hi there.”

I grin back up at him. “Heh. Thanks.” Impulsively, I give him a light shove, enough to throw him off balance, and he topples over into the shallow pool. He lands with a splash, sputtering. Soaking wet, he emerges in the knee deep shallows.

“Oh, now you've done it.” With a wicked grin, he lunges at me, grabbing me just under my hips and throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I yelp as I find myself upside down, staring at his backside.

“Sean? Sean, w-what are you doing?!”

“If I'm getting a bath, so are you!” I shriek indignantly as he turns and marches straight for the waterfall, pounding at his back with my fists.

“You put me down, Sean Gayle! Put me down this instant!”

“No way!” Taking in a deep breath, he rushes in to stand directly under the frothy falls. “It's shower time!”

I yelp with helpless laughter as the lukewarm water crashes over me. “You are a dead man! The moment you put me down, you are so dead!”

“Well, then I guess I can't ever put you down, can I? I guess you live on my shoulders now.” With a few shifts of his weight, he shifts me from sack-of-potatoes position to drape me over both shoulders like a baby lamb. “God, you're tiny, aren't you?”

“I'm not tiny, you're just a big ol' hulk!” Still under the waterfall, he starts to spin in place, making me shriek again. And then I hear another shriek answering mine from somewhere in the hills, a shrill, inhuman cry fused with a cackle. The sound sends ice trickling down my spine. Sean stops cold, quickly setting me back on my feet.

“...What was that?”

“Nothing good,” I answer grimly.

“Hey, you two!” Quinn's voice drifts up the cliffside. “Food's ready! Come and get it!”

Sean looks down at me. “...It...might have just been the wind. We can't let this place make us jump at shadows, right?”

I smile in spite of myself. “Heh. Look at you relaxing.”

“What can I say. You're a great teacher.”

We head back down the trail toward the ruins, where everyone is gathered around a roaring campfire. Craig is clumsily picking at Kele's guitar. Michelle sighs wearily.

“Okay, Craig, whatever you're trying to play, just stop.”

“Isn't it obvious? It's that song about going over rainbows.”

“It's not obvious,” Estela deadpans. “Not at all.”

“At least you're better than Jake,” Diego says with a grin.

“Hey, my rendition of Wonderwall was beautiful!” Jake snaps back.

“I'm sorry to have missed that,” I quip, coming to sit beside him. He regards my freshly soaked clothes with a smirk.

“What happened to you, Princess? You fall in?”

“Something like that. I had help.” I shoot a mock-glare at Sean.

“Hey, she started it,” he retorts. Jake chuckles.

“Somehow, that does not surprise me,” he drawls, softening his words with a kiss on my cheek. I still stick out my tongue at him.

Kele and Raj are leaning over a bubbling pot on the fire, grinning from ear to ear.

“Smells like you've been busy,” Kele remarks.

“I'd love your feedback, dude.” Kele ladles out a bit, blows on it, and takes a sip. His eyes go wide.

“This is...amazing! How did you get so much flavor in there?”

“Coconut milk! And love. Always cook with love.”

Kele gets out a few shelled-out coconut halves from his rucksack. Sean takes the ladle and starts to fill the makeshift bowls, passing them out.

“Sit down, Raj,” he says. “You've earned it.”

When we've all been served, we raise our spoons in a toast and dig in. I sigh rapturously as the flavor collapses across my tongue, savory and hearty with just the right amount of spice.

“Oh my god,” Jake mumbles appreciatively around a mouthful.

“Best chili I have ever tasted,” Estela agrees. Craig has already wolfed down his bowl and gone back for seconds. I am not far behind him.

“Buddy's still got his skills!” Craig declares enthusiastically.

“Thanks to Grandma,” Raj says with a smile. He passes a grateful look to me as I ladle out another helping. “...and Alodia.”

Any reply I might have made is cut off when a sound floats up from out of another part of the ruins, something between rustling, chattering, and shrieking that makes every hair on my body stand to attention. Ice trickles down my spine.

“...Please tell me I'm not the only one who heard that...”

“I heard it,” Sean confirms lowly. “What was that?”

“Oh, that?” Kele shrugs nonchalantly. “That's just the ghost.”

The collective look we give him suggests he has just removed his own head and set it beside him to spoon-feed.

