Dream Nightmare

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

         "Christina!" I screamed.

They took her. She was gone for real this time. Maybe it was a bad idea to hold on to the calculator. Maybe I should just get rid of it now. Maybe, just maybe-

Don't think like that! You'd be dead right now if it wasn't for the calculator!

That was true on so many levels, but Christina would still be here if I didn't have it. I couldn't think like that, however, because I still had hope that it would help me find her. "Come on you stupid piece of junk. Where is she? Give me a sign. Help me. Anything. Please, I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart."

I sat in the exact spot Christina disappeared from, holding my calculator, begging it to give her back to me. All around me, the battle raged on.

She could be dead for all you know, Envy. There's nothing you can do about it, you don't even know where they went. The best thing to do right now is finish the four quests and forget about her so you don't die.

I was really starting to like the voice inside my head, it sure made a lot of sense. But one thing was for sure, I wasn't going to forget about Christina. Could I?

A hand grabs me under my arm from behind and pulls me to my feet. "Did you do this to me? You seem to be the only other person here that no one sees. Dude what are you doing on the ground moping? Where's Christina?" It was Hesh.

"Please. Now is not the time. I don't want to fight."

"Look, Envy-"

"Envy?!" I jolt to attention, not expecting that word.

"That's your name isn't it?" Hesh asks.

"Yea, I just never expected you to call me by my name. I'm used to 'freshie.'"

Hesh chuckles and reaches his arm out towards me. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." Hesitantly, I shake his hand. As I do so, he says, "Look, Envy. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but thanks for saving me. I really owe you."

I told you to use the calculator to turn Hesh invisible too. He'll be waaaay more help than Kelsey or Tear could've been.

It was such an awkward conversation we were having, and I just didn't know what to say, so I said, "You know Christina's gone..."

"Gone?" he asked, and then I see one of the reptilian humanoids plunge through his body holding a whip in each hand.

"Five of the vampires came and took her. I don't know why her, but this isn't the first time. They-"

"Oh no. The announcer mentioned something like this before the third quest started, and I had my suspicions. Do you have something from the creators of the Dream Nightmare?" When he asked this, his tone seemed intrigued, genuinely interested.

I stare into his eyes and say nothing.

"No way. No freakin way. Envy, do you realize how awesome this is?" Hesh slaps me on the back and chuckles some more.

Show him the calculator.

Pulling out the calculator, I say, "My bus driver gave me this before the game started. He made me promise to keep it, and I kept it just for laughs and giggles. I had no clue it was such a powerful weapon."

"So you literally have no clue what it is?" Hesh crossed his arms, unbelieving. When I shook my head he continued, "That is one of the most advanced pieces of technology ever created. There is no possible way you can lose any of the quests with it."