Left with a Memory

Chapter 10- Enjoy it while it's here

He stood with his arms crossed, watching as the magician's body thrashed around in the bed. He'd released Marvin from his restraints after he passed out from the second drug, but his body still believed he was trapped. It took a while for the dream to finally end. It was a whole night of him thrashing and giving muffled screams. Anti returned to his position of just watching the scene take place after some rest and a chance to regenerate his power.

Eventually, Marvin woke up with a scream, falling off the bed in the process. Anti's expression stayed blank. He observed as the magician sat with his head in his hands on the ground for a long time. "Plague!" Anti yelled. The man in black walked next to the glitch, holding a clipboard as well. "Document the side effects. I know we have all this recorded, but I want them written out as well. Easier to diagnose," The man nodded, beginning to write down the results.

The two watched as Marvin stood, discovering the had marks on his sides and arms. Anti smirked, the first time he'd shown any kind of reaction to what was happening to the young magician. His body was so convinced that something had attacked him that bruises and grab marks were already forming. After Marvin turned around, then looked back at the mirror, he began to hyperventilate. He grabbed his sides tightly and stumbled backwards, the back of his knees hitting the edge of his bed. He let his body fall back, adjusting so he was on his side, facing Anti. The glitch could see Marvin mumbling something, he'd have to rewatch the recording to make it out. He didn't do anything else though, he just laid on his bed, clutching his sides, crying.

After about 20 minutes, Marvin was no longer crying, but his expression was blank now. Anti thought he was getting close, but then he did something unexpected. the magician sat up. There was a strange sense of determination in his eyes. He looked up at the mirror, but Anti had a feeling he wasn't aiming for his reflection. He knew Anti was watching, he was watching back.

The magician stared into the glass for a long time, then just smiled. He said something. Though Anti couldn't hear it, he could read his lips well enough. "You'll have to try harder next time," Then he walked back over to the bed, drinking the glass of water left for him, just staring at the wall.

Anti's form began to glitch and crack sporadically. Plague began walking away, his work was done. Suddenly, the glitch grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back and grabbing him by the collar. "Up the dosage!" He growled through his teeth. Then he released him, turning back the magician in his cage. He hadn't lost it yet.

An hour later, Marvin was hunched over, gripping his stomach in pain. He still hadn't eaten. He wanted to yell and scream and demand to be fed, but he was so weak. His vision was blurry, constantly fading in and out of focus. He glanced up, not reacting much when he heard the door open. It was strange, usually Plague would come in to give him his meals, but this time Anti was. What was even stranger was he had two trays.

The glitch set them down on the small table, pulling it next to the bed. Seeing that Marvin hadn't moved yet, he walked over and wet to grab him. Instantly, Marvin pulled his arm away from his grasp. Anti sighed putting his hands up defensively. "Relax," He said, carefully grabbing the magician again and gently helping him sit up. He moved back to the other side of the table. "Eat up."

Marvin looked around, as if he'd just realized what was happening. Anti was eating lunch with him, as if it was a normal thing that they'd done before. Anti looked up from his meal, gesturing to the tray in front of Marvin. "Go ahead, it's good."

He took a moment, but finally Marvin lifted his fork and began eating. It wasn't great, but it was better than the slop he'd been given. Maybe that was the starvation talking, but he quickly scarfed it down. The glitch smirked. Sitting back in his seat for a moment. "See I told you it was good."

Marvin glared up at him. "That's because I haven't eaten since," Marvin didn't finish his though. He really didn't know how long he was knocked out for.

Anti ignored his comment. "Come on now Marvin. I'm giving you the courtesy of eating with you instead of leaving you all by your lonesome self. You could at least talk to me in a somewhat polite manner," Anti teased.

Marvin groaned, rolling his eyes. I think I'd rather be alone. He thought. However part of him saw the opportunity. The chance to gather information. Or perhaps the chance to ruffle Anti's feathers. Marvin thought for a second, then smirked, looking back down at his meal. "So how'd those bruises Jackie gave you heal?" He took another bite then looked up, taking an especially long time to swallow. "Just asking since he beat into you pretty badly last time he saw you."

Although he kept his image from glitching out, Marvin could see Anti's grip on his silverware tighten, making him smirk wider. Anti rolled his neck before responding. "I could ask the same about your little doctor friend but then again you would know, would you?" Marvin's blood went cold. That was low, even for Anti.

Marvin could wait anymore. "What did you do with him?" He demanded, all calm disappearing. "Why did you take Henrik's body?"

Anti snickered under his breath. "This is why," He retorted, his body becoming more glitched and less stable now. "This little outbreak of yours is exactly why. I may not have gotten my way with you back then, but I still proved who is in control. You couldn't save him when he was alive, nor when he was dead," The glitch threw his head back laughing, standing up finally and taking his tray with him. "Enjoy your meal magic man," He teased, then left Marvin alone.

Marvin pounded his fist into the table. "Damn it," he muttered. Marvin let him do the exact thing he was trying to do to Anti. He let himself get emotional. Marvin took a deep breath. It's fine, he told himself. It's fine. He just had to keep think that way and it would be. It had to be.

The magician, after taking a few deep breaths sat up more in the bed to keep eating. He was still pretty hungry from not eating for however many days.He buried his spoon in the slop he was given, but immediately dropped it again. In the bottom of his tray, there was a layer maggots squirming around inside. Marvin pushed his tray off the table, letting it splatter across the floor. He was shaking, as he pulled his legs up on his bed, whimpering quietly to himself.

Even from where he was, staring down at the mess of food, just food, he couldn't help but hear the laughter in his head. Or was that Anti? He couldn't tell maybe it was his own madness forming. The same madness that made him just waste his only meal for however long it would be until Anti decided to feed him again.