Dark/Eli and I had been walking for ten minutes without conversation. Chica kept running around and sniffing everything as we walked deeper into the woods that surrounded the cabin. The leaves were beginning to fade into murky browns, letting go of their once colorful appearances. The air chilled them, sucking the life out of them and drying them into crunchy pieces. The satisfying sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet made me wish Jack was here with me, creating conversation. He always had something interesting to say - I'd much rather be with him than with the idiots walking next to me. Nature walks are never the same without him.
"Shut up, Dark!" Eli suddenly boomed and I stopped walking, looking at him as though he were crazy. He took notice and sighed, gesturing to his head. "Dark's annoying."
"You're telling me," I chuckled a bit and continued walking deeper into the woods. "Do you - like - remember the past? Remember dying?"
"That's not something you can just forget, Mark. The pain of dying is like no other. Actually, I'm pretty sure I died several times after you tortured me, but somehow I managed to stay alive longer than I should have," He paused. "Dying is the best and worst thing in life. There's a sort of pleasure in letting go, but it's not even the pain that's the worst part. The worst part is letting go."
"You said that was the best part," I frowned.
"Letting go is the best and worst part about dying. I didn't want to let go of Jack, that's why I didn't want to die, but at the same time... it was nice. I didn't have to worry about him anymore, it was all out of my control," He explained and I didn't know what to say. "But I will say life is much more brilliant when you've been brought back to it after being dead for however long. It makes you truly appreciate the little things."
"Little things, huh?" I sighed, not wanting to hear about it. I felt guilty for his vast knowledge on life and death - I did kill him after all, even though Dark had an influence.
"Yes, but I do miss freaking people out with Ouija boards," He laughed wholeheartedly. "Stupid teenagers, though it was fun. They'd just freak out and chuck the board out the window or something, but then I'd be stuck there until someone else was summoning - it's like a window of sorts."
"Weird," I noted.
"You'll understand once you die," He said casually and I shivered a bit at that. I hadn't even thought of death, it terrified me because that would mean leaving Jack behind. I don't want to see him die either though. There's no winning in death, just misery, though Eli seemed to differ. I had many questions about the afterlife, but I needed to focus on the present and perhaps getting to know Eli more could benefit me.
"So, Eli- or... whatever, are you like human or?" I asked, curiosity besting me.
"I'm not sure. There are things that are different about me, but I don't understand it. Like, there's this... this ping in my stomach - that's the only way I can describe it - and it burns. I just felt it when you were in the room with Jack, it hurts so much," Eli sighed and shook his head, licking his lips quickly, when I noticed Ida must've stitched together his tongue. "I don't understand it."
"Y-You have the p-ping?" I stuttered, not meaning to, but fear was overwhelming me. There's no telling what's going to happen at this point if Eli is now going to suffer through the same thing I did.
"What do you know about it?" Eli asked and I frowned, wondering why Dark wouldn't just tell him - speaking of which, Dark has been oddly quiet this entire walk. I wonder if they're planning something, the thought make the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end, knowing I won't be able to defend myself. Perhaps Chica could help, but she's a lover, not a fighter. She'll bite if she needs to, but there's no telling whether she sees Eli as a friend or foe at this point, considering how long he's been with us now.
"Why don't you ask Dark?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him. I felt as though he was stalling, but for what reason? Suddenly, I felt a hand clamp over my mouth, a body pressed up against me from behind and the other arm pressing me against them. My eyes widened and I kicked Eli in the groin, immediately taking off back towards the cabin. "Chica, come on!"
"Fuck! You goddamn idiot! This was meant to be easy!" Dark snapped and I heard footsteps chasing after me as Chica was at my side. I was breathing hard, trying to find any energy within me to carry my feet further. I decided to take a couple of sharp turns, running as fast as my feet could carry me, Chica still alongside me.
"Keep... going... Chica," I encouraged her between breaths and decided I lost them once the footsteps upon crunching leaves ceased. I hid behind a fairly large tree, making sure Chica couldn't be spotted and leaned against it. I caught my breath and sighed quietly. "Fuck."
I kept as quiet as possible, trying to figure out if they were near me by listening for footsteps, but none could be heard. I eventually decided Chica and I were safe and I should try to get back to the cabin before Eli did. If he's anything like what I was, then he must be thinking about either kidnapping me, then murdering me, or taking Jack away - neither of those options sounded good. I can't let Jack face this alone, I need to get back home. I left the comfort of the tree and turned around, only to be met face to face with one dark eye, one normal, brown one.
"Gotcha," Dark giggled and everything went black.
YOU ARE READING
Release - Septiplier
Fanfiction[Sequel to 'Don't Ever Leave'] Mark and Jack were finally living their happily ever after in their cabin, far away from civilization, in fear Mark would forget to take his medication and Dark would be released once again. The only problem with their...
