(TW: depressing topics, panic, injury, overthinking?, contemplation of life and society, spiralling, blood)

       He sat in the small cavern, really it could barely pass as a cave, it was more of a natural bubble in the ground, a small opening, up above the only light source. He sat, one knee pressed up to his chest, arms resting upon it rather loosely as he stared off, his other leg sat at an awkward angle, he would've tried to reposition it, but he feared it'd simply make it worse. Though he knew the others would notice his absence... eventually, it could never prevent his tired mind from a spiral of pain, and nonsence into a colorless oblivion, void of anything, not thoughts, nor concept, simply empty, sans existence. He'd call out, yet his voice seemed all too loud, all too quiet, all too much, and in reality, it'd been no voice at all. The sound he did make, being a strangled whine, quiet in the desolate hole. In truth, he'd wished he could do more, he felt weak, he felt loney, he was alone, though, subconsciously he knew if he wasn't, he'd feel worse, a burdon, useless, an inconvenience, times like these, he'd wonder where the line between aggrandizement, and belittlement lie, was it expected he knew? If so, what caused his small defect? Why was it that relativity would change every percievable aspect of something, and change it entirely? He must be ignorant to be so unaware, but he couldn't help it, but they always say you control everything about yourself, hat you do, how you thnk, how you feel, still, they always seemed to turn around to another with the phrase already on their tongue, you can't help it, but couldn't he?

Once was a child,

young and naive,

but corrupted was he,

by the artifiacial rules,

for those wishing control,

of which they have none,

they live in a false reality,

of which they create,

the lies they fail to conceal,

and the faulty logic,

always at ready,

Once was a child,

now all alone,

knowing the rules,

said without words,

he cries for someone,

but no voice to be heard,

now is a man,

surrounded by friends,

yet truly alone,

he sits in silence,

he questions his world,

everything he's known,

he's come to realise,

because the lies he's been fed,

he's doomed to eternity,

of the life he doesn't live.

---

         Awoken from his thoughts, by the fate he's to endure. By the pain of irrelevance? Irrelevance... such a word, to mean something of no importance, and yet to have such a role of meaning... was he to be irrelevant? In which he'd be placed lower in such priorities? But, then it'd still be of importance, yes? Which would be to go against the meaning of irrelevant? How should he know? Ah, yes, he may not know, but he'd be expected to... such a burden it is, to mean nothing to those around you, and still carry weight of such importance? To struggle is futility, but then how would one comply to such terms?

        Funny. Really, it may be laughable even. How the human mind must be, to fill the silence with such overwhelming noise. He feels pain, he doesn't know where. He feels pain from his leg, but, it's really too numb, he couldn't be sure. Maybe it's the pain he feels from his chest? But no, simply, it's his own skin, feeling to tight, and not tight enough all the same. It's possibly the stinging sensation in his eyes, huh, he hadn't realised he'd shed tears till now. He'd done the same last mourn, hadn't he? No one would be here to see anyhow.

       His vision cleared, even if only a little, and he see's his bag. Going to grab for it, a jolt of searing pain is sent from his right leg, it's only now he starts thinking about it, really think about it, and he suddenly can't stop. He's back in his former position now, if not to stop the pain, then to save him the discomfort of the stone beneath him. All other noise is left a ringing in his ears, the pain, with no else agitation, is left a horrible numbing sensation, it's not entirely pain, but it hurts so much, it's like a pulse, but there's no oxygen, maybe, he coudn't be sure, it never was easy to describe. His thoughts are left to spin, and blur, and he's suddenly seeing black- and, oh.

(small timeskip)

       A mere acre away, is a house, it's late noon by now, yet the residents of such estate are far from relaxing. Stressed beyond belief, are four friends, a small man clad in blue, a fiery young adult, something not quite of the usual, and a figure both human and beast, the air draped in thick cloud of worry for the masked clad in green.

       "Where do you think he could have gone? He had only left to gather wood."

         "You've been asking that for the past hour bad." spoke a british accent. "But george!- I'm just worried... we all are," bad said, "I think we should go looking for him again." spoke the cat-like creature, "I'm with ant." the man in the bandanna spoke, "thank you sapnap," said ant.

         "I guess it's settled, we'll look for him then meet back here." bad voiced, "keep your communicators with you in case you can't get back, or something comes up." sapnap added.

---

         We made the decision to search in pairs of two, ant and I chose to partner up. The sun was already setting, and we still haven't found him... I hope he's okay. I look over at ant, he seems worried "don't worry, we'll find him." I said, my hand resting on his shoulder at an attempt at comfort. "Thanks bad." he replied.

        We were about to head back when I saw the little opening in the ground. Underground cavern. "Bad?" oh, right, ant probably hadn't seen it yet. "Let's check over there" I suggested. We got the latter out of my bag, and climbed down, it was dark, slightly cold, but it was nice. What wasn't nice was looking around and seeing dream slouched against a wall, seemingly unconscious, his bag was a few feet away, "why didn't he call us with his communicator?" ant seemed to have read my mind. Curiosity soon left when I looked down, seeing his legs... covered in blood. I immediately rushed over, carefully, oh so carefully, looking him over. Most of the damage was concentrated at his right leg, bent at an awkward angle. I took a deep breath, and grabbed the first aid kit from my bag. Dressing the wound, at least enough to stop the bleeding, "he must have passed out from blood loss" I had to break the silence.

         "C'mon, let's get him back home," said ant. I simply nodded in agreement.

TBC??