Like Yesterday (Book 3 of the "Living Nightmare" Series)

Chapter 5

"So this is your laboratory?"

Lance nodded to Ceris and gestured for her to enter.

It had been a week since the Great Ender Festival. A week since they had kissed.

And a week since Vordus had yelled at them for disappearing for so long. 

They hadn't seen each other for a week and there was a tension in the air as Ceris did the required safety checks on his equipment.

"What's this, Lance?"

"Air pressurizer."

"Has it ever exploded?"

"Once."

"It must be replaced. This?"

"Carbon dioxide monitor."

"It still functions correctly?"

"Last I checked."

"And when was that?" 

"Two years ago."

"You will have to test it before I leave."

Lance sighed and leaned against the counter. "Are we going to talk about it?"

"The dioxide monitor?"

"The elephant in the room."

Ceris froze and he continued, "I know we've both been thinking about it all week. What did Vordus say to you after I left?"

"I'm pretty sure he knows exactly what happened," she turned. "If he's not making it even worse in his head."

Lance flushed. "I-I-he should know that—I wouldn't—"

"I know, especially not without my consent," she sucked in a breath. "But you can't blame him. He;s protective of me and especially after what happened with Herobrine."

Lance's gaze darkened. "Don't remind me. I didn't like watching the end of that relationship."

"I know. Vordus didn't like it and he's not fond of you either."

"He made that very clear to me before you were even born. But what do you think about this, Ceris?"

She thought for a moment. "I think that I feel too strongly about you to let Vordus influence it."

Lance smiled and went over to her, taking her hands. "I couldn't agree more. Now what should we do about it?"

"I think we could start with you kissing me again."

"That I can do."

<>

A hand clapped down on Lance's shoulder, pulling him away from a cliff's edge. Vordus forced him to look up at the Enderman. "Whenever you're done being lost in your thoughts, Lance!"

Lance pulled back and ran his hand over his face, pausing when his fingers reached his left eye. "It's spread."

"I noticed. And while you were daydreaming, we've reached the field where the Realm Crystal is."

Lance looked over to the snowy field below. The only feature there was on the otherwise empty field was a run-down hut.

"Alright, here's the deal," Snowdrop crossed her arms. "We're gonna go down there and I'll reveal the Crystal. There y'all can decide who will destroy it."

A worried expression came onto Echo's face. "What about Ceris and Hellknight?"

"They're down here somewhere. I wouldn't too much about them. Come on."