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 Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:31 pm
Without hesitation, Cambria put the clip on her own finger, letting the machine ease back into a slightly more normal rhythm...the beeps got less frantic at any rate.
“Yeah...yeah Evan. I felt...really stupid when Zack showed me. Like, seriously stupid. I mean...I’m dating your brother...I have been for ages and...but…”
She swallowed, blinking back sudden tears. “I’m scared, Mal. I’m scared for him. I’m scared for Evan...I’m scared for you...I just want all of this to be over...it was over...and then it just all went to hell again…”
Her hand was still gently fluffing his hair and she sighed.
“When you get out of here, I’m going to use my magic on you again to speed up some of your healing...I can at least do some of the cuts for you...can’t do s**t on the bones, but hey. It’s a start.”
She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself and will her own heart to stop causing the stupid thing to beep wildly. Damnit.
“I’m so sorry, Mal...and...and I know Zack is too...he’s...absolutely devastated...honestly…” Cambria gave a wry smile. “I didn’t even know he cared that much about you…”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:31 pm
Malcolm nodded, even if he wasn’t feeling particularly positive about any of it. The only thing he liked hearing was that she was going to use her magic to make him heal a little quicker. He just wanted to be able to breathe again.
He didn’t speak for a long moment; he hurt too much to cry but if he could have stomached it, he would have. Moisture gathered in his eyes but it wasn’t enough to fall. He focused on keeping his breathing even, and making sure that he didn’t breathe in too deeply and hurt himself.
“It’s stupid,” he said after a moment. “…I thought about Zack. When he broke my arm, I thought about him. I don’t know why. He didn’t act like Zack, even on his worse days. And he knows?”
His voice wavered. “He could come in here and smother me with a pillow and no one would know the difference. No one would suspect him.” He scoffed miserably, but there was more on his mind than just that. “…He’s devastated? …Really? He’s a good liar, he could just be playing you. I—I don’t know what his game is, but I don’t trust him.”
He wanted to, but he couldn’t. “I don’t—I don’t have to forgive him, right? I—if he leaves them, what happens? How’d he get into the Negaverse? Will they let him leave?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:33 pm
“Of course they won’t let him leave.” Cambria’s voice was soft, and she sounded quite pained. “I have to figure out someone who can help him...I have...I have a few ideas, but I’m not really sure. I have to go and do that after I finish talking to you...and after I talk…” She drew in a breath.
“Talk to Evan and tell him that Zack’s going away forever. Not forever...but he won’t be Zack anymore after purification. At least from what I understand of it. You lose part of yourself. Lose memories of who you were before. It’s terrible. I don’t know how he got into the Negaverse...or why he got into the Negaverse...but I sure as hell am going to get him out of the Negaverse.”
The thought of action was so soothing. It made her feel so much calmer. Something she knew she could do was so much better than something she had no ideas about.
Cambria looked at Malcolm and sighed. “He is upset. He almost cried, Mal, and don’t you dare tell him I told you...but he...when he realized it was you...I think he really…” Really what? Hated himself…? Did that sound too...dramatic?
“I think he realized that he was out of control and couldn’t do that again. When he came to see you, he was raving, saying he’d track down the person who did this to his brother and kill them...and when he realized that he was that person…”
She broke off, shrugging.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:34 pm
Malcolm flinched at the threat but the effect didn’t last; he nodded slightly. That sounded like that—the anger, the threats. There had been a time when Zack would have done anything to protect him. Malcolm didn’t know when things had changed, or why, but he still remembered the good times.
“…Maybe he’ll only forget the bad things,” he said after a moment.
He wouldn’t have minded that—to have back the older brother he admired and looked up to. The one that made him feel safe and encouraged him to come out of his shell.
Malcolm was afraid of Sanidine, but Zack wouldn’t hurt Cambria. He had mixed feelings about all of this, and even now he wondered if maybe he was just having some strange, realistic dream.
He could only hope that if this was real, if Zack was Sanidine, if he was going to purify…
Maybe it was a fresh start they needed. Maybe he’d be a better person.
He couldn’t wrap his mind around everything just yet; he blamed it on the drugs first, and the reality second. It made sense just as much as it didn’t make sense. He was terrified of Sanidine—and Zack, if what Cambria said was try. And of Chaos, for twisting him. He was afraid for what might be lost, but despite everything there was a small part of him that hoped that if anything good game of it, let it be that he got the best parts of his brother.
Sanidine could die; Malcolm didn’t care for him.
Not Zack, though. Despite it all, Malcolm did still care for him. Even if this was all his fault.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:35 pm
Cambria nodded, giving a tiny smile. “Yeah. Maybe he will only forget the bad things…” She swallowed and then sighed. “Why don’t you get some rest, Mal. I’ll be here. I’m not leaving you side. Not for anything.”
She reached over, smoothing his hair again, trying to be as soothing as she possibly could. It wasn’t her fault that this happened...it wasn’t Zacks fault either...not really. It was chaos. It was all chaos.
There was nothing more to say other than that. This time, however...they would win. Again. Another small victory for the light...a victory that caused Cambria’s chest to tighten...because it was a loss too. A heavy one for her.
But they would survive.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:35 pm
Malcolm drew in another slow, cautious breath; he tried to nod but found that it was a more painful experience than he was used to. He immediately ceased and instead force an unconvincing smile. “I like that plan,” he said softly.
He was tired; the more he thought about all of this, the more drained he felt. There wasn’t much he could do but rest—and given how difficult it felt to keep his eyes open, to keep his mind working, a short break sounded good.
There was a lot for him to worry about, but worrying wasn’t going to get him anywhere but sick to his stomach. It was easy to close his eyes—and easier to let unconsciousness claim him again.
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