Land of Memory - a Hermitcraft and last life threequel

Chapter 15 - Etho

Fun continues.

I run through the maze. 

Impulse and Skizz are behind me, but I'm faster. A turn ahead. Bow in hand. Arrow in the other. Hoping I'm not spotted. Hoping we can get to safety.

'We're still ahead. He's got to tire soon...' I hear Impulse's voice through his terrified pants. 

'I'm ALREADY tired!' Skizz snaps back in his panic. 'Where's the exit to this place?! Where's Etho gone?' So they can't see me. Alright. Which means the Convex can't see me as well. Good. If anything happens, I'll appear and shoot. That arrow's got to be awfully precise...

'Etho will come back. He'll save us.' Impulse's certainty makes me feel better. I won't miss. I'm known for not missing. 

Something happens. The footsteps behind stop. I hear Impulse speak. 

'Brother, get up! We need to run!'

'I... I think I've broken my leg.'

'How?!'

'I tripped on that damn cat he has!'

I stop too. I nock the arrow, ready to fight back when the convex come. 

'Is the Vex there?'

'They've disappeared. We must've lost them.' 

'Phew. Lucky us...'

'Yeah...' 

'Are... Are you going to help me?' Skizz asks. Surprise fills me. Impulse hasn't helped Skizz yet? What's happened? 

'I think so?' It's a rubbish answer back from Impulse. 

'At least stay here, please? When I die? I don't want to die alone.' 

'I'll stay. I promise. You're my brother. I'm not going to abandon you.' Then help him. I mutter to myself. Save Skizz. We need to get out of here. 

'I hope not! Hey, when we get back, we'll have quite the story to tell! How we outran the convex. They can't stop us. Skizzleman and Impulse coming out on top!'

'Don't use our-' it's already too late. I run forwards as Impulse's voice cuts off. A figure appears through the wall in front of me. I try to hold them back. I'm too late. They turn the corner I'm hiding behind. I hear Impulse howl Skizz's name. Both names. Real name and nickname. Because I know it doesn't matter any more. Skizz is yelling back. I turn the corner, heart racing, bow drawn. 

'NO DON'T KILL HIM PLEASE HE'S MY BROTHER SKIZZ PLEASE NO!' Impulse screams in a tumble of sheer panic. This is where you shoot. This is where you save them, but the shot is impossible.

Martyn about to kill Grian. Skizz about to kill Tango. I can see the brokenness of Tango's expression. A dull silence of betrayal. He's not moving. Not struggling like Skizz did. That'll make it easier.  

'IMPULSE!' Skizz howls back. 'DON'T LET ME DIE!'

'I WON'T! ETHO! WHERE ARE YOU?!'

'IMPULSE!' Skizz is crying now, and his face shines with tears. I don't know how I'm not. Fight or flight is in full overdrive within me, but from where I am neither is possible. 'I DON'T WANT TO DIE!' 

'ETHO, JUST SHOOT!'

I don't think the people in the maze are that bad.

'I WON'T LET THEM KILL YOU.' THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, YOU'RE BOTH GOING TO DIE. 'SKIZZLEMAN! BROTHER! I PROMISE!'

Impulse's words are the final motivation I need. I don't have time to perfectly aim the shot. I don't want to kill anyone. I can almost track the arrow's path. I can hit the vex holding back Impulse in the shoulder, and then the other one in the neck if I shoot it like this. 

Bow string taut. Focused. Sweaty hands almost making me slip. I can't slip. I can't dare to shoot wrong. 

I let the arrow fly, 

Impulse's capturer hollers with pain, letting him go. But everything seems to go as if in slow motion as I realise my mistake. The arrow will've lost acceleration. It's not going to kill the vex. 

No.

No.

NO.

I have a chance to make it right now. 

Shoot the right person. Don't kill Tango. Don't kill anyone. The first part is what you got right. More stretch on the bow could get the right aim. 

I let the arrow fly. 

It's too almost too late. Martyn kills Grian and makes a run for it, but I still hit him as he tries to escape. The arrow continues. And just like before I follow its progress as it flies forward and hits Skizz, right as he shoves Tango forward and stabs him. 

Grian was slain by Inthelittlewood 

Tango was slain by Skizzleman

Skizzleman was slain by Etho

Relief. 

I did it right. 

I killed the right person. 

'SKIZZ NO!' 

But I still killed Skizz. 

Terror. Disappointment. I killed Skizz still. Impulse still hates me. 

I can't do anything right. 

There's no right way. 

Every night replaying the moment. Trying to do it right. 

And I failed again.

And whatever happens. If I can ever do it again, I'll still fail. 

Impulse runs forward, but he's too late as Skizz disappears. Falls down next to where his brother would've been. Screaming his brother's name again. Not paying attention to me as I step back. Pain. Sorrow. 

Fear. (TW: SUICIDE)

Everyone will hate me again,

I run.

I don't look back.

I don't ever want to look back. 

It's over.

It's all over.

I can't do this any more. 

I stop. There's string in my inventory. I pull it out. Judge the length. It's just enough. My fingers fumble as I try to tie it correctly. Tears blur my vision. I knot it around the tree. Stare at it. 

This will make things right. I can't do any more harm after this. After it's over. 

I jump. Hold onto the branch. Slipping neck through rope. A breath out to relax, and a sharp one in. Hands still clutching the branch. A tear down the mask that's covered my face this whole time. I tear it off, throwing it on the ground. The others can finally see what I look like, after all this time.

 A sob.

'I'm sorry.'

I let go. 

I fall.

And the world goes black.

:)