Writing Championships #4

Amber Antags

"What the-" Scar questioned, looking at the back of his left wrist. Black markings had shown up on his wrist in the shape of a date. There looked like no meaning, no purpose to these markings. He would ask about them later to the other Hermits and just continue working instead.

He had learned that all the Hermits had marks similar to his and that the date was counting down. To what? Well, no one was sure about that. Every day the date would get closer, but there was no way to tell what was going to happen once it reached zero.

Scar was beginning to worry for his and his fellow Hermits' safety. Cleo had reached zero but was nowhere to be found. Joe had said he searched everywhere for her but couldn't find her. And to make matters worse, he had also reached zero and no one could find him either. Everyone searched for them after they both were gone.

Stress followed soon after, all the Hermits found of her was her beautiful flower crown, light pink petals floating in the wind. No one could find her either.

Then Grian's mischievous laugh was whisked away.

And after a day of shutting himself off in disbelief, Mumbo was gone too.

One after one, until it was only X, Cub, and him.

X worked day and night, trying to stop it, to reverse it, but when Scar woke up the next morning to check on him, he was gone. And a sickening thing filled up his throat.

Now, it was Cub's turn.

The Universe hated Scar. Why... How could it take away his best friend-

"Cub..." He ran a finger down the man's face, feeling the scars (hA) lining his skin.

"I knew that I didn't have that much time anyway, Scar. No matter these countdowns. I'm getting old, plus using all that magic was taking its toll on me."

Tomorrow, Cub was going to disappear like the rest of them. Then Scar would be alone all over again.

Tomorrow, he would fall apart.

Tomorrow, his world would come crashing down.

Not even yesterday, Grian had been a bouncing ball of energy, racing around the shopping district with his elytra. But that night, he disappeared without a trace, the only thing left was his elytra.

And the day before him, Xisuma and his admin communicator, and before him, Etho and his mask, and so on...

They were all taken from him.

All because of these stupid tatoos.

He cried out angrily, Cub flinching. "I can't lose you too, Cub! I-I... I'll be alone... alone all by myself, and-"

"Listen, Scar... I loved you like a brother since I first met you. I've always been by your side, when we pretended to be Vexes, hell, when we actually became Vexlings, I was with you."

"But now you're leaving me too, like they all did." Scar's voice cracked on the last word, tears forming on his face. "WAIT what if I can use magic to stop it-" The Vexling directed his hands at Cub's wrist, willing the timer to stop. "C'mon-" Scar flinched in pain.

"Scar, if it's hurting you, stop it right now-"

"NO! I can do it!-"

And after a few more minutes of trying... the timer stopped.

"Scar..." Cub gaped at his wrist, eyes wide in disbelief.

And they widened even further as he saw the numbers resume their countdown.

Scar cried out in rage.

Cub sighed deeply. "We're going to stay together, alright?" Cub's breath was quick from running. "I'm going to stay with you."

"It's still going-" Scar trembled, holding on to his arm for dear life, watching the timer tick down, thinner, thinner. "Why's it still GOING-"

"It's ok, it's ok, it's ok." Cub grabbed Scar's arms as he started to hyperventilate, bringing him into a hug, trying to hide the panic rising in his own chest. "Shhh, it's going to be fine."

"I don't want to be alone, Cub-" Scar gasped for air as tears came to his eyes. "I hate being alone, I don't want to be alone, it's gonna be scary-"

"I'm going to stay. I promise. I'm right here." Cub's arm was warm, pulsing with life as Scar clutched it to his chest, watching the numbers go down. "I'm staying right here."

"How can you promise something like that?" Scar hiccuped, Cub's calloused hand gripped in his. "You know it won't come true."

"We have to keep hoping." And even as he said it, Cub could feel the dread set into his stomach. "We need to keep hoping."

"Please, don't go Cub," Scar whispered, closing his eyes, trying to keep the warmth of his friend with him forever. "Don't go."

"I won't." Cub squeezed his hand as he closed his eyes too, feeling the light of the setting sun on his skin, and the coldness of the night wash over them. "I'm staying. I'll be with you forever."

"I thought we had forever." Scar's voice was weak and shaky as he tried to not burst into tears. "But the universe had other things planned, didn't it?"

"Scar."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Scar could feel the tears start to flood out, the numbers ticking down to the last.

"I love you too," he whispered, knowing in his heart that it would be the last time, as much as he wanted to keep hoping.

"The universe didn't love us, though."

And then Scar felt the warmth drift away, into the darkening clouds, into the setting sun bleeding into black.

And the only thing left was the wind blowing at his face, cold and unforgiving and lonely, like knives.

"I wish the universe loved you too."

Score: 10 (Spectator Favourite)