Dead Inside

30.

"Sabre," Alex said. "You have some explaining to do."

It was now the afternoon. Sabre only had a few hours before nightfall, but he wasn't worried. Rainbow Steve insisted Sabre should see their other friends. Sabre was alright with that and he had gotten a little excited. 

"How are you still alive?" Blue Steve asked. 

"I-" Sabre was about to reply, but then the words of Emburn repeated in his head. "I'm not real."

"What?" Galaxy Steve asked. "But, how is that possible?"

"Emburn gave me the ability to come here to see you guys again," Sabre explained. "I'll only be here for another 6 days."

"Oh." Rainbow Steve sounded disappointed. "But- but that doesn't matter. You're here for now, and we are glad to see you."

Sabre smiled. "Do you guys want to have one last adventure before I have to go back?"

Blue Steve nodded. "That sounds like fun!"

"What do you have in mind?" Alex asked. 

"There's a cave somewhere up in the mountains I forgot to show you," Sabre explained. "Lucas had said it was filled with ghosts before he left. I want to go see if that's true."

"Let's go!" Galaxy Steve exclaimed. 

"It could be a Ghost, Steve." Rainbow Steve pointed out. "One last adventure." he smiled back at Sabre. "Might as well make the best of it."

*   *   *

The group made their way up the mountain's side. It wasn't steep, and Sabre enjoyed feeling the cold stone and gravel under his palms again. It's been so long since he could touch matter, all he ever did was go through it. This was a great feeling.

"How much further?" Galaxy Steve called. "I can't feel my legs, anymore."

"We're nearly there," Sabre called over his shoulder. "Just up over this bend."

Sabre reached up and grabbed the edge of the bend and hauled himself up. His arms burned from exhaustion as he lay on the stone. Strange enough, he even missed the burning feeling in his arms. 

"Is this it?" Rainbow Steve asked, hauling himself up next to Sabre.

"Yes," Sabre breathed. 

"Oh, thank the moon," Galaxy Steve collapsed on the stone. "I thought my legs would fall off if we kept going."

Alex chuckled softly as she sat beside him. "We still have to go in and check the cave out."

"Right," Galaxy Steve sat up. "Let's go!"

"I thought you needed a break," Sabre said. "We'll head in a few minutes."

Galaxy Steve moaned softly but didn't argue. And just as Sabre said, the group headed into the cave a few minutes later after a short break. 

"Anyone got a flashlight?" Rainbow Steve asked.

"I do!" Alex said. She pulled out a small flashlight and handed it to Rainbow Steve. He strapped it onto his forehead and turned it on before continuing forward. The cave was dark and the air was moist. A small stream ran beside the group's feet and a drop of freezing water landed on Sabre's forehead. He blinked, he couldn't get over the fact he was flesh and blood again. 

"Hey!" Rainbow Steve jolted Sabre form his thoughts. "What's that?"

Sabre glanced over down the cave to follow Rainbow Steve's finger, but all he saw was a dark cave barely lit by the flashlight. "I don't see anything."

"Something was just there!" Rainbow Steve said. "It looked like a man."

"Hello?" Galaxy Steve called, his voice echoing against the cave walls. "Anyone there?"

No reply. He called again. No answer. 

"I don't think anyone is there," Blue Steve said. "Perhaps the flashlight reflected off of something shiny, Rainbow Steve."

"I'm sure he did see something," Sabre reasoned. "I mean, there could be ghosts."

Blue Steve laughed. "Why would there be? They don't exist! Right?"

"Why else are we here?" Sabre asked. "We're going to find ourselves some ghosts."

"And don't forget the fact you saw some when he found the Cemetary of Bones," Rainbow Steve told his friend. 

"Right," Blue Steve replied. "Let's never go there again."