Trauma Virus

Jackie Has A Hunch

Some time later
2020

Anti didn't come out of his room a lot. Not like he used to.

The other Septic egos would sometimes forget he even lived in the house.

Something wasn't right with him lately and Chase figured it was finally time to start figuring it out. Ever since the Chase video, he noticed how creepy and silent Anti was. Just staring.

It wasn't right.

He remembered when he would actually talk or try to talk to them. When he would annoy them all by being a little brat. He wasn't like that anymore.

Chase had the others in the kitchen at the table.

They all knew why they were there.

Marvin shrugged, "I don't see what the big deal is. He's been quiet. Hasn't it been kind of nice?"

"You mean freaky?" Jackie snorted, "But it's not just the silence that's weirding me out. Ever since that Christmas and his seizure. . . "

"The seizure could be the cause of his personality change?" Henrik thought about it, "But I know vhat you mean, Jackie. It vas a traumatizing event for everyone."

"No, I mean . . ." Jackie sighed, "I keep getting these weird flashbacks. Dreams or something. After I tried talking to Anti. He was hiding under the covers. I thought he just didn't want to talk after what I said and I couldn't blame him. But I could have sworn something else happened after he blasted me with that bolt"

"Like what?" Chase asked.

"I don't know. . . . I keep seeing him with black eyes just like when he attacked us that one time . . .but also with sharp teeth and claws like some kind of monster."

"But Actor was there, too, he said" Marvin brought up, "He said Anti was just having a  . . ."

"A seizure" Henrik muttered, " . . .  I wasn't so sure Actor was even telling the truth after his nasty prank . .. but the symptoms were there. . . . vhat if it really wasn't a seizure?"

'And what about Dark?" Jameson brought up.

Chase blinked, "What about him?"

Jameson crossed his arms but still was able to sign, "Something isn't adding up with Dark, either, concerning Anti. After that incident, Dark didn't really pay him any attention. Come to think of it, I don't really see Dark and Anti together ever. They're always just gone in his office'

"Now that you mention, it you're right" Marvin tensed, "Wait. . . what if. . . No, that can't be right. Anti would tell us, right?"

"Tell you what, Marv?"

They all halted. That wasn't any of them.

They turned and saw Anti standing there, leaning on the door frame.

They hadn't seen Anti in a while. It was jostling that he even spoke.

Chase recovered the fastest, though, "Anti . . . you know you can talk to us if something bad is happening to you. . . right?"

Jackie wanted to agree but the look in Anti's eyes shut him down a little.

Anti just stared at Chase. He just stared at all of them, so unemotionally.

Void of . . .anything.

Finally, Anti spoke, breaking up the tension a little, "Everything's fine now. . .  Don't worry about it"