Alternate Miracle

Chapter 15 - Kai's sleep problem

"Guys? Guys can you hear me?" Kai said into his communicator. "It's something in this city that's jamming the communicators. I swear Pix said there was nothing wrong with them." He cursed when he was met with a horrible static crackling noise piercing through his ear.

Even when he took it out because it was too loud, he could still hear it in his pocket. Not "stealthy" at all.

He would have to leave it behind. Or... he jumped down in to the street as quick as he could, making sure it was full of the infected, wandering around with their arms stretched put and their bloodshot eyes.

"Do they feel the transformation?" He wondered, hesitating. "Do they still feel pain? Is there a cure? Could-..."

"...Could they have saved those people?" He looked down at his hands. His vision swam, his hands appeared stained with red. High-pitched voices called out, taunting him, mocking him.

Whispering in his ear. Bringing up that moment which he would never bring up.

"You could have saved those people Kai..."

"That should have been your own blood on your hands, not theirs..."

He couldn't see them, but they were right. He did nothing to help them. Just watched them die in cold blood. He sank down on the floor, his head in his hands.

Things were changing colours... becoming distorted... he just wanted them to go away. To get out of that nightmare.

"Kai..."

He lifted his head in surprise. "Lloyd?!"

Lloyd looked angry. Saddened. Disappointed in him. "Your not a ninja. By watching, you took the lives of innocent people. But most of all..." he whispered. His body had not moved. His expression unchanged.

"You lost me. You thought you knew better. Thought you were helping me. Look how that turned out. I'm gone Kai.
And its all. your. fault."

"No... no! No I can't- Your not real!" He started to choke on his words, tears forming in his eyes. "Your not real! The real Lloyd is my brother. He would never say that to me!" He sobbed.

'Lloyd' tilted his head, his fake floppy blonde hair falling to the side. And he started to fade away. Almost like real Lloyd. "The real Lloyd would never say it to your face. But deep down your saying it to yourself. You know its true. But you don't want to admit it." With that, he was gone.

Kai sat their against the brick wall amongst the litter, sobbing into his knees.

"Kai?..."

"NO! YOUR NOT REAL. GO AWAY." He sobbed, his voice cracking with pain.

"Kai lift your head buddy... I'm very real."

Tears slowing down in hope. He lifted his head to see a concerned face standing over him.

Cole.

Holding back his tears to seem strong, he stood up face to face with this fake-might-actually-be-real Cole.

Lifting his shaking hand, he prodded him in the shoulder. As soon as he realised it was the real deal. He collapsed in his arms for a hug.

"Whoa! Okay your sitting back down. not even I can take your weight." He said gently. He sat him back down against the wall.

"So... what the fuck was that?" Cole said, sitting down next to him.

"You saw all of that?"

"Yeah it was kinda scary your eyes were changing colours and you were shaking. And you weren't blinking or anything. I tried calling your name but you didn't respond."

He wiped his eyes with his sleeves and held back his tears as well as he could. But he couldn't. So he told Cole everything.

About how he had seen those people die in front of his eyes and he just stood there. About Lloyd and how he felt terrible and now he's gone and its all his fault.

"And I- I had visions. Just then. Which is
probably what you saw. They were reminding me about that moment. Saying that I was a heartless murderer. And- and I saw Lloyd. That was the worst one he told me wasn't a ninja. And that I failed him and he's gone and it's all my fault."

His tears were running down his face and onto Cole's shoulder.

"I know I know. I'm crying and it's weak and stupid and pathetic." He said wiping his eyes again.

"Hey hey shh." Cole said comfortingly. Kai instantly calmed down and melted onto his shoulder again.

"Your not weak." He whispered. Ruffling Kai's hair. "You've just been strong for too long. Let it out while no one can hear us."

Kai cried until he had no tears left. "Thanks Cole." He lifted his head off Cole's shoulder and looked at him. Kai's eyes were swollen and puffy.

"Remember it's not 'weak' to cry. It's dangerous not too. It's okay to let it out once in a while y'know?"

Kai giggled happily but sadly. "Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"We're gonna find Lloyd right?"

"Your damn right we are. We know where he is, it's just not safe to break in right now. We could be captured like Lloyd was. I don't want to be tied up and I can't speak for you, but I imagine you don't either?"

"Yeah but just like with those people he could be going through torture right now and I'm just sitting here talking-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, your spiraling again." He smiled and put and hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Look, Lloyd may not be going through the best right now, but he'll be fine. I'm sure of it. Didn't you say yourself 'No matter what state he's in he'll keep on fighting to the end'?" He said nudging Kai gently.

He laughed a little "I guess so."

"Now, a question for a question its only fair: how much sleep have you gotten since Lloyd disappeared? Because I'm not a doctor, but that's the most obvious case of sleep paralysis I've ever seen."

(Imagine it's been a couple days since Lloyd said '✌️')

"...None."

"Get your sleep Kai. It'll help."

"Fine."

"And Cole?"

"What's up?"

"I love you."

------------------------------------------------------------

EVERYONE CHEER FOR ME BC I GOT 1K+ WORDSSSS

I'm so happy rn :D

So sorry the chapters late but eh I GOT IT LONGERRRR

Kai be fighting DEMONS man 🥲 someone get this guy some therapy cuz he needs it lol

Just realised I've essentially Lavashipped for about 400 words. 🥲
Don't rly care bc lava>>>>>

Anywayyy... they're waiting for the perfect moment to break in that's how it's been a couple days bc you know kai and nya would have gone in there guns blazing lol

And I need a way to keep Lloyd in the lab for a littleee longer (sowwy 😔)

Kai is basically sleep paralysis with legs bc he stayed up all night thinking about Lloyd (isn't that sweet 🥺)

Cya xxx