“Just a ghost?” Michelle repeats.

“How auspicious!” Varyyn says brightly. “Has it been here long?”

“Not sure. I've not tended to stay in one place.”

“So, is this a Casper the Friendly Ghost Situation or--” Diego is cut off as the noise surges in strength. We all drop our bowls, clapping our hands over our ears until it dies down a little. “Nope. That's definitely a Dementor.”

A loud crash comes from the trees on the other side of the clearing. My heart wedges in my throat.

“Everyone hide!” I hiss. We all scramble ot flatten ourselves to the ground and huddle against a ruined wall. I dare to peek my head out, and spot a flash of Arachnid armor. Jake grabs my hand, his breath catching, but the soldiers are too busy retreating to even notice the campsite.

“Squad Beta Commander to Control,” one of them calls frantically into his comm unit, “we need backup here! Repeat, requesting backup!”

“Wait!” the other soldier cries. “Don't leave me behind here!”

They vanish into the trees again. As their voices fade, we cautiously emerge from our hiding spots.

“That is not a friendly ghost,” Raj declares.

“Actually,” Estela murmurs, “I...think it might be...”

“Katniss, you did see the soldiers running like babies, right?” Estela pulls the photo of her family out of her pocket.

“Remember the thing that approached me on the beach? What if that spirit is this spirit?”

“I hear you,” Raj agrees. “That ghost thing pulled me out of a real tight spot.”

Sean rubs his father's watch on his wrist. “Helped me, too. Whatever this spirit is, it's definitely a friend.”

“Friend or not, if the soldiers are here, it probably means Rourke's interested in it,” Quinn points out.

“You think it has to do with the Heart?” Sean wonders.

“If Rourke wants it, it's likely,” I agree.

Diego groans a little. “Guys, this isn't fair. I left my proton pack at home.”

“How do we keep a friggin' ghost out of Rourke's hands?” Jake asks.

“Forget that, how do we get it to talk to us?”

“Maybe we should offer it tribute?” I suggest.

“We could light candles and make sugar skulls,” Diego says. “Like my abuelita on Dia de los Muertos.”

“And where would we get either candles or sugar?” Michelle asks irritably.

“We could kill a small animal,” Raj offers. Sean makes a face.

“As delightful as that sounds, Arachnid could be back any moment. We don't have time for that.”

“Why not just walk in and see what we can find?” Kele suggests with a sigh.

“Stay out of this, Jason Mraz,” Jake snaps. “We don't need your help.”

“Jake, be reasonable!” Quinn chides.

“Walking in does seem like less work than killing a squirrel,” Raj concedes.

“How do we know this won't end like a horror movie?” Diego asks nervously.

“I think there's only one way to find out,” I answer grimly.

“I'm coming,” Michelle declares. “But only so I can say 'I told you so' when we get murdered.”

We all turn toward the dark doorway at the end of the courtyard. As we approach, the noise fills our ears again. I grit my teeth, trying to block it out.

“It's not too late to turn around yet, is it?” Diego mutters.

“Come on, bro,” Craig says. “We don't have time to chicken out. Let's just do this before it gets dark.”

“You mean like you did at the haunted house sophomore year?” Michelle drawls.

“I got no idea what you're talking about,” Craig replies haughtily. “The zombies led me out the emergency exit so I could see the real hardcore part of the house.”

I sigh and gather my courage, gently shouldering by Craig to start walking up the steps. I fold my arms tightly over my chest, trying to disguise the fact that I'm shaking.

“See?” I hear Michelle say. “Alodia's going! You can't not go now!”

Craig grumbles under his breath, but he follows after me. As we all walk through the shadowy doorway, the rustling noises seem to close in around us. I shiver, feeling as if I've just stuck my finger in an electric socket.

“Is it just me, or is it really cold in here?”

“Hey, Spirit Dude,” Raj calls softly. “Buddy, ol' pal, ol' friend. We're not here to hurt you. Be nice. Pleeeeeeeease...”

“It's a ghost, Raj, not a puppy!”

I make my way down a rough, uneven staircase, stumbling slightly on one loose step. I put my hand on the wall to steady myself.

“You okay there?” Quinn asks.

“Yeah, fine. I just...” I trail off as I happen to look at my hand. It's smeared with blood. I look up at the wall and find words written in thick swaths of blood: STAY AWAY

“This is friendly-ghost-speak for 'Hi, be my friend', right?” Diego deadpans.

