Back at Square One (BEN Drowned)

31

I almost scratched my face trying to comb matted hair out of my eyes as I approached the creek. I couldn't help but shiver as what seemed like a bucket of freezing water was dumped on my head from a nearby tree branch. My feet were already freezing, and I'd only walked about five minutes to reach this place. Shutting my eyes, I reached a shaky hand into my coat pocket and pulled the cartridge out.

It was time.

As I was about to drop it into the stream, I felt an icy hand grip my wrist and I yelped in shock, my eyes springing open. My heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest and not in the good way. I felt a pounding in my ears, and my grip on the cartridge tightened. I didn't move; I couldn't move.

I felt his gaze burning a hole in the back of my head as his voice reverberated in my mind.

What are you doing.

I gulped and closed my eyes again. Whatever was going to happen, I couldn't look at his face.

"I'm sorry," I managed to say, my voice cracking. My throat felt hoarse and dry.
Are you? Because it does seem to me that you're just throwing me away again. Like I won't come back. I heard a distinct chuckle behind me, and found the will to rip my hand from his.

"I'm done with this. I've thought it too many times and never actually did anything. But I can't let you just do this anymore." I rubbed my wrist and almost pocketed the cartridge. But then I stopped myself.

No. I'm in control.

I slowly raised it in the air and turned around to face Ben, holding it in front of his face.

"I've tried stopping you before. Nothing's worked. And...it's my fault. I let you go too far. I pretended like I knew what was best for you. I...I pretended I could help you." I sighed and stepped backwards into the river. The icy water licked at my ankles, and it took all my strength not to step out.

"I can't help you."

An aggravated look grew on Ben's face, and he tried to wrench the game out of my hand.

When he came into contact with it, I heard a small spark and saw a faint circle of light surround the cartridge. He sharply withdrew his hand and ran a fingertip over his claws, looking outraged.

He can't touch it. It would kill him.

He curled his hands into fists, and blood flooded even quicker from his eyes.

"You dirty li—"

"I'm dumping this in the river, Ben. I can't be bought anymore. If you apologize now, I'll still do it. If you try to kill me again, I'll do it."

"Y-you—"

Ben seemed to stumble over his words. Finally, his face started to distort, and he swung both his hands at my neck.
I felt a sharp coldness as they passed right through.

He can't touch me.

I saw his chest heaving desperately as he made wild, violent gestures towards me.

"You—you don't know what you're doing. This won't fix anything in your sad little life. You need me. Don't do this, Av—"

"It was nice knowing you."

Grabbing a sharp stone, I dropped the cartridge into the water and dug the rock through its center.

Coincidentally, Ben looked like he had just been stabbed in the gut. His glowing irises turned to pinpricks in his hollow sockets, and his entire form was disfigured. Black liquid poured from his mouth and eyes.