Surviving the Digital World

Climbing the Mountain

 This chapter contains depictions of violence and the illusion of death. You'll see what I mean.

I woke up to the sound of fighting. I sat up, blinking rapidly.

Rubbing my eyes, I looked over at Tentomon. He was up, his antennae tilted toward the arguing people. He didn't seem to notice that I was awake. I turned to look at what he was so focused on, and I jumped back in shock and horror.

Jay and Will were fighting viciously. It looked like Jay was doing most of the attacking, but Will was definitely fighting back.

Jay was punching him in the face, over and over and over. Blood leaked out of Will's nose, staining Jay's fists and splattering on the ground. One of his eyes was black, swollen shut.

Will was kicking Jay's stomach, and trying to hold her fists back. I realized with a sudden jolt of fear that blood was dripping out of her mouth, dripping onto the green grass. Drops of maroon staining the green below them.

Everyone looked tired, nobody tried to stop them. They were all just watching Will and Jay beat the life out of each other. More blood smeared the grass, smeared their clothes, smeared their faces. I looked around frantically, trying to find Palmon and Gomamon, but they were absent.

I whirled around to Tentomon. He still wasn't moving, watching the bloody fight. I shook Tentomon violently, and he turned his head slowly towards me. "Oh, you're awake?"

"OF COURSE I AM." I snapped. "Why isn't anyone stopping those two?" I asked him.

Tentomon shook his head. "Nobody cares."

I blinked at him, surprised. His voice is emotionless.. Why didn't he wake me up? I turned to glance at Black. Her eyes were glazed over, dull and empty. I stood up, horrified. "BLACK!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "BLACK!"

I turned back to the fight. My hands were shaking violently. I looked up, tears welling in my eyes. Jay was on top of Will, who looked limp. His legs still tried to kick at Jay, but he missed every kick. Jay had a wild look in her eyes. Her hands, face, and clothes were smeared in blood. Will's blood. Her fist came down on his face, but halted right before the blow hit.

Everyone turned to look at me, slowly. Black's head, which was facing away from me, turned all the way around with a crrk crkk crkkkk sound. Instead of Black's face, Tentomon's face, Will or Jay's face.. They were all replaced with Devimon's crooked face.

"This is what will happen if you don't listen to me." All of their voices hissed, but with Devimon's voice layered over it.

I stumbled backwards, tears streaming down my face. I tripped on nothing, and I hit the ground with a thud. "We've done nothing! I-I'VE done nothing!

The background faded into black. My friends disappeared along with the darkness. I could hear the surrounding silence fade into the sound crackling static. Devimon accompanied this static. I watched as he slid out of the shadows, his red eyes flashing. "HEED MY WARNING." he bellowed. His voice had an unearthly screeching quality to it, and I covered my ears.

I cried out in pain, "STOP! STOP! STOP!"

I jolted awake, shaking. My eyes were full of tears, and I could feel that my face was wet. I rubbed my eyes.

I realized that everyone was crowding around me, with Black and Tentomon next to me. "What's wrong?" Black whispered. "You were crying out about something."

Will and Jay exchanged glances. "It sounded like it was about us." Jay said.

Will nodded. "L-like you were trying t-to stop a fight."