“There's more!” Kele remarks. “Cast an eyeball at this!”

I look where he's indicating, and see more bloody messages: YOU DON'T BELONG HERE and I CAN TASTE YOUR FEAR

“What emo punk band is this ghost listening to?” Jake mutters.

“Hopefully one that's pacifist,” Raj says.

“All right, gang, we don't know when Arachnid is coming back,” Sean points out. “Let's look around and be quick about it.”

We all fan out to poke around the ruins. Sean immediately pulls himself into the branches of an overgrown tree entwined with one ruined wall.

“Think the ghost is hiding up there?” I call up with a smirk.

“No stone unturned, right?” he calls back.

“Well, if by stone you mean branch, I guess that works.”

Quinn wanders over to a crumbling stone fountain. Picking up a stick, she gingerly stirrs the algae-thick water. She recoils slightly, putting a hand over her mouth and nose.

“This is like stirring soup,” she mutters. “And it stinks!”

“Hey, Allie. Come take a look at this.” I turn my attention to Diego, crouched with Varyyn near what appears to be a makeshift shrine. I come closer and find trinkets spread around a small wooden figurine.

“What's this?”

“Do you remember the religious war my people fought?” Varyyn asks. When we both nod, he continues. “Some sects believed that praying to individual Catalysts would bring them sooner.”

I squint at the idol, trying to make out some distinctive feature, dragon wings, a wolf's head, bear paws...

“Can you tell which one of us this is for?”

Diego lifts the idol to inspect it. As he does, something drops from a hole in the side into the dust at his feet. I bend to pick it up. It's a tarnished silver pen, with an engraving along the side: Grace Tamara Hall. My heart beats faster.

“This belongs to Grace!”

“What?” Diego snatches the pen from my hand to read the engraving. “She was here?”

“Perhaps,” Varyyn says.

Diego swallows and meets my gaze, his dark eyes troubled. “Allie, this pen looks old. I mean like old. This much tarnish on silver...”

“NO!” Craig's terrified cry makes us all jump. We all rush over to where he is stooped inside a narrow alcove, cradling something in his arms. My blood turns cold as it rushes out of my head to collect at my feet. Time seems to stop.

A body, mostly decayed, rests in Craig's arms. Still attached to a flap of rotting flesh on the scalp is an unmistakeable streak of maroon hair.

“...No...”

“...Th-that can't be Zahra...” Quinn whimpers. “...Right...?”

Trembling violently, Craig slips the bracelets off the corpse's bony wrists. They're familiar. Too familiar. Raj sucks in his breath sharply, hand flying to his mouth. Michelle backs away, her face ashen.

“No...”

“Th-there's writing over here,” Raj says weakly, pointing to the wall. “It says, 'You will be next.'”

Quinn dissolves into tears beside me. Sean curses under his breath, furiously kicking at the tree. I stare numbly at the grotesque pile of sloppy flesh and brittle bones. It...it can't be. It's not possible. ...I passed the test. They were alive...they were all alive... At least...they were alive when I reached the Threshold. But now the cycle has been broken. And this may have been my last chance. ...Have we lost her for good this time? Our Zahra? Our snarky lich queen, our brilliant hacker, our strong, fearless crow? I never saw her flinch, never saw her break. In another lifetime, I watched her singlehandedly destroy Rourke's entire empire. ...How could she be the first to go now, of all of us, when I was supposed to have finally gotten it all right?

Craig straightens slowly, clutching the bracelets, his face a twisted red mask of grief and fury.

“We had only just...I was going to...” He chokes on a sob, looking uncharacteristically small and helpless. Michelle reaches out to lay a hand on his shoulder, but he pulls sharply away, whirling to slam his fist into a wall with a furious cry.

“Hey, man, hold on--” Sean steps forward to pull him away, but Craig throws all his weight into a shove that actually sends Sean sprawling to the stones. His breath starts coming out in fast, shallow gasps.

“Craig, stop!” I cry. “Craig, you need to breathe!”

He ignores me, whipping around to face the dark recesses of the ruin. “Hey! Ghost! Come out so I can kick your ass!” He beats his fists wildly on the stone walls. A loud snap echoes across the plaza. Suddenly, the floor under my feet is trembling.

