Don't Starve

Starvation (part 2)

"Say pal," Maxwell's voice sounded behind me. I shivered. It was so real and so close to me. I hung my head down, starring at the space where my hand should be. I felt a cold shiver go down my back. My whole body felt cold. Had the wind picked up? Or was this what dead filled like?
"Now isn't this such a fine way to great a friend." He said and I knew that he was smiling. I kept my head down. The blood was beginning to pool around my transparent fingers. The pain had finally kicked in. It ran down from my wrist to my upper arm. A tear fell down my face from the pain. A hand outstretched over me and dug its claws into my scalp. I let out a whispered scream as my head was yanked back. I looked up at the towering figure above me. Filling that I was on my knees. Maxwell stood over me a sickly smile upon his face. Another hand grabbed my arms and held them down. I clenched my teeth.
"There is no need for this unnecessary attitude. I'm here to help. To play my part in this game." He said, reminding me how much I needed him. "You said it yourself, you need me." My mind goes blank. I curse him in my head. He has taken away my last place of comfort. I can not escape him. Not even in my own thoughts.
I looked up at him in disgust. "Why are you doing this, Maxwell? " I growl between my clenched teeth. "Do you enjoy watching me collapse? Do you enjoy watching me suffer?" His face lights up and his smile curves unnaturally at the edges.
"Tempting as it might be; I see potential in you, Higgsbury. You make this game fun. It would be a shame for our game to go to waste. So I've decided to give you a little push. To keep you going, just for a while younger." He said reaching his hand down to my wrist. Blackness like shadow formed around my stub. I tried to pull back but the hands keep me steady. I screamed as the shadow crawled over my arm. It felt cold as it settled over me. Then the coldness left and I couldn't feel anything at all. The shadow had crawled it's way up to my shoulder blade.
Maxwell smiled. "This will make things a lot more fun. For the both of us." The hands let go of me and disappeared under the earth along with Maxwell. I looked down at my arm. It was pitch black and had jagged spikes protruding here and there. My hand was now visible. Except that it wasn't my hand. It was black like the rest of my arm. I moved my fingers and then my wrist. I curled my fingers into a fist. It worked as if it had been mine the whole time. I couldn't move and I couldn't breathe. I must have sat there for about thirty minutes just starting at my new hand. Marveling at the way it worked. I felt that with the gift of this new hand that I had somehow gained back a portion of my sanity. I looked up to the barren wasteland all around me. I got up weakly and my stomached moaned. It sent the pain of starvation back in me. I hunched over. I was covered in blood and a small puddle of it had pooled around where I was kneeling. A little ways off was my hand. My real hand. It's fingers were curled up towards the sky and in it laid a fist full of berries. I nearly jumped at it and scarfed down the little portion I was given. They tasted so sweet, despite being covered in blood. My stomach churned at the random offering of food. I licked my fingers clean of juices and, in the process, also managed to rid them of most of the blood. Maxwell must be pleased that I accepted his offering in my desperation. I stood and glanced down at my ax, which was now covered in blood. I picked it up and swung it over my shoulder. I laughed at the thought of anyone seeing me like this. They would think that I was a madman. A masked murder that kills with a joy of seeing blood. They would think that I was a monster. In that case they would be right. I am nothing more then a caged monster, stuck in this land of insanity. Forced to play the role that the great Maxwell has assigned me. I wish I never ate those berries.
I starred off into the empty distance, wondering where I would go now. I began to walk, still weak on my legs. It was around noon and the sun would be setting in five hours or so. I didn't have much time, but I walked slowly. I didn't care what happened to me anymore. I was done with this game. I'd rather not play and let Maxwell win. I don't want to live, knowing that I need him. Knowing that I owe my life to him for saving mine. I look down at my new hand, which is swing by my side. The fingers curl into fist and I know that I didn't tell them to do that. I swallow hard. Things are going to be a lot more interesting from now on.