>> ...
>> ...
>> ATTENTION: One (1) new file partially restored from prior CATASTROPHIC SYSTEM FAILURE
>> ...
>> Confirmed, now playing v̶̨̬̼̦̤̥̖̙̗̝͔̺̳̇͗̅͂̈́̑̐̓̅́̓͜ơ̵̛̖̱̞̖̳̣̟̋̑̽̀̏̀͗̽̀̒m̸̯͈̲̩͖̥̏̄́͂̂̀͗̾̍̈͛̚̚.̷̡͚͔̼͎̜͔̳͍̟̯͑̎̊͛̾̇̐̈́̅̚ͅt̸̛̬̙̲̖͓̺̳̥̭͇̯̀͑̇̄s̸̞̏̏y̶̨̨̢̺̺̟͓͈̘̣̠̯͆̓̀̓̎̓̋̀̄͌̀͜͝͝ͅl̶̗̞̱̝̝̥͚̙̞̔̃̎̓͒̕͝ã̵̮͓̆̚͠t̴̫͇̪̖͙̤̠̣͇̳͌̈́͂̂́́̀̀̓͑̋̅̅̄͜͜͜͝a̶̺͕̯̫͔͓̲͎͐̐̆͛̈́̚͜͠C̶̞̤̞̹̲̪̭̲̿̂̽͌͂̂̉͂͘͝
Wendy’s crying is loud and painfully ugly, echoing off the cavern walls as the visual returns a final time. The darkness sings a gentle and enveloping lullaby, but this is a pain for which there is no relief or easing. Her hands shakily clutch at Cassidy’s body, as if any amount of holding her might reverse the damage or bring her back.
She’s too distraught to notice that the pounding against the door above has long since ceased, but no horde of people has come pouring through.
A singular figure has descended the ladder, and now sloshes through the water towards her. It’s only as he stops beside her that she sees him, her whole body shuddering as she looks up to meet his stoney gaze.
In her eyes, there’s a desperate, familiar plea.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Author's Notes to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.