“Uh, Big Guy, I think you made it angry...” The floor drops about a foot beneath us, throwing us all off balance.

“Hang onto something!” Kele shouts. The stone under our feet starts to split apart, receding towards the walls and leaving us less room to stand on by the second.

“...I told you so,” Michelle mutters.

“Grab onto the walls!” I shout. I grasp whatever handholds I can find on the uneven stone walls, looking worriedly over my shoulder at my friends. Everyone scrambles to get onto the walls or the trees. Except for Craig. He stands still as the floor recedes. His back is to me, but I don't need to see his face to guess at his thinking.

“Craig, don't be stupid!” Michelle screams. “Grab hold of something!”

Before anyone can stop him, he jumps into the gap.

“No! Craig!” There is a distant thud as he lands. Suddenly, the gap in the floor starts to close again, edges slowly creeping together.

“Dammit!” Michelle jumps off the wall and runs toward the narrowing gap.

“What are you doing?!” Sean cries.

“I'm not letting him get stuck down there alone!” she snaps, scrambling over the edge. She lets go of the ledge and disappears.

“Hold on!” Sean yells. “I'm coming too!” One by one, the others jump down into the gap. I raise my eyes to meet Diego's beside me. He smiles weakly.

“All for one and one for all, right?”

“...Here goes nothing...” I turn myself against the wall and reach out to grasp his hand. Together, we launch ourselves into the gap. As the stones snap shut over our heads, all I see is darkness. We tumble through the air and land in a pile with the others.

“Whose elbows are in my back?” Estela groans.

“My arm is goin' numb,” Jake complains.

“This is not an ideal cuddle puddle,” Raj concedes.

As we slowly untangle ourselves, my eyes start to adjust to the darkness, broken by one small shaft of light from above. It illuminates Craig as he pounds his fists against the wall.

“Come out, asshat!” he howls. “I need to punch you out of existence!”

“Dude, the ghost might not even have a corporeal form,” Raj points out.

“I don't care!”

Sean seizes Craig's shoulders and turns him around, forcing them to lock eyes.

“I know it hurts, man,” Sean says gently. “I know. I feel it too. We all do. We all cared about Zahra. But just take a second. Breathe. Just let yourself feel whatever you're feeling.”

For a long moment, Craig just stares at his friend. Then his face crumples, his lips quivering. He pulls away sharply and collapses onto the stairs. I rush to his side to put a hand on his shoulder.

“Craig. I promise, we'll avenge her.” I grip his shoulder, speaking through clenched teeth. “I swear, whoever or whatever took Zahra from us, we will make them pay.”

“Hell yeah we will, Alodia.”

“Will both of you stop and think for two seconds?” Estela snaps impatiently. Craig scowls at her.

“Of all people, I thought you'd understand!”

“I do understand. But whatever this ghost is might have information about the island.”

Craig's shoulders sag under the weight of his grief. “I'm just...I'm so tired of never being good enough. I wasn't good enough to get drafted--”

Sean looks sharply at him. “Wait, what?!”

“I wasn't good at school,” Craig continues, ignoring Sean. “I wasn't...I couldn't get to Zahra fast enough. It's just...why couldn't it have been me?!”

“Oh, Craig...” Michelle murmurs.

“She beat me at everything!” he cries. “She was smarter, cooler, always knew what to do...Why is she gone and a dumb, worthless loser like me still here?!” He dissolves into ragged sobs, tears running down his cheeks in rivers. For a long while, no one speaks. Then Diego yelps, raising a finger toward a glowing rock wall.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“There! That's it!” Estela exclaims.

Sure enough, the glowing ghostly figure is coming through the rock wall and descending the stairs toward us. Shock and disbelief momentarily halt Craig's tears as he stares at it. Then his face twists with rage.

“You! You killed my friend!” He lunges at the figure, throwing punch after wild punch, but his fist passes through it. The figure endures Craig's furious assault placidly, not moving. “I hate you! I hate you! I...why isn't it hurting me?”

“...Because it's Zahra?” Michelle suggests.

“What?!”

“Think about it. Who else's spirit would do things to try to help us?”

“Of course,” Sean murmurs. “It does make sense...”

