"You look so beautiful right now..."

Chapter 2

Escape

Sam grabbed armor as he saw the egg enthusiasts escape, he sprinted after them, pausing at an enderchest to grab better armor and his trident. It started to rain, perfect. He launched off knowing he lost them and looked around on the ground as he was searching. After 25 minutes and traveling quite far, for what he'd consider if one were to run on the ground, he heard a blood curling shriek. He cringed and started to shoot towards it. The shrieking would pause then continue for a bit and when it got louder, he dropped onto the ground and sheathed his trident. He started running, even though the soil and grass were muddy, his boots were able to provide him with enough grip to run. The screams were getting weaker and weaker while he was looking around through the tall spruce trees, trying to find the source. Eventually... the screams ceased and he started to look around in spots he already looked in, he was trying to keep calm, but he recognized that scream he heard in his nightmares way too well...

After what seemed like multiple hours even though it was a few minutes he spotted a fox crouching over something. He took a closer look and realized it was a person, but their hand was twitching and they'd have a spasm occasionally. He shooed away the fox, the rain had lightened into a sprinkle and he kneeled looking at the man he knew and loved.
"Ponk..."

Said man had his face scrunched in pain and fear. His breathing was rapid and shallow. His fingers twitched and whenever he had a spasm he would curl in trying to sustain it.

In that moment, Sam's heart broke. His eyes teared up and he lowered his head over the figure of the man he truly loved so much.

"Ponk, I'm so sorry..." Sam had somehow got out with a shaky voice.

His fists balled up as he thought more and more about how the egg had taken Ponk from him. The egg made Ponk provoke The Warden. The Warden hurt Ponk. The egg manipulated Ponk.

It's the egg's fault.

He grew angrier by the second and his body had started growing and becoming paler. Sam quickly realized he was about to blow and he did his breathing exercise while he cleared his mind and decided to help Ponk, no matter if he hated him or not.

Sam slowly and gently touched Ponk to see if there was a reaction. Ponk had another spasm attack before going deathly still. Sam slowly checked his pulse to make sure he wasn't dead, and fortunately he wasn't. He picked up the other male in his arms bridal style. He traveled swiftly to his shelter, avoiding most of the populated region around the area the red banquet had previously taken place.

--=+=--

Sam had been watching over Ponk at his base for a few days now. He never left his side unless it was to gather more food or do a quick Warden shift in the prison. He knew it was secure even if he wasn't there more often anymore. He cared more about Ponk right now, especially since he was still unconscious.

He's been studying the egg's growth on Ponk too while he was at it. When he saw roots start growing along his neck, Sam decided he had to remove his clothing to find the main source of the roots. Thankfully, he only had to remove the layers on his torso- but only then did he find a parasitic-looking organism latched onto the left side of his chest. It seemed to have spread its roots all over him, and by the looks of it, that included the inside of his body.

Sam could only feel guilty as he saw this parasite feeding on Ponk.