run and chase (frank x quentin) dbd

[ch.20] What Happened?

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Quentin's POV

I smelled the campfire.
I felt the warmth.
It felt full, the people, there.

My memory, was fleeting. I couldn't remember what just happened. I dont know if I just woke up, or I just came back from a trial.

I'm assuming the latter because Jane started running to me.

"Quentin?!" She asked exasperatedly. Sweat had dripped from her brow.

"Yeah? What's up?" I said nonchalantly.

She sighed, in relief?

"What happened?!" She put her hand on her hip, and talked with her other hand.

"First Ace, now you?"

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes widened, "Uh,the trial??"

So I was in a trial. Why couldn't I remember?

"Jane I have no idea what happened, like, I literally can NOT remember"

She brought her free hand to her chin, thinking.

" same as Ace.." she muttered under her breath.

"Were you in the trial with me?" I asked her.

"Yeah, it was a Freddy trial. Badham. Ace, you, me, and Claud. Though, I can't remember seeing her anywhere," she answered.

Her mentioning Freddy's name sent shivers down my spine. I wasnt sure if I was glad I couldn't remember that trial or not.

She began, ".. it started out with me on a gen, and you came over to help. Ace came scrambling over with wounds and we patched him up. We continued on the gen, and then you fell asleep on us. We assumed Freddy was after you since you started sleep running" she paused. "I'm sorry we didnt come help immediately.. we thought with you as the distraction we could get the majority of gens done, eventually I made Ace go look for you since I was on the last gen."

She then wrapped her arms around me, to hold me in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry Quentin".

I snaked my arms up to reciprocate the hug. "Hey, you did your best given the circumstance, I'm proud of you," I said and gave her a warm smile.

"..so you really cant remember any of that... trial?" She pondered aloud.

"Not a thing.." I replied.

She took a deep breath and let go of the hug,hands still on my shoulders so she could steady her gaze into my eyes.

"Quentin, you died from the collapse".

The what?

"Huh?"

"There was a timer.. when all the gens are done, and an exit gate is open.. it begins to tick."

"Like a clock?"

"Like a timer," she breathed out, "and you ran out of time"

"Shit.." was all I could say. I was a little scared from what she said, but I'm at least back 'home'.

"I assume Ace died from it as well, he said he was too tired to remember" she told me.

I looked over behind her and saw Ace sleeping against the log, confirming her story.

"So when did this collapse begin?" I asked.

"Dwight told me about it.. maybe three trials ago? I was with Ace during one and we survived while it happened. I dont know why he can't remember it now." She said genuinely confused,"It feels like we have to keep... remembering..this"