A Sting of Conscience (Eddsworld) ♢ SLOW UPDATES ♢

[1] Book Display

Tom awoke to the sound of sobbing. His room was in total darkness as he tossed his sheets aside. Slowly, he sat up.

Then it came to him that the sobbing sounds were painfully, heart-wrenchingly familiar.

"Edd?" Tom whispered.

The weeping voice continues, as if it heard nothing. Tom felt a pang of curiosity and concern, even though he shouldn't be. Tom was never concerned about anyone. At all.

He didn't care about anything, and he didn't care that he didn't.

But this time, he did. If it's about Edd, it's an exception. He edged himself out of bed, trying to navigate where the voice came from.

Outside.

Tom tiptoed in the darkness as the noise continued. He placed one foot after the other. But it did not stop him from bumping onto a table, a chair, a wall, assuming that they weren't there.

Of course, he thought. After that ordeal with Tord, their old house was destroyed, blasted into pieces with a missile. This new home would take a lot of getting used to.

Tom exits his room and opens the door to Edd's, where he thought the sound was from.

"Edd?" he called.

The door creaks open. Tom was still as he stared at the empty cola cans and bottles scattered all over the room. The light behind the door revealed a lonely Edd curled into a ball, weeping on his bed. He wiped his tears with his green sleeve, shoved away his blanket and stared at his trespasser.

"Tom?" Edd croaked out.

"What... happened?" Tom asked. He stepped over the bottles, careful not to topple or break anything. Edd began sniffling. As soon as Tom was close enough, he knelt beside his old friend. Edd covered his eyes with his forearm, fell silent and chose not to reply.

"Don't tell me you're out of cola again," Tom sighed.

Lethargic, Edd shook his head. "No," he said, taking a deep breath. "It's not that. Sorry. Did I... wake you?"

Tom could tell that Edd tried to hide his pathetic sniffling sounds. Nevertheless, he nodded without a word.

"Figures," Edd whispered.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying in the middle of the night?" Tom asked.

"It's just..." Edd began.

"What?"

Edd wanted to say it, but stayed quiet.

"You're beginning to worry me." Tom said, though he doesn't show it. He never does.

"It's about..." Edd sobbed. "Tord."

A bolt of anger wormed through Tom's chest. Tord. Tom grit his teeth. Just remembering a single aspect of that traitor, his name, or how they've treated each other, or how he destroyed their old home makes him grow instantaneously mad, but he tried to keep his composure. He started wondering why Edd was upset over someone who's as dead as a doornail.

Tom sighed, disgusted.

Now that he thought about it, Tord was once Edd's friend.

How insensitive could he be?

Edd began to weep again, but this time, he covered his mouth to avoid making a noise. Tom didn't ask the reason for those tears. All he knew is that it'll be another long night for his friend.

"This sucks," Edd sobbed to himself.

Tom stood up, gathering the mess he could discern in the darkness. He fixed the cans and bottles on one side.