Soul Bound [OLD VERSION]

Chapter Five: A Chance Encounter With a Yellow Lab

A/N: ⚠️ tw/cw ⚠️ for suicide, depression, an anxiety/panic attack, and implied self harm ;-; The feels are here, stay safe kiddos 🖤

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~ Eight Months Later ~

Virgil sat in the passenger seat of his dad's truck as the two of them went down the road. Silence filled the space between them like water until Virgil felt like he was drowning. He didn't want to leave. He couldn't. Not yet.

After what felt like forty days and forty nights, the two of them arrived in Seattle. This was where his dad decided to move them to. A much bigger city with much different people. On any given day, Virgil would be thrilled. But it couldn't have been any given day, could it?

They pulled up to their new house. It was less than impressive but it made an attempt at being a house, so it would do. It's nothing compared to home, Virgil thought pessimistically. We should be home right now, go the fuck home.

"This is it," his father spoke dryly.

"I hate it," Virgil growled.

"I figured you would. Listen... if you ever need to talk—"

"I'm going inside," he cut his father off sharply as he exited the car, getting his suitcase from the back and dragging it through the house's front door.

It was small and unwelcoming, and Virgil was certain there was at least one cockroach in this place. Home sweet home. At least there seemed to be a kitchen, a laundry room, and other very basic necessities. Though Virgil was struggling to hold onto that last scrap of optimism he had.

He walked through the house, finding a small bedroom. It felt more like a coffin than a bedroom — even without any furniture inside yet — and Virgil knew this was his. He set his suitcase by the door as he closed it and sat with his back against the wall.

He didn't want to think right now. His thoughts would devour him from the inside out, leaving him as nothing but a husk of his former self. He made a feeble attempt to control his brain, but was unable to prevent the intrusive thoughts.

All your fault. All your fault. All your fault.

He wanted it to stop. He wanted the thoughts to stop. But he deserved them. He knew he did.

~

Monday morning came into Virgil's room and stabbed him through the chest, twisting the knife. He never even slept; it's not like he could, anyway. He didn't want to go anywhere right now. He felt like vomiting. He felt like dying. He just wanted to lay in his bed until it swallowed him whole.

Coco flew from her ledge and landed on Virgil's chest. She chirped gently as she licked his face, trying to help him get up. Even in his sour mental state, he couldn't help but smile at his soul spirit.

"Morning," he grumbled. "I guess you want me to get up, huh? Weird, usually you d...don't care whether I go to school or not." Coco grabbed his shirt with her feet, flying and trying to get him to sit up. "Okay, okay! J-Jesus, you have no chill sometimes."

Junior jumped into Virgil's bed and took the covers in her mouth, ripping them off of him. Rory and Edison were both tugging at him to get him out of bed. Even Basil was slithering around Virgil's head trying to encourage him. The sight of Basil made Virgil's heart hurt.

"Fine, fine, fucking Christ, you guys!"

After much persuasion from all five of them, he finally got dressed and ready for school. He did not feel mentally prepared to face today. He would rather do anything than walk to school today.