Craig's face twists with fresh anguish. “Z-Zahra...? I'm...I'm so sorry...” He clasps his hands in what looks almost like a prayer. “I didn't find you fast enough. I wasn't there when you needed me. I was so sure that you'd be okay, and then I...I...I failed you...”

The ghost bends toward him, holding out its hand. A small, silvery ring rests in its palm. Craig looks at me, his eyes begging for guidance. I nod.

“Take it. I think you'll want to see this.”

He stretches out a trembling hand to accept the ring. “It's my class ring,” he mumbles. “My parents picked this one out a while ago. They were gonna give it to me at graduation.” I hold out my hand, silently asking permission to touch it. He passes it toward me, and I feel the familiar weightlessness as the world around me dissolves.

A football stadium, packed with spectators. “Ultra Bowl” is emblazoned on the grass beneath the players' feet. The Eagles lead the Condors by four points, with five seconds on the clock.

“We can still pull this off, Craig,” Sean says. “Can you make a hole for me?”

“All day, every day, bro,” Craig replies.

“All right, let's do this. 64, 96, Fireball...Hut hut!”

The defensive lineman barrels down toward the quarterback, but the linebacker pushes him hard to the side. The quarterback scrambles up the middle, flying past the front line. Two defenders come from the side and begin to pull him down. He laterals the ball to the linebacker before he's taken down.

“Get it!” Sean yells.

The defense goes for the linebacker, but he rolls through them, straight into the endzone.

“I don't believe it!” the announcer shrieks. “The Condors win! The Condors win the Ultra Bowl!”

“That's what I'm talking about!” Sean crows as fireworks explode over the field.

In a comfortable, cheerful office, Sean and Craig set down their controllers and high five each other. On the computer screen in front of them, animated figures are carrying out a giant trophy. The sound of a cheering crowd floats out from the speakers. Sean, dressed in his purple and black Condors uniform, grins at his friend.

“You're as good a lineman in game as you are in real life!”

Craig, dressed in jeans and a plain T-shirt, laughs. “Maybe real-life me five years ago!” he says, ruefully poking at his belly, which has grown a little bit rounder. “Not a lot of lineman training behind this desk.”

He closes the test rig on the screen, and Sean leans back, lacing his fingers behind his head. “It's good.”

Craig grins. “For real, bro, thanks for coming in for our cover photoshoot. You've become Touchdown 2021's biggest selling point.”

“Hey, anything for you man. Just gotta make sure the game only has my good plays in it.”

Craig snorts. “Dude, don't worry. We literally had to nerf your stats because you were so OP.”

Sean smiles, casting his eyes over the office. His eyes fall on a photo sitting on the desk in front of him, of him and Craig in their Hartfeld uniforms, side-by-side. Craig notices where his gaze has landed and frowns a little.

“...Hey, Sean?”

“Yeah?”

“How do you know when you're good enough at what you do?”

“Where's this coming from?”

“Okay, so you're literally one of the best athletes in the world, Raj basically owns the NomNom Network...Sometimes, I just...don't know if I can keep up, you know?”

“Aw, dude--”

“I know, it's dumb.”

“You're working on one of the biggest game franchises in the world. You found a life that makes you happy. Honestly, man, I'm really proud of you.”

“...Really?”

“Since getting this job, I gotta say I feel like you've come into your own. You stopped trying to pull people down, and found something you loved. I think that's awesome.”

“And I haven't even told you about CheeseFry-day.”

“Is that where you get cheese fries on Friday?”

“It's the best, dude.”

A photographer wanders in from the next room. “Mr. Gayle, we're ready for you. Follow me, please.”

“That's my cue.”

“Sure is,” Craig agrees. “And I got a meeting coming up. But hey. Thanks, man. I mean it. I don't know how I woulda gotten here without you.”

“Nah.” Sean claps him on the shoulder. “This is all you, Craig.”...

… I'm back in the cavern again, my hand and Craig's still on the ring. The others stare at us and the ghostly figure between us.

“Did...did you just see...?”

I smile. “Yeah. I did.”

The ghost is shining brighter now. Craig turns toward it. “I think...I know what she's trying to tell me.” He offers the spirit a watery smile. “Zahra, if it's you, I just wanna say something, before you go...”

The spirit looks down at him, apparently waiting for him to continue. He draws in a shuddering breath.

