Bɾυιʂҽԃ, Bαƚƚҽɾҽԃ, αɳԃ HҽαɾƚႦɾσƙҽɳ | 𝐅𝐓𝐑𝐒

What Did I Live For?

"Wilson? I think someone desperately needs to create glasses for mice." Hayley gaped at me, "Who are you, and why are you here?"

"Hayley, seriously- Woah my voice-" It was basically 15 octaves higher and so much more, well-tuned I wanted to say. 

"It's like Gilly but with violet eyes and smoother hair, what the heck?" Hayley stared at Wilson and then at me, "Tell me this is on purpose."

"Well, I would say, meet Jax, but under a curse."

"Hey! What's good? Got your keys?"

Hayley held out her key, "Wait, but I don't understand. How did this happen? Was it the obstacle challenge thing?"

"Weird simulation thing. But yes, I believe so." 

Hayley furrowed her eyebrows, "But even so, that doesn't make sense. Why just you?"

Jax sighed, "Hayley, why are you here?"

"To help you get back your memory?"

"Exactly."

I looked around, picking Wilson off a frozen block of ice, "Where's Jack?" 

"I don't know. He went for the furthest one, remember? He's probably just taking a while to get back."

"Ah, that's true." It was silent for a moment, but I could feel something off in the air. And it wasn't just the magic, but just something was off. I was not too fond of the way that the air around me hugged me into place as if it didn't want me to move.

"Hayley, I think we should go check on him." 

Hayley looked at me, and I met her eyes. Was it just me, or were they looking a little darker than usual, "It's fine. He's gonna come back soon with the last key. Just wait here." 

"Hey!" Hayley sharply turned towards me, almost sneering.

"Get out of Hayley, witch!" Hayley, no, the witch's eyes flashed black and she lunged at me. I narrowly dodged out of the way, and Hayley collided with one of the ice blocks. Ice flew in bits and pieces as she crashed into it, shattering it entirely. The ice scratched her skin and her arms were dotted red with blood, but she got up after two staggering seconds. 

Holding Wilson tight, I pushed my legs as far as they could take me, running past (and into) several tall blocks of ice until I could find the location of Jack's key. There was nothing there. Just an area with grass. I looked up and down, calling out Jack's name, but to no avail. I could hear the witch's growling from far away, but I knew she was close behind. 

Where was Jack?

The floor thumped. I fell backward, surprised by the sudden earthquake. What the heck was happening? The thumping continued, but as if it was trailing a path toward a specific stop, and I followed it until it was right under my feet. The thumping grew louder and stronger, and I dropped to my knees. 

"Jack?"

---

"Jack?"

Jack was losing air. His breathing became more shallow, he could feel his mind leaving him as he grew more lightheaded. 

"Jack?"

He opened his eyes, to no brightness, just the musty smell of dirt and darkness. 

"Jack!"

He was done. He was gonna die. Pathetically. In a deep dark hole rather than falling off of something. Wow, his fears were so wrong.

"JACK! WAKE UP YOU DUNGBELL!"

Jack licked his dry lips, "Jax?" His voice was all scratchy, and it sounded absolutely nothing like him. Speaking of which, that sounded nothing like Jax. 

"JACK! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

It was some girl's voice. Wonder if it was his mom. Or maybe his long-lost sister. Or maybe his cow. Maybe Gilly had given her that power. Or maybe it was the angels that his mom told him would carry him to heaven. 

"JACK PLEASE!"

Jack sat up abruptly. No way. He was gonna die? HERE?! In this dark and mangy...what even is this place?! He could only even sit on his knees. No way. That was not happening. Not with him around. 

Jack picked up his pickaxe and slammed it at the dirt above him, all of the loose stuff falling on his head. He coughed as the dust cloud formed around him. 

"YES! JACK! KEEP GOING!"

Wow, he had lost some air, hadn't he?

Jack kept pounding at the closest corner he had. He needed to get out of here. He had to go home, take care of his mom, get married, and have kids. Right? That's what people live for right?

Jack faltered. But did his mom still need him? Would he ever find someone to marry? Would he even ever have kids? That's what people lived for, but what did he live for? 

"Jack?"

"Hey, voice in my head? What do I live for?" Jack asked, looking up and setting his pickaxe down. The voice went silent. 

"Well, Jack, I mean, you're only 27 man, live a life. You're not even 40. Tell me, do you feel that you've made all your dreams come true?"

"No, not really..."

"Well look at how much time we have left on the clock. Jack, when I look at you, I see someone who just wants to be set free. You don't need anybody, you just need a glass of beer and the ocean next to you. And I admire you for that. You don't need to be bound by your past, or have to worry about anyone anymore, because you've been doing that your whole life. You need a change, Jack, a change that you maybe never realized you needed. But let me tell you, from a friend to a friend, once you get out of here, I will help you make that change in your life. What is the point in dying if you haven't lived life to the fullest yet?" 

"I-I don't know." 

"Exactly."

Jack felt a cry rise in his chest. No, he couldn't cry now. Please. He had to keep going. Mystery voice was right. He hadn't lived to the fullest. He had been such a worrywart to other people that he had forgotten about himself. And that wasn't right. 

He was going to change that. 

"So, would you mind hurrying up, because I have a witch-possessed Hayley ravaging after me."

"Hayley was possessed?"

"Is. Now please!"

Jack faced the dirt wall and picked up the pickaxe. He could feel his veins pulsing. He wasn't gonna die like this. 

"Not on my watch."