INVECTIVE
noun.
Abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure bitter deep-seated will
Previously:
They just prayed they weren't already too late.
Present:
The days stretched on for what felt like months. Once again, the group spent days making improvements to the base and their equipment, making new materials and in general, waiting for the next thing to happen. One day, Charlie and Sylvia go on a trip to collect more wood for tools. As they delved further into the forest, they were pulled out of their conversation by the sound of distant screams.
"Please! I'll do anything!" The voice cried, only barely audible. Charlie's eyebrows rose in confusion, only for Sylvia to drop their sword in a sprint towards the noise.
Charlie had no choice but to follow.
"Sylvia! Slow down!" Charlie shouted, but it fell on deaf ears. As the noises and screams got closer, Charlie could also finally recognise the voice.
"Springy!"
Just as they felt close, the noises stopped. They searched and searched but they couldn't relocate the voice.
Then they realised they had no clue where they were.
Their quick rush to save their friend lead them so far into the forest, they had no clue where they were. And the dark was drawing near.
They rushed, picking up blocks from everywhere in hopes to buid a base for the night.
"I'll watch, you build!" Charlie whisper-yelled. Sylvia nodded, quickly placing the blocks down in a small square.
As Charlie caught sight of some approaching skeletons, arrows began flying past them at Sylvia.
A loud cry escaped Sylvia as one hit, slicing their shoulder. Charlie cursed, standing over them. Sylvia hissed as they placed the last block.
"Get in!" Sylvia shouted.
They huddled together before placing the last blocks, sending them into darkness.
The only noises that could be heard were their quick pants and the clicking of bones outside.
As they shifted to get more comfortable, Sylvia places a torch with their good arm before surveying the arrow in their shoulder.
"Fuck that really hurts" they hissed out.
"Let me help, it's kinda my fault in the first place" Charlie mumbled, sitting behind them.
"Hey no, it's okay. It's just one hit, I'll live" Sylvia mumbled, ripping off a section of their jacket to use as a makeshift bandage. They sat in near silence, hearing the sound of monsters and their torch doing little to calm their nerves.
"You heard her too, right?" Sylvia said suddenly, looking down at the floor.
"You mean that voice?" Charlie asked, only receiving a small nod. "It sounded like Springy,"
That made Sylvia let out a shaky breath.
"We could have caught up, we were so close to having her back" They said, blinking away tears as they tried to calm their mind.
"We'll find her again, don't worry," Charlie tried to comfort them, but received no response.
The quiet noise of burning zombies notified them of the new day starting.
After leaving their makeshift base, they wandered back the way they came until they eventually found the path home. Charlie looked over to their friend, only to see a husk of what they knew. Emotionless, cold eyes wandered the terrain as they gripped their hurt arm, blood seeping through the tattered fabric. They looked away from Sylvia, noticing the ground soon crunch with snow.
The forest soon cleared into the familiar town setting, were they soon reached the door of Moe's house.
Sylvia knocked the door loudly, soon met with an opened door and a worried Moe staring them down.
"Sylvia! Charlie!" He pulled them into a tight hug, makingSylvia hiss in pain again. He pulled away, dragging them inside.
The rest of the group sat around the main room and quickly lit up when they saw their friends return.
"We were just about to go search the area for you guys. What happened out there??" Moe asked, still in shock from the sudden appearance of his friends.
"When we were out," Sylvia started. Charlie took quick notice to how their voice had gone lower and more... monotoned as they spoke. "We heard Springy out in the woods, screaming. We went to go find her, but lost the trail and ended up in the middle of the woods. Monsters started showing up, I got shot but we made a small base and made our way back here when the sun rose. And now, we're here." They said. Moe let out a breath.
"We thought you guys died" he breathed out.
After some talking with friends, they took some time to relax. Moe, after helping with their wound, pulled them in close.
"Go talk to Geko, he's been worried sick. He's in the loft." He muttered. Sylvia sighed out a small chuckle.
"Okay, I will"
After climbing the ladder up, they were met with Geko staring out the small window, leaning back while sitting on the wall next to it. They simply sat down next to him.
"How are you?" They asked quietly. Instead of a response, Geko pulled them into a tight hug, pulling them into his chest. Sylvia gasped. He was never the affectionate type, so him initiating a hug was new.
His hands ran through their hair, and Sylvia felt his breathing slow down along with his heart beat.
"I was so worried when you didn't come back yesterday." He muttered out into their hair, placing a small kiss to their forehead.
"I'm home now though, and I just got a little scraped up-"
"What if Y got you?" He mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Sylvia pulled away slightly to look him in the eye.
"Whoever they are already took Springy, what if they got you too?" He explained, pushing my hair from my face. They sighed, pushing their hand away.
"If they did, you would have continued as normal, just then there would be two people gone." They said, their monotone voice catching Geko off guard.
"What? You really thing I would just leave Y to do whatever the fuck he wanted with you? I wouldn't stop until I found you again" Geko said, him voice raising slightly.
"That would be stupid, you would be falling directly into Y's trap." They explained, simply looking at him. He let out a breath, shaking his head.
"What, like you did in the forest?" He spat out.
"Yes, what I did was idiotic and I would hope you would see that"
"Now that just sounds hypocritical" he accused.
"Maybe, but I'm just stating the truth"
"The truth? That's bold coming from you," he spat angrily.
"When have I lied to you?" They asked, tiling their head in confusion.
"Oh, I don't know, for fucking weeks when you and Springy started dating?" They sighed.
"We weren't ready to tell you guys-"
"Bullshit Sylvia, I'm your best friend, you've told me worse shit before" he stated,
"What's with this all of the sudden? You act like you don't care" he sighed out.
"What, like you did for so long?" They said sternly. Their tone of voice made Geko fall silent.
They made their way back to the ladder, stepping down a few rungs.
"Goodbye, Geko"