“I...I think I'm in love with you. And I don't know how to stop. I don't think I can. I just started to think that I could be your Player 2...” His voice cracks with anguish, and he covers his face. “I wish I could've stopped this from happening. But I know why you showed me the future. You want me to keep going. So...I'll do my best.”

The spirit starts to recede into the wall, but it keeps its hand stretched toward Craig. As it fades, Craig dissolves into fresh tears, crying brokenly into his hands. Sean and Michelle rush forward, wrapping their arms around him as he sags toward the floor.

“We're right here, Craig,” Sean murmurs, looking ready to cry himself. “Right here.”

“I'm such a wuss,” Craig says bitterly. “Why couldn't I tell her...?”

“...Tell me what?”

Everyone freezes at the unmistakeable voice behind us. We turn slowly, hardly daring to believe it. But it's true. Her dark hair is ragged and uneven, as if she's been stubbornly maintaining her undercut with sharpened rocks, and her signature maroon streak is faded and somewhat off-color. But there's no mistaking her. It's Zahra.

Quinn is the first to say it. “...Y-you're alive!”

Estela blinks, looking back towards where the ghost has faded. “Then what just...”

“Z...?” Craig's voice trembles. “Is that you?”

Zahra coughs awkwardly, shifting her weight. “Craig, did you, uh...mean all that stuff? About me dying?”

Craig is off like a gunshot, pulling Zahra into a crushing embrace. She yelps as the breath rushes out of her, grimacing. Craig lifts her bodily off the floor, bouncing with elation.

“It's you! You're not dead! You're really not dead!”

“To be not dead, I need to breathe!” she croaks, squirming. He sets her down, but he only pulls back slightly.

“Sorry about that. Actually, not sorry. You're alive!”

“If I do die, you are not allowed to speak at my funeral. That was cheesy as hel--” She's cut off by Craig's lips pressed firmly to hers. Quinn laughs.

“Aww!” she cooes.

“Should we turn around?” I quip, aware that I'm grinning like an idiot and not really caring. Zahra, kissing Craig back with passion, puts her middle finger up at us. After a moment or two, they reluctantly break apart. Zahra looks Craig over.

“I guess it's cool that you're not dead or whatever either.”

“So...Zahra, you're buddies with the ghost?” I ask. She looks reproachfully at me.

“No, you doofus. I am the ghost.”

“Then, the spooky noises? The floor opening up?”

She grins, clearly pleased with herself. “Speakers playing sounds based on a randomized time interval.”

“The blood?” Jake asks.

“Had to eat a few squirrels the last couple months. Figured the blood was a nice touch.”

“A couple months?!” Raj yelps.

“Yeah, let's skip past that part,” she mutters.

“What about the floor?” Michelle asks.

“You mean my masterpiece,” Zahra answers with a wicked grin. She digs a small flashlight out of her pocket and points it at the ceiling. A large series of wires and supports rest under each stone square. I whistle lowly.

“You have been busy. And you managed to fool those Arachnid troops.”

She laughs. “Did they piss their pants this time? I hope I got it on video.”

“Okay, I get pretending to be a ghost,” Quinn says. “But why fake your own death?”

Zahra shrugs. “Rourke can't kill me if he thinks I'm dead.”

“You almost convinced us,” Sean replies softly.

“Yeah, well...you're here. I'm here. It all worked out.”

“That still doesn't explain the glowy thing that's trying to give us stuff,” Raj points out.

“Glowy thing?” Zahra repeats, blinking. “I didn't have a glowy thing.”

“Okaaaaaay,” Jake drawls. “Then who the hell is Beetlejuice and why is he coming after us?”

Heavy, clunky footsteps on the staircase distract us from speculating further. We shrink into a protective huddle, turning towards the sound. I feel my blood run cold.

Oh, no...please, no...not here...not now...

The Endless stands in front of us, her aged face once more concealed behind her visor. The flame that once danced over her mechanical right hand is gone.

“I'm afraid there is something else you need to worry about.”

