Back at Square One (BEN Drowned)

3

"I'll spend no more than 2 hours a day on it, it'll be an after-homework thing. I swear."

My mom raised an eyebrow and the computer screen.

"...it's cheap as dirt. Sure you want this copy? N-not that I'm not glad it doesn't cost that much, but..."

"Trust me, it's a good copy." I started bouncing on my feet, stomach churning, and I felt like a little kid. But I wasn't exactly excited, more anxious and filled with dread.

Why am I even doing this?

I furrowed my eyebrows in thought.

Because people are probably going to kill him a second time if they get their hands on the thing.

"Okay. Maybe one and a half cents for a video game isn't much to lose," she muttered, cautiously clicking the "Add to Cart" button next to the cartridge's display photo. I felt my heart leap into my throat as soon as she did.

"Thanks, mom," I said quickly, grabbing my phone off a nearby shelf and gunning it to my room to take my mind off of whatever the hell I was doing with my life.

As I lounged back and kicked my legs up onto the bedroom wall, a dream came back to me in little pebble like pieces. I furrowed my eyebrows as I tried to remember when it even happened. What kind of fucked up ten-year-old would even think about that. It probably happened last week or something. I sighed and shut off my phone, drumming my fingers on the edge as I tried willing myself to remember better.

I see claws, and chains, and a pool of black water.

Someone was standing in front of me. I couldn't make out their face. But I knew I shouldn't be talking to them directly.

They scared me.

But I asked anyway. It felt like I wouldn't have much time to do anything before...something happened.

"What's the water for?"

"Don't ask those kinds of questions," an intimidating voice snapped. It paused. "It's just a simple part of the ascension. This will only take a minute."

I felt my eyebrows furrow in frustration. This wasn't the answer I wanted. I gulped and lifted my head towards the voice, despite everything being black. I couldn't even see any water.

"Elder one," I asked reluctantly, my voice trembling. "Before I leave, can I get something off my chest? It's been bothering me."

Somehow, I could feel the "elder" narrowing their eyes. "If it's some sort of complaint about Luna, then you best keep it to yourself, young man," they warned sternly.

I frantically shook my head, terrified. "No, no, I would never! It's...just something at home."

The elder one's demeanor softened. "Your non-believing parents again?"

I scoffed lightly and shook my head again. "Not even them this time. It's my grandpa." I heaved a sigh and laced my fingers, figuring out how to phrase it. "He visited again this week and he saw me on the site. And...he checked my browser history. And he..." I swallowed back tears. "He showed my dad." I sighed again and tried to wipe my eyes as casually as I could.

"They took my laptop away, and stopped giving me allowance. Said it would stop me from doing dangerous things. My grandpa said I was 'evil' from playing video games. He took the family TV and console to the basement and put them in a cardboard box.

"My mom didn't like that part too much, but she wasn't going to stop him. I...I even heard her admit, she secretly agreed with him. That I was going bad. Doing cult stuff. I didn't even know what the word 'cult' meant until two days ago!

"...sorry. I know I shouldn't be complaining, when, like...this is about to happen. But it still hurts. I know they don't believe, I can handle that. But this hurt a lot."

I opened my eyes and spread my arms out. I gulped and sighed. "Okay. I'm ready."

I waited for about 10 seconds, becoming confused. It felt like the voice was hesitating. Finally, it heaved a sigh, and I felt icy water lap at my ankles.

"Recite your last prayer, Benjamin. We will begin shortly."

My eyes snapped open and the first thing I did was look at the alarm clock on my desk.

I'd fallen asleep for an hour. I was clutching my phone in my hand tightly, and I was sweating bucketfuls.

"Recite your last prayer, Benjamin," I muttered to myself, my voice shaking.

I narrowed my eyes.

So this is what it feels like to be in a horror story.

Well, fuck you.