The Company

Chapter Thirty: I'd Encourage Your Smiles

I walked out of the room. I don't really have much else to say about the previous event.

"You did the right thing, whether you choose to believe it or not." His voice was smooth, clean.

I bet he had a sincere look on his face, but I wasn't paying attention. Everything seemed a little more blurry now, a little more pointless.

"How far away is the armored room?" I asked simply.

"Whoa, Michael!" He stood in front of me. "You need to cool dow-"

"I asked a question!" I yelled. "How far away is the armored room?"

He sighed. "Upstairs. Halfway across the hall."

"That was all I needed."

I walked up the stairs with anger and grief building up in my throat. It felt foreign, but it was all I could feel.

The stairs and hallway felt like an eternity. It felt like it took way too long to get from point A to point B. It was more like I was going to the top floor from the basement instead of just going up a few stairs and across a hall.

My legs hurt. My legs hurt, my head hurt, my hands hurt, my heart, well, don't get me started on that. My hands were wet and growing sticky now, and my head felt like it was growing heavier and heavier.

I got to the room with little purpose. Nothing seemed motivational anymore.

I felt weight leave my leg and a glowing green haze could be seen out of the corner of my eye. I closed my eyes for a second and heard some familiar music being played.

Maybe I'm broken...

I turned. He was there, holding my phone.

"'The Fall' is the best you've got?" I asked flatly.

Maybe I'm wrong...

"I'm doing the best I can." He held out the phone. "You need to breathe."

"I need to go," I said. "There's nothing else for me."

I could've spoken sooner than I should...

"Michael, you're out of your head!" He put both hands on my chest and pushed back. "What's the matter with you? You need to think about your head-"

"My head is fine," I snapped. "I am right as rain, you know that. You're in my head."

"That's the point." He pushed me back a bit. "I am in your head. I know for a fact that you're definitely not right as rain. Please. Take a minute before going in guns blazing."

"I'm not going in 'guns blazing,'" I replied. "I've got a plan."

If only the good die old...

"Oh yeah? Like what? Get yourself killed? I'm not up for that, I know you're not up for that." He tapped my forehead. "Up here. I know you can't do that."

That's what they told me but I don't know, oh...

"I know you don't, as a matter of fact," I said, pushing his hand away from my head. "Okay? I'll give you two options: help me or get out. It's your choice."

Maybe I'm breakin' up with myself...

I looked him dead in his glowing green eyes. I never thought it would be this hard to do something like this. The Darkness was even easier than this.

"What, no answer?" I asked. "No clever remark? No 'you'll never win?' No nothing?"

Maybe I'm thinkin' I should just keep to the things that I've been told...