[Read Description] | RED.exe (13+)

Chapter Six

"Guys, please, you need to trust me. Everything will be okay, but I need your help." Doc looked at Scope with narrowed eyes, then Duh ever so softly. "If we work together, we can fight him off."

"As if you trust me," Scope muttered, "you know what I did, don't you?"

"She murdered someone."

Before Doc could even speak, Duh had said that in such an eerie, monotone voice. Doc didn't like that. "What do you mean?"

"It was me." Red hissed, grabbing Doc's attention. "She murdered me."

As he spoke, he tried to control Duh and Scope together. Why wasn't it working, then? As far as Doc acknowledged, when Red's torso glowed a bright, eye-piercing red, the controlled would have red somewhere on their body.

Duh, he understood. He was only partially infected, and he could tough it out. But Scope? Not so much. To be fair, she seemed to be struggling a lot.

"...Who are you?" Doc looked at Red.

"I was once your friend, Doc. Your ally. Tom, was it now?"

Doc's eyes widened. "Don't play jokes on me."

"I'm not. It's all truth." Red smiled sinisterly. "Remember what I told you, Doc? I live on forever."

Doc stepped back, surprised now. He meant it. He really meant it. How did he know this would happen? Despite all his questions, Doc also felt a burning hate build up for Scope. But that didn't matter. He had to stop this.

Doc suddenly pulled out his pistol, pointing it right at Red. "Not for long."

Red narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't do this to a friend, now, would you?"

A friend. The words stung Doc like a wasp. He is my friend. I can't... I...

Doc didn't even have time to react when Red suddenly lashed out. He only hardly dodged his attack as Red tried to cover him in goo.

"I'm sparing you. Now, do the same to me, would you? We can work as a team." Red smiled.

"You just tried to infect me! Are you mad?!"

"The infection spreads, not kills."

"And that means nothing! I'm not going down by some stupid infection!" He shot once, missed. Shot again, missed again. Red seemed to refuse to be taken down.

"Then I'll have to take you down MYSELF!"  Red shot his hand forward, and Doc didn't have time to run.

Doc flinched. For once in his life, he flinched. I'm over, I'm do-

He heard quick footsteps and a grunt and opened his eyes. Did he die? Was he safe? He blinked quickly in sudden shock as he noticed Duh, just struggling to hold Red's hand away from Doc. "You can hurt me. You can kill me all you want. But you won't hurt him. Not ever."

Doc blinked. He's helping me!

"Aww, now that's just cute. Two long lost friends helping each other. Adorable." Red let out a small smile, teasing him.

"He's not just my friend. He's not just my ally. He's-" Duh pushed back Red even more. "He's special to me. He always has been."

Doc was overwhelmed by this comment. He returns the feelings. I thought it was just me!

"Fine then." Red was about to hit Doc with his other hand when Scope also rushed in, shoving his hand back with all her might. "Scope! Just what do you think you're doing?!"

"I understand now." Scope narrowed her eyes, looking up at Red. "I understand my mistakes. In fact, family and friends are more important than anything else in the world. And, even if they don't consider me as a friend, they consider me as a person. The same species. Someone they should have a reason to trust!"

"Now you understand." Red tried to move his hands, but Duh and Scope only continued holding on.

"Do it, Doc!" Scope looked back at Doc, then his gun. "You've got to finish this!"

Red's face suddenly turned upset. "You can do it, Doc. You'd be eliminating me. A friend. Thomas. You'd be ruining your life."

Doc blinked, looking at Red, then his gun. His heart felt heavy, and his hands began to shake. "I... But..."

"Come on, Doc. Please." Duh said this, worry taking form in his expression rather than anger. "I know it hurts. Everything does, sometimes."

Doc fell quiet, continuing to look at his gun. He swore his vision blurred for a minute. Was he... crying?

"You know, the love of my life once told me something," Duh continued softly, "he told me- He told me... that this is life. A society... filled with cruel people. A place no one can call home, yet a place where we are forced to stay. And he told me he'd have my back... until the very end."

Doc recalled those words. It was the last time he thought he would've seen Duh. The love of his life. Did he really mean it?

Sudden rage filled him, and he lifted himself, picking up his gun and pointing it directly at Red. "This is over. Your rage has been building up on other people for far too long. It's time I put a stop to this once and for all."

Red smiled wickedly. "Do it Doc! I live on forever! And ever, and ev-"

With three shots to the chest, Red quickly glitched out. Doc quickly began to run to the room the television was stored in. Racing inside, along with Duh and Scope, he peered at the television.

RED.exe is not responding.

Close it. Doc convinced himself, squeezing his eyes shut as he pressed the button.

Within a quick instant, an explosion was audible, and Doc was sent flying back into the wall. It was a miracle. The black goo began to lift. But, turning to Duh and Scope, it seemed to stick onto them.

"The- The Spreading! It's still there!"

"About that..." Scope looked away nervously. "I... may or may not have forgotten to make a cure for it."

Doc narrowed his eyes and slowly got up, ignoring his pained back. "This is all your fault! It's your fault Tom is gone! It's your fault you're infected! Your fault that Duh is infected! And- and Lulu, too! It's all your fault!" Doc grabbed a nearby knife, about ready to throw it, when he was suddenly held back, by - Duh.

Why wasn't he getting infected?

Duh had been hugging him, shaking bad. This must've been all too scary for him, the poor guy. Doc couldn't hold it in anymore. He dropped the knife and began crying, practically letting Duh hold him as he continued to sob.

"I-It's okay, Doc. It's all over now. It's all okay... it's okay..."

Doc continued to melt down in Duh's grasp, but his words were so gentle and reassuring. Doc knew that Duh was right.

Maybe things were going to be okay after all.