There Must Be Something More ( Bellroc x Jim Lake's older sister Iris Lake)

It's Do or Die

Iris abruptly jolted out of the rabbit hole. Her bedmate was missing.
Jim was calling her name; she'd overslept.
Tomorrow it was going down. Her first and only hamster, Peaches, had been discovered cold and stiff, eyes shut tight, paws pulled up to her chest.Dead, but she'd called for Mom and hoped her "doctor powers" could save the lovable little fuzzball anyway.
No magic and no medicine,could bring back that dear pet. Peaches was buried behind the rock in the garden.
At the end of his rematch, he might be Peaches. No moving, no opening eyes, no warmth in his body. Lying as if asleep.

Still alive, still alive he stood there now, smiling like it was Christmas.
Like it was Christmas, but the zombie apocalypse had just arrived, and he'd have to break the news to her.
She frowned as she gazed upon her breakfast.
That's my birthday breakfast. " Reese's Jaffles," he suddenly made it up on my tenth birthday. We went out and bought a jaffle iron. He made my birthday good and happy, he saved it from ruin. Distracted me from crying, with his cheer and his games, and the scary movie I wasn't supposed to watch, and the extra presents he bought with his allowance.
Reese's Jaffles.
Three medium- sized delights on an extra- large plate.
Just like the past eleven times, Jim had made them perfectly.

He watched as she sat down. His small plate was across from hers,with half of a roast beef sandwich on it.
" Hey...y' know...I, uh, I ...I want...we should go ...the library? I mean you read books a lot, and..."
Her brother's attempt at conversation, chafed at her. Iris held up her hand to give her " Shut Up Signal,"and bit into her first jaffle.

" Rehearsal," the boy muttered. He grabbed his satchel and dashed out the door, leaving it open.
Iris ate the whole plateful, and then lifted the plate.
An envelope lay beneath, enclosing a letter. Her name was on it, in Jim's handwriting.
No.
No,never would she actually open and read that. Waste of time to write it.
Waste of energy, finding a spot on her shelf to put it safely.

******
Knuckles rat-tat-tat against her bedroom door.She opens for him.
" Heyyy! Sooo, um, I am, making dinner. There'll be blueberry waffles,bacon mac ' n cheese. Also, shrimp cakes. I wanted to ask: You feel like cookies? I'll make some of those too. Your favorite. "
" Sorry, Jim. I don't feel like any food. Let alone cookies."

She felt sick to her stomach, after reading his letter.
His face fell. " Okay. Okay then. I gotta go check on the mac ' n cheese, so, yeah, see ya later."

Knuckles beating on wood again, a while later. Time flew when your head was full of deafening, catchy music, shielding against gloomy vibes.
It wasn't Jim this time, but Mom.
"Glad you're home, Mom."
" Iris, how are you feeling? Nausea? Fever? Anxiety?"
" Nah Mom, I'm fine. "
" Your face is as pale as the moon. I can tell something is eating away at you, and stealing your appetite. Doctor vision, honey."
In she came. She sat down on the bed, putting a hand on her daughter's forehead.
" Mooom,I am fine. "
" You've got to eat something. "
" Well, I am gonna order an Elvira burger and - fries. And a Happy Shake."
Iris picked up her phone,and pointed at the delivery app.
Mom stood up, and chuckled.
" Alright, alright, I'll leave you be. But you must tell me, if you feel any symptoms, okay? And don't let me catch you skipping meals, not without a medical reason. Love you, Blossom."
" Love you,Mom."

She ordered and ate the meal, though it was annoying.
Then, time for more music.
Let the darkness be forgotten, let death stay outside, may there be beats and words and fun.
Dance till exhaustion comes, if it ever does. Sleep keeps away from her, too.

******
Iris jumped aside as the stone-blue troll rushed to Jim, nearly shoving her off her feet in his haste.
Short and smallish compared to the gathered crowd, four arms. A parrot- beak carrot-orange nose, the largest feature on the front of his Easter Island- esque head,three big brown eyes on either side of it( with yellow sclerae).
Huge teeth, though not nearly the size of the green- furred teddybear troll's.
" It's time to put everything I've ever said to you to practice. With a little luck,he'll trip and fall. Now, tell me: Rule One."
" Always be afraid," Jim answered without hesitation.
" Rule Two."
" Always finish a fight."
" And Rule Three?"
" About that. I was reading,when the Venerable Bedehilde fought the Hydrabeast,there were no gronk-nuks, but there was a weakness under its scales."
He tapped his arm to emphasize.
The six- eyed one( she couldn't recall his name) looked ecstatic.
" You read the book?"
He shared a joyful look with Three R's.
" So it got me thinking...does Draal have a weakness?"
" He read the book. He read the BOOOK!!" Six Eyes cried happily, wrapping Jim in all four of his arms.
The book- loving troll held Jim up, gazing proudly and fondly at him, the two stone dudes grinning widely.
She liked them already.
" Books tasty," Three R's commented, his voice a deep throaty rumble.