The Unlikely Heroes

Chapter 8

"Who had a wand and shield?" Help asked.

"Jimin," Bob, Fear, and Beluga said.

They stood in silence for a few minutes. No one knew what to do next. One of their friends was gone. Or was he?

"You do know he's still alive, right?" Help wondered.

"What?!" Beluga asked. "How can you say that?! He's gone, Help. Gone."

Help just stared at them. Bob, Fear, and Beluga stared back in disbelief. They knew he was gone; was something wrong with Help?

"You guys," Help exclaimed. "He's not gone, Beluga."

He looked directly at her, and his mood had changed.

"Ok, you tell us how he's not gone," Beluga challenged.

"Because," Help started. "The mist was a virus! A computer virus to be exact. It messes up or takes websites, files, etc. The virus didn't like that we were here, so it kidnapped Jimin. I don't know why it kidnapped Jimin, he's nice and all, but- you get the idea."

Bob, Fear, and Beluga were astonished. Beluga apologized to Help for yelling and doubting him. Bob and Fear tried changing the subject to help the matters at hand.

"Where do you think they took him?" Bob asked.

"Probably a lonely site. Viruses are crawling all over those things," Help said with a shudder.

The quartet agreed to keep Realm Traveling until they found Jimin. Bob and Fear grabbed Jimin's weapons for safekeeping. The four traveled to the first website to search for their friend.

***

Jimin was chattering. It's sooo cold! He thought. Where was he? It was freezing and damp. Cold water dripped from the ceiling and created an eerie effect. Jimin shuddered.

The website was deserted. An occasional bubble person came on the website then went dark and disappeared. The computer virus must be in their device, Jimin thought.

"You! Here's your food," a voice said.

"Thank you, sir," Jimin replied sarcastically.

He assumed the voice was the virus that captured him. How did he know he had been kidnapped by a virus? Jimin didn't know. The food he had been given was not appetizing. It looked like fried circuits. Gross, he thought.

***

"What is this place?" Bob asked.

"An abandoned website. One that was popular at some point, by the looks of it," Help said.

The four were careful to not touch anything. One move and they could all be dead. Lots of buttons and toggles lined the walls. Fear accidently stepped on some old circuits but was not harmed. Help found a door marked "Settings." He pushed it open with caution.

They were dumbfounded by what was inside. It was a completely clean room. No broken or unused circuits, grime, or dim lights. Bob, Beluga, Fear, and Help slipped inside. There were a few couches, chairs, and tables. A search bar, plant, and storage cabinets sat in a corner. In fact, there were storage cabinets everywhere. A bathroom door was squeezed in another corner. The room was tidy and big; very spacious.

"This seems pretty safe," Bob remarked.

"I guess," Help said.

Bob and Fear plopped down in chairs, while Beluga and Help sat on a couch. They discussed where to search next. The more time went by, the more everyone was worried. Every second mattered. Jimin could be lost in a black hole or in a realm abyss.

The room had some water and food, which was good. They couldn't remember when they had last eaten. It had been over a week since arriving in The White Space. There was cheese, bread, fruit, and some butter. It was the best thing they had ever eaten.

Help announced they would stay the night, if only to get some rest. Eventually, they all fell asleep and slept peacefully. Weapons lay on the floor next to the chairs and couches, just in case. I wonder if Jimin could summon his weapons somehow, Help thought. I've done it before... But now he was drifting to sleep.

***

Far away, Jimin lay silent, staring at the ceiling. I wonder if I could somehow distract or annoy my kidnappers, he thought. Jimin hoped he wouldn't be there much longer (and he wanted a change of clothes (his were filthy).

He also drifted off to sleep, but not without checking the room once more. Then Help woke with a start miles away.