#pixelberry choices #play choices #choices stories you play #Diego Ricardo Ortiz Soto #Jake McKenzie #sean gayle #Craig Hsiao #raj bhandarkar #aleister rourke #estela montoya #quinn kelly #zahra namazi #michelle nguyen #grace hall

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skyfulloffreckles-blog · 7 years

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Bad luck (Eddie Kreezer x reader) _______ It was your first time in New York and to be honest, you were afraid. No one was with you. This city was like a huge labyrinth and you were a little mouse in it, not knowing the exit. You were amazed by the skyscrapers, they almost reached the clouds. New York was noisy, busy, colourful and exciting. Your eyes tried to catch every detail. You were fully swallowed by this city that you lost direction. You didn't pay attentiom to where you were walking, until you stopped in a rather dark alley. Even though it was daytime, this area was cold and rotten, a place were a lonely woman shouldn't be. You looked around, hoping that no strange figures would spot you. "Thank god", you thought relieved and started to walk away, when suddenly a hand pulled you firmly on the shoulder. "Hey, hey! Look what we got here... Lost, sweetheart? Wanna get out?" In front of you stood a tall guy, a hat hide his face but you could see his wide grin. You bit your lip. Then, someone whistled behind you and another guy appeared. "Don't be shy, sweety. My friend's just polite, right?", he asked his fellow. "Yeah...just good intentions", he said, eyeing you from head to toe, licking his lips. You didn't know what to do. You had no weapons, screaming for help was useless because no one would hear. It was a dead end. You were ready to run for your life, when suddenly the guy with the hat laughed like a maniac. "Okay, okay... Calm down, sweetheart. We just wanna be nice...how 'bout a little gift?" "S-sorry, but I just want to...-" Your eyes widen in shock when the man pressed a little bag in your hand, filled with white powder. "No!" "Psst! Hey, honey, don't make a fuss or do you wanna get caught by the cops?", the guy behind you whispered amused. Dear god, how were you supposed yo get out of this? You let the bag drop to the ground which the hat-guy didn't like. "The fuck you thinkin' you doin', bitch?! That's expensive shit and you're dropping it?! You have no manners?!", he screamed at you, rising his hand. You closed your eyes, ready to welcome the pain. But it didn't come. All you heard was the guy's swearing. You opened your eyes and saw a third guy right in front of you. He had caught the punch, his hand holding the fist of the other guy. "The fuck you think you're doing? Quit the bullshit and don't give the stuff to little girls", he growled with an british accent. You smiled when he turned to you, putting a cigarette to his lips. "Thank you!" So there were nice men in this city, you thouht happily. You could see his face now. He had a sun kissed skin which was decorated with countless freckles. His green eyes had no expression while studying you. He just light up his cigarette and inhaled the smoke. A deep breath. Then another. The two other guys seemed to be afraid of him. "Eddie... We were just...-"One of them stuttered but was immediately hit by Eddies fisy. He fell on the ground, nose bleeding. "Little Fucker... What? You were just having fun? And giving my drugs to this little whore here?", Eddie spitted and pointed with his cigarette towards you. "I...i...n-no...i...-" "Next time you're trying to srew me I will break more than just your ugly nose", he said, picking up the little bag and pushing his cigarette on the guy's forehead who screamed out of pain. You looked away and held your breath. "See you later, ladies", Eddie hummed, waving as he left the alley. You stood there, lost. You ignored the other two guys who were running away. Your eyes followed this mysterious man who just saved you. Not really in a nice way, but he still saved you. His black leather jacket waved against the wind, that also messed his reddish locks. Your feet moved on their own and before you knew it you were following a junkie. 15 minutes had passed and you'd followed him through different areas. Some were crowded, some were quite. This street sure was quite, that's when he all of a sudden turned around and pointed his finger to your face. "You! Stop following me like a lost puppy, it's fucking annoying", he growled and you stopped. "I... Well I wanted to thank you." Eddie snorted. "Yeah, whatever... Go back to your castle and wait for your prince riding on a horse to you, princess", he waved you off and that was it. "EXCUSE ME, but I just try to be polite you ignorant asshole!!", you screamed at him. Eddie seemed to not expecting you to lose your temper, because he raised his eyebrow. Then he smiled, a wide grine that revealed his perfect white teeth. "Well, hello there. I knew there was a real lady inside of you", Eddie winked and bowed in front of you. You were angry and confused. "Stop making fun of me!" "Oh, I'm not. I'm serious. Dead