Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

30: Cub

Some days you have nothing.

But some days all the great chapters are next to each other and you write them all.

Today is the latter.

:)

Light.

I close my eyes again, unable to handle the brightness. I'm lying on my side, covered in something thick, fluffy and deeply comforting. Some kind of blankets. How did I get here. Where was I...

Skulk.

Xisuma.

Being caught and...

The skulk took over.

THE SKULK TOOK OVER.

I scramble up. I'm in a room I don't know. Not alone. There's someone else next to me.

'Scar?'

A glance over. He freezes, then scrambles closer and pulling me into a huge hug, sobbing. After a moment processing, I hug back.

'You're awake. Oh my goodness you're awake...'

'What... happened?' 

'A... a lot...but it's ok. You're safe. I saved you. Everything's ok...'

It's not ok.

I push out the hug, trying to stand and...

My arms. 

They're covered in bandages.

'Snap?' Scar holds out his own.

No.

The ends of his fingers under the bandages are dark skulk black. Like he was attacked by skulk.

Attacked my ME.

'Scar, what happened?' 

'Cub, it's ok.'

'What happened? I can't remember. Just... just tell me. I need to know... Did I...' 

Scar doesn't look at me.

'Scar...'

He nods.

'S***.'

'Cub...'

'This is... I...' I hear my heartrate growing faster. 'I'm sorry... I'm so... sorry...'

'Cub, it was the Skulk. Not you. I know you wouldn't do this.' 

'I should've run when I had the chance.' I remember getting distracted by the board of names. I should've just come back later, taken my chance to run. 'I should've...'

'Cub, it's ok. Everything's ok now. You're safe.'

I move quickly out of the way as he tries to keep me sat down, over to the window. I see Scarland outside, a group of hermits sat there. No skulk. I didn't spread skulk here. Or they sorted it out quickly. Or I've been unconscious for a while... I check the clock I keep in my pocket... 

F***.

It's been a month.

The clock drops. I barely hear it hit the ground as I grip the windowsill, breath quickening, heartrate increasing. It's been a month. A whole month. I've been possessed by skulk for a whole month. It wasn't that long before. It was nowhere near that long before... it was a couple weeks. Not a month. Not a whole month.

'Cub, breathe.' Scar's next to me, hands on my shoulders. 'Cub, it's ok. Look at me. Cub...'

'I- it's been a month,' I murmur.