The Purple Monkey (Book 2 in SRMTHFG series)

2

I dip my toes in the lake, watching the stars and listening to them. The songs fill my ears. Then, something else does.

Footsteps. A voice. Not mine.

I turn around to see Antauri walking through the grove, into the clearing. He sees me.

"I thought I'd find you here," he says. I sit up and back away a little.

"Antauri?" I say. "Is that you? Like, the real you? But- it can't be- I'm in my voice." I fall back down onto the ground and grab the grass in handfuls, tearing out two chunks.

"This isn't funny!" I yell. "This is a mean joke! It's dark and cruel and it's just... mean!" I fall on my stomach and start sobbing. How dare my conscience make up one of my friends? I know how much it hurts to see them after all of this.

"How would this be a joke?" Antauri asks. I hear his footsteps come over and sit by me.

"You can't be in here. My mind is playing a trick on me. A really mean trick."

"Why would you play a trick on yourself?"

I sit up a little, propping my head on one arm, twirling a blade of grass around with my other hand.

"Because, I've been dying to see you all. The Hyper Force. I've been in here way too long. It's really lonely."

"Chelsea," Antauri says, "I can assure you that I am not a figment of your imagination. Have you forgotten what the Power Primate allows me to do?"

I freeze, the memories slowly coming to me.

"So it's really you?"

"Yes."

I gulp. "What happened to me? Where am I?"

"After you were hit by Chiro, we took down Skeleton King. We made sure we damaged him enough to where it will take a long time for him to recover. Meanwhile, we have you here, at the Super Robot."

"Why can't I wake up?" Antauri stares at the sky for a minute before looking back at me.

"Your body is extremely weak. Your organs and body systems nearly failed, but we put you in a capsule."

"I'm floating in liquid right now with a bunch of tubes all over me?"

Antauri shakes his head. "Just your arms, head, and heart."

I stare at the lake. "Wow."

"You are taking this really well, Chelsea," Antauri says. I know he's trying to show me the brighter side of the situation.

"I guess so. Plus, I'm not exactly dead yet... right?"

"Correct."

"And I'll get better soon, right?"

He takes in a deep breath. I frown and bite my lip to keep from crying.

"You can't promise that... can you?" I ask slowly.

"No, I cannot. I apologize."

"I- no, you don't have to apologize for anything. It's not your fault. I was the one that insisted I could go, and... I thought could take him. I mean, the Hyper Force had gotten me this far, so why not take a risk? I've been bullied and called worthless for as long as I can remember, so why not feel like I could-"

I turn to see that Antauri isn't here any more. I sigh and push the dirt with my heel a little.

"So why not feel like I could finally do something?"