The Missing

Waking Up (again)

I giggle as the voice comes through my earbuds. I sit cozily in my fluffy blue chair, my phone screen illuminates my face.

"This is anime anime anime anime anime anime anime animeeeeeeee xdddd aniME ah-", the screeching voice of Lil comes loudly through my earbuds, I laugh louder as she "sings" the word 'anime' to the tune of a song which I don't know. She's so random, but in a good way, I think. Nathan mentally rolls his eyes, "she called me a gay pedo," he pouts and Zoe laughs at him mockingly. Alex perks up at the mention of Lil, "I love Lil!!!" He exclaims in excitement, I flinch at the sudden activity in my brain, mute myself and tell them to calm down. Unmuting myself, Lil said she had to go for a few minutes. I slump down in my chair and check my messages, huh that's weird, I think to myself, usually there's at least a few messages. I shrug it off, in the back of my mind, Samuel pipes up, his voice grave, "I-I feel l-like s-something b-bad is going to h-happen". I tell him to stop worrying, and I hear Marky yell at me from downstairs. I get up to go downstairs, I hear the panic in her voice, she's looking out the window, her eyes wide with fear.

"What's wrong??" I ask my voice thick with worry.

Her only response is her pointing out the window up at the sky. I squint, pressing my face against the window, and my mouth forms an 'o' as I look up at the sky, which used to be a light blue, speckled with clouds...

Is now a sickly greenish yellow, with almost black clouds. Green bolts of lightning shoot sparks into the sky.

My heart twists, this can't be good.
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I wake up, my heart pounding. I look up at the sky, its grown a bit darker since I was last conscious. I look at my leg, it's fixed! I try to stand, wobbling a bit, but soon I'm pacing circles, getting used to the fake leg.

"I see it's working well," I practically jump out of my skin, and whirl around. Marky is standing there, the blood that was once currently staining her hands, is now gone. Or at least I think it is. Either way, I'm grateful to be able to walk again. She smirks at my sudden surprise and I immediately stop spinning in circles like a toddler. "I take that as an insult" Alex pipes up in my head at the toddler thought, I snort aloud and Marky is now looking at the sky, realizing how long we've been here I remember that I need to find Lil and Satan.

"Marky," I say, calling her to attention at the sound of her nickname.

"Hmm?"

"You're coming with me right?" I bite my lip nervously hoping she is, I can't be alone for too long, I'll go insane! Zoe laughs, at the thought, "but my dear, you already are~" she purrs, the insult lacing her voice. Nathan growls at her, "stfu Zoe," and Alex yells at him "WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!!" I groan and bang my head against a pole, if they would just shut up, maybe I could have a clear thought for a moment!
Marky is smiling at me, does that mean she's coming?
"U-uh sorry Marky, I zoned out what did you say?" She giggles, "of course I'm coming with you silly! I've been looking for y-"she gets cut off by a twig snapping in the woods.

We both freeze and then- silence. Marky looks at me, forcing a smile, "maybe it was just a deer?" She asks hopefully. I frown, thinking about how most animals left weeks ago. "I don't think so Marky-"
Something's coming.
I move in front of her protectively, my eyes narrowing as she protests. I see something white moving in the bushes, closer and closer, a good two feet taller than me, three feet taller than Marky, it lets out an ear piercing distorted scream, Marky flinches, and her body tenses up, about to bolt. I shove her forward, trying to get her to start running, which she immediately does, bolting out of the clearing into the woods, I nyoom after her, right on her heels, the glitch shrieks and begins chasing us, my heart is thumping in my chest, "KEEP GOING DONT STOP!" I scream at her, she's kicking up dirt as she runs, I'm lagging behind a bit, not used to running with the prosthetic leg. Marky looks behind her, and she skids to a stop and begins running in my direction,
"DONT WORRY ABOUT ME, I'LL BE FINE" I yell at her, only half believing my words, the loom she gives me is heartbreaking, and reminds me of so many people. Lil when we argued, Andromeda flapping her small arms when she gets excited, Satan cracking jokes, and so many others. My gaze narrows, and I pick up speed, my breathing labored, I'm heavily panting as we near a parking lot. Marky is halfway across it by the time I get to it, jumping over curbs. I'm trying to keep up, and suddenly she takes a flying leap into the air, jumping over something I can't see due to how far behind I am, I squint,

"You've got to be kidding me-" I mutter breathlessly. It's a deep crack in the Earth, left by one of the major earthquakes in the beginning of this mess. How did Marky even jump across, I don't even know, I think she broke off a part of it. I'm closer now, my feet pounding on the pavement, i turn my head, the glitch is right on my tail, I take a deep breath preparing myself for the jump. Hopefully glitches can't jump, I think to myself, "If they can, we're dead, I hope you realize that Carlie." Nathan points out the obvious like the sarcastic brat he is. Crap! I'm right at it now, I wasn't paying attention, thanks a lot Nathan! I take a deep breath and I feel my legs lift off the ground as I take a flying leap in the air.