I'm Just Septic-Eyed

Chapter 18: Vanish

Sean and Mark decided to just hang out inside today. The days were getting hot due to summer approaching and any chance to stay inside the two took. After a couple of hours, Sean's headache finally went away. He was currently sprawled on the couch with his legs over Mark's lap. Sean was listening to whatever was on TV while Mark was actually being productive and studying. About an hour later, Sean heard a book fall on the floor. "I'm bored." Mark pushed Sean's legs off and stood up. "Let's do something."

"Like what?" Sean put his legs back up on the couch. If Mark was suggesting something that involved moving in any way he wasn't doing it. It was much too comfortable laying down.

Mark hummed in thought for a moment. "We should play a game."

"A what?" Sean propped himself up on his elbow. "Why? What kind of game? Do I have to get up? I'm not doing anything if I have to get up."

Mark scoffed. "Lazy ass." Sean heard him walk down the hall toward their rooms. "A video game," Mark called from his room, most likely. As if he could sense Sean's doubt, he responded, "Trust me, it'll be great."

Sean frowned. He waited for Mark to return by falling back down on the couch. Whatever Mark was up to, he hoped it wasn't anything stupid. "Alright sit up," Mark said when he came back. Sean reluctantly did as he was told. There was a dip in the couch as Mark sat down. "I'm gonna put some headphones on you, okay? Just tell me if it's too loud." Sean's ears were enveloped by the headphones. They made an odd noise as they brushed against his skin. Suddenly, eerie music flooded into Sean's ears. "Is that too loud?"

Mark sounded a bit distant and muffled. "No," Sean felt like he spoke louder than usual. "It's fine the way it is."

"Great." Sean couldn't tell if Mark was smiling or not. "Just be my ears for me, got it?"

"Uh... sure."

The music changed suddenly and then it was quiet. All that could be heard was someone breathing rather heavily. Sean could hear footsteps echoing between what sounded like very close walls. The silence was making Sean a little uncomfortable. "Where are we?" He asked.

"Sewer," Mark answered, slightly distracted. "It's where the game takes place. You have to wander hallways while avoiding this monster. I've played this countless times and haven't beaten it."

"Sounds pleasant." Sean jumped suddenly when he heard glass break. "Jesus. What was that?" The person's breathing changed.

"Nothing to worry about. Did you get scared?"

Sean laughed nervously. "You wish. What the fuck is that?" There was something zapping and buzzing. A noise came in one headphone and then left through the other one. "Oh God what's happening?"

"You getting scared, buddy? We're just crawling through a hole. We can stop if you want --"

"I'm fine." There was dirt falling. The zapping came back. Did they go back the other way? Sean couldn't tell, but the echoing footsteps continued. They walked around for a bit -- Mark decided to run a few times -- until Mark yelled and Sean jumped. There was a weird noise playing through the headphones. While Sean assumed they were running away, he heard glass break, causing him to jump again. Eventually the noise stopped. Sean was going to ask what happened, but there was a strange growling sound. "What the fuck is that? Oh God, run. Run."

While running, a pipe busted and steam shot out. Sean let out a little squeak and grabbed onto Mark's arm. It sounded like Mark laughed. Both men screamed suddenly. Mark saw the monster while Sean heard the encounter. Their character grunted and something snapped. "Did we just die?" Sean asked after a moment.

"Yep." Mark lifted the headphones off Sean. "So how was that? You wanna do it again?"

"What else you got?"

The two spent the rest of the day playing horror games. Sean continued being the ears while Mark was the rest of the body. They played anything from Five Nights at Freddy's to Slender. Sean finally got an idea of why his friends enjoyed playing games so much. Maybe he could play with Mark again sometime.

A/N: Not my best chapter, but eh. It's more of a filler anyway.