Markiplier: REBOOT

Episode 3: Hide Your Heart Away {revised}

Episode 3: Hide Your Heart Away

“And like everything I’ve ever known

you’ll disappear one day

So I spent my whole life hiding

my heart… away”

Adele

Episode 3: Hide Your Heart Away

The next morning was met with a warm sun beating down on my face. I yawned and blinked my eyes open. The light filtering through the curtains, illuminating the dust, was bright and I was trying to adjust them. But despite the peaceful warming sensation, my wakening was anything but. The injuries inflicted upon me the night before were sending shivers of pain running throughout my body. Images from last night came to light behind my lidded eyes. I cringed and tried to push them from my mind. That was last night. That was the past. I was alive and well. Though the memory haunted me, I would be ok. If not now, in time.

Carefully stretching myself, being mindful not to force my actions, I looked about the room through squinted eyes. The area beside my bed where Mark had made his makeshift bed was empty. My duvet had been replaced at the end of my bed and the pillow he used was returned to its rightful place. There was a small trace of his scent left on it.

Part of me wondered—knew—he was gone. It was too quiet for anyone else to be here but me.

And suddenly this feeling of loneliness, this feeling of abandonment, this sound of emptiness was closing in on me. I could hardly breathe. The last thing I wanted to be was alone, especially when I was feeling panicky. My eyes searched the room for my phone: I needed to call Perry. He could calm me down. He would know what to do.

This entire situation baffled me. At first, Mark was a mess. The next day he left abruptly when I pried a little, which I can understand to an extended. But he came back just in time to save my life. And now he was gone again—maybe for good. How he knew I was danger and why he had saved me were two questions I couldn't answer on my own. But he had been gentle and he had stayed last night when I was scared to be alone.

That had to count for something.

I struggled to my feet, clutching my ribs and made my way around to the other side of my bed. On my night table there was a scrap of paper with writing on it beside my phone. I paid it no mind as I shakily picked up my phone and the paper fell to the floor. Trying my best to ignore the pain that moving gave me, I attempted to unlock my phone. My hands were shaking and no matter how many times I tried to enter my password it didn’t work. After a few more tries, I chucked my phone across the room and yelped at the pain that shot up my side. I collapsed to the ground beside my bed and chocked back a sob.

As tears brimmed the corners of my eyes, there was a loud clang and the thundering of running feet came rushing towards me. My bedroom door flew open and I could hear panting. I turned my head and my blurry vision caught a glimpse of Mark. I was relieved to see he hadn’t bailed on my again—I just couldn’t bring myself to smile. The pain coursing through my body like electricity contributed to that.

I let myself cry then. Out of pain or out of relief of not being alone, I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling it was a mix of both. “Holy balls, Sarah,” he scorned, though his voice had a hint of worry. “What happened? Why the hell didn’t you ask for help getting out of bed?”

Mark came to my side and helped me carefully from the ground and placed me onto my bed. “I thought you were gone again. Everything was put away so neatly. It was like you were never here…” I managed through gritted teeth once I had calmed down. “I panicked, got myself out of bed and went for my phone. I didn’t want to be alone. I couldn’t unlock it and threw it across the room—hurting myself when I did.”