Double Sided

Stuck

I clawed at my chest and throat. Something was choking me. I felt another sharp pain in my stomach. "Josh?" Jenna burst through the door, Tyler coming quickly behind her. I squeezed my eyes shut, clenching my jaw. I pressed my hand on my stomach trying to stop the excruciating pain. It hurt so bad I couldn't speak. I needed to get away from whatever was hurting me. Jenna sat beside me, "What's wrong?" She panicked. I curled into a ball but only found that that made it worse.

"Ah!" I flipped back over to my back. Needles pierced my skin on my arms and hands.

"Is it happening again?" Jenna kept question.

I violently shook my head, "No. Its different." I tensed all my muscles as I tried to speak.

"They are letting you die." Blurryface appeared out of no where.

"It's okay, Josh." Tyler grabbed my hand, "You will be fine."

"AH!" My back arched when I felt a burning sensation right next to my spine. Everything hurt, it hurt so fricking much. "Make it stop." My words ran together. "Please, please just make it stop." I begged.

"It's not going to stop." Blurryface smirked and sat back.

"It'll be over soon, Josh." Tyler had tears in his eyes. Jenna stood up and hugged Tyler, I saw her whisper something in his ear but I couldn't hear it.

"You have to go now, Josh." Jenna walked towards the door with tears in her eyes.

"Stay with me." I painted.

"I can't. You'll be fine, I promise." She didn't even turn her head when she walked out of the room with Tyler and shut the door behind her. I clenched my jaw and tossed and turned for what felt like eternity. I felt one more poke in my arm, but with that one came calmness. I felt something cold run through my veins. I laid on my back, sweat dripping down my face as I caught my breath. Nothing hurt anymore, everything was peaceful.

"Josh?" A soft voice asked.

"Yeah Debby?"

"Come back." I opened my eyes and sat up in my bed. I walked into the living room and saw Tyler, Jenna, and Debby in a line.

"What's happening?" I limped over to them.

"It's time." Tyler smiled slightly.

"I'm leaving?" I was overwhelmed with happiness but also terrified.

"Why are you scared?" All three asked in sync, almost like robots.

"I-I don't know."

"Yes, you do." They said.

"I don't know what's going to happen. Here, I know what's happening, everything is planned."

"You're scared of the unknown. The possibility that your real life isn't as good as this one." Jenna kept her eyes on mine.

"Yeah." I whispered.

"You have other choices," Tyler stepped forward. "everything is up to you now. You can go with Jenna, she will take you home, you'll be with your real friends and family, in the real world. You could go with Debby, she will lead you to death. It will be peaceful, you've lived a good life, you were a good man. Your legacy would live on, but they will miss you, very much. Or you can go with me, I'll take you back to this pretend world, the one you've made up in your mind. Nothing is real here. This pretend world will eventually fade away too, though." They all stared, waiting for my response.

"I want- I want to go with Jenna. I think."

"Take your time, Josh." Jenna said calmly. "This is your life, choose what you want most."