serious", he ensured you, turning around and walked away. You should have let him just go, you thanked him, but... Somehow you couldn't leave him. Something was pulling you like a magnet towards him. You've followed him to his home. Well, in fact it was a worn out factory, empty and fallen down. The night had arrived. The temperatures dropped to the freezing point and you cursed yourself that you didn't wore a coat. Carefully you entered the building, it was even darker inside. And colder. But after a while you saw a weak light and a shadow projecting on the opposite wall. It was Eddie. He sat on the cold floor, sniffing in the white drug with his nose in the dime light of a few candles. You didn't know him, but still you felt sorry for him. This life was not worth living and you walked closer, the sniffing getting louder. Then you stood right in front of him, fist clenched, knees skaking. Eddie just raised his head lazyly, his eyes were half opened and he wore a sloping smile. "Heeey, it's you.... My favourite lady", he lulled, the drugs showing their full effect. A tear escaped your eyes. You couldn't take it. Because you could see through him... Behind his harsh behaviour was a nice man. If not, then he wouldn't have saved you earlier this day. But the drugs changed him, that's what you hated. You knew it too well because your brother took drugs as well. At that time it was a fight full of tears, screams and pain to help him get clean. But it was worth it, worth seeing him having hope again. A will to live. "Eddie..." "Hmmm? You wanna thank me again?? Alrigh', go ahead....", he mumbled, leaning against the wall. "Stop it." "Hmm? What was that??" He put his hand behind his right ear. "STOP RUINING YOUR LIFE!" Eddies smile dropped, his face emotionless. It was silent for a while. You were shaking because of anger, Eddie's red eyes were observing the little flame of the candle. It was then that you noticed how pale he was, his tan completely gone. "Eddie?", you asked hesitately, but he didn't react. His eyes didn't move and you saw how empty they were. "EDDIE!!" Your hand touched his cheek and you flinched. It was ice cold. "Fuck! No no no no no! Hey, Eddie! Stay awake!", you pleaded while calling the ambulance. You knew by experience that Eddie was in a shock, the dose of the drugs was too much for his body. You put your jeans-jacket over his shoulders, rubbing his upper arms to keep him warm until help would arrive. "It's gonna be okay, you'll be fine." Your soothing voice kept him awake, he couldn't move his body but he could still hear you. Eddie's wet eyes moved to you, he looked so broken in this moment and you knew he was. Broken and fucked up. But you didn't want to loose another human because of drugs... Eddie has been in hospital since 2 days. The doctors cleaned his blood and did serveral tests on him to check his health. You were standing in front of his room, it was the first time you visited him while he's fully awake. You knocked. No response. Quietly you opened the door just to see Eddie, standing next to his bed, fully dressed in his black clothes. "What the hell are you doing?!", you were pissed. Eddie smiled to you, putting on his metal chocker. "You just missed out the best part, darling", he winked at you seductively, but you knew he was messing with you. "You need to stay in bed, Eddie!" The freckled man raised an eyebrow. "You really like calling me by my name, huh?" You stepped closer. "Well, care to tell me yours as well, little bird?" "The little bird is called Y/N." Eddie laughed, clapping his hands. "Good, good... I like your attitude", he said, checking his pockets and slipped in his black boots. You observed him. "And I don't like yours", you said. Eddie shrugged. "It's none of your business, I stayed long enough here in this hell." "It's hell where you are about to go back!!", you rose your voice and Eddie pushed you against the wall, your faces inches apart and his hand grabbed your chin firmly, forcing you to look at him. "Now you listen carefully, little bird... I'm really thankful that you brought me back from the dead, but I am no longer your business. We are even now", Eddie growled like an animal, but you stared into his eyes and he knew by that that you wouldn't give up. He sighed. "Bye", he turned his back to you and walked to the window. "WAIT!", you shouted, grabbing the sleeve of his leather jacket, but all of a sudden Eddie threw you on the bed, sitting on top of you. He pinned your hands down with his own, bending down so his full lips touched your ear. "I could rape you. Right here. Right now." Eddie sounded serious and you knew he was. "Then I will scream." You were serious as well. Eddie laughed, but this time so loud that probably half the hospital could hear. "Alright, you're in", Eddie chuckled darkly and you frowned. "Come on, little bird, let's fly!" And before you knew what happened Eddie and you jumped out of the window. ______ Hope u liked it guys! Leave us a feedback please and send us requests if u like ;)

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