Chapter 24: Leave
The thread spun and spun.
Around and around.
Relentlessly, unswerving.
Then it disappeared and a new black thread was spun.
Again and again.
Around the whole island.
Around his consciousness.
Slowly it wrapped and tightened.
***
Frozen Milk felt a sharp pain in his head, numbing his senses. He collapsed on the floor, yet immediately sat back on the chair. He had no idea what was going on. For a brief second, a fraction of an image surged past his vision.
Yet at this moment the door to the room opened and Prota stepped in. The surprise in his eyes couldn't be hidden as he saw Frozen Milk.
"What are you doing in my room?" finally after a long time, Prota asked without looking at Frozen Milk.
He sat on his bed and waited for Frozen Milk to talk.
Frozen Milk still had to cope with the sudden intense pain and now he was at a loss about how to start the conversation with Prota. Did he have to do another heartfelt talk?
He wasn't the kind of person who could do this! He had no idea. It'd be all just awkward and weird. He just recently learned how to be a proper human.
He took a deep breath and thought there was no point beating around the bush, he just had to be blunt and straight ask Prota. This was the best option to clear up misunderstandings.
"Are you angry with me? Did I do something wrong?" the moment those words came out, Frozen Milk wished he could catch them and stuff them right back in his mouth.
Prota didn't turn to him, instead, an uncomfortable silence pulled the whole room down.
"I-" Prota opened his mouth but Frozen Milk couldn't hear anything.
"Host, you need to move now. Danger detected. Host, please prepare to leave."
"What's going on?" he was at a loss. It was an important moment now and what kind of danger could there be?
"System cannot pinpoint the source. Host needs to leave this location asap. Host's been found out."
"Wha-"
Frozen Milk was urgently grabbed by the shoulders before he could question the system. Prota glared at him, yet in his eyes was another emotion, it was pain.
"You have no intention to listen to me, Frozen Milk... Forget it. I realise how things are. Please leave."
"Wait, wha-" yet he was cut off again.
"Stop interfering!" he scolded the system but the only thing he got as a reply were several danger warnings in his mind.
He couldn't leave Prota alone now, the conversation was important. This was now-
Frozen Milk felt another sharp pain in his chest, this time it was as if thin steel ropes wrapped around his heart and clenched it until it bled.
"Host, needs to relocate. Host-"
Frozen Milk couldn't hear anything but ringing in his ear, loud, piercing and nauseating.
He fell to his knees and clutched his chest, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't see, all he could feel were beads of sweat wetting his whole body.
"Why aren't you still-" Prota turned around in his bed and finally saw the cowered form of Frozen Milk on the ground. He jumped off and rushed to him in panic.
"What's wrong? Frozen Milk, what's-"
Frozen Milk grabbed Prota and could only press out,
"Leave... leave!"
Hurt, Prota stumbled backwards, "You want me to leave you? Do you hate me now?"
Frozen Milk couldn't hear what Prota said, he could only mumble, "Leave, leave," until he almost lost consciousness.
This time a shock gripped his body.
"Host needs to stay conscious!"
That damn system really shocked him!
Frozen Milk barely made it to his feet and pulled Prota with him.
"Are you throwing me out?" there was so much pain and grief in his voice yet it went unnoticed by Frozen Milk.
He had to focus all of his attention on walking and not falling unconscious. He was really afraid, he never felt like this, it was unbearable. It was tremendously painful and he wanted to cry.
He wanted to break down and let all of this just pass but he couldn't, he needed to hold on to get everyone out of here.
"W...Where... to?" Frozen Milk asked his system.
"As long as it's away from the house, it won't be able to reach you."
"It?"
The system remained silent but Frozen Milk couldn't afford to get angry.
With the fabric of Prota's shirt underneath his fingertips, he stumbled along the hallway and fell against Glimpse Water's door. He raised his trembling arm and gave a light knock. He had no strength left.
"Please stop, Frozen Milk! I know what you're trying to say... you want me to leave and if I don't leave, you'll get Glimpse Water to get me to leave, isn't it so? Say something!"
Prota hung his head low and wanted to tear away but Frozen Milk could only refrain him from doing so by exerting the last bit of strength.
"System... can't you communicate with other... system?"
"Ok, following host's suggestion."
A minute later, Glimpse Water came bolting out and saw the pathetic figure of Frozen Milk. He lifted him up and carried him in his arms and ran. Prota just stood behind and watched them leave.
"What the hell are you doing? Come now! It's dangerous here! Let's leave! Now!" Glimpse Water called out to Prota but as the latter didn't move, Glimpse Water got angry and slapped Prota.
"Get yourself together. I ain't have any idea what's wrong with you but this ain't it now!" Glimpse Water kicked Prota forward and finally, Prota started to move.
In Prota's eyes, he saw Frozen Milk lying in Glimpse Water's arm and in his mind, he figured he was abandoned by Frozen Milk who now relied on Glimpse Water.
Prota felt awful, he wanted to disappear and never come back. If he wasn't needed then at least he wanted to part on his own and not be discarded as if he was baggage.
It was better to pretend he was the one who was sick of them and not the other way around.
He smiled. It was a tired, worn-out and bitter smile. He was used to it. He was used to people abandoning and leaving him. He was used to people getting sick of him.
But... but Frozen Milk stuck with him for the whole time, so Prota thought at least had hoped, wished, believed, no, trusted that Frozen Milk was different, that Frozen Milk would always stay by his side.
He sincerely believed it, genuinely trusted him and now he was again disappointed. Prota stood a distance away from Glimpse Water and Frozen Milk. They were finally outside and laid in a small garden.
Frozen Milk seemed to have recovered but he lost consciousness. Prota thought this was now the best opportunity to leave. It was for the best.
"What the hell you doing again?" Glimpse Water caught Prota's arm and dragged him to Frozen Milk's side,
"We need to come up with a new plan. We'll leave tonight."
"Where?" Prota couldn't care though.
"The nature side. We've to get that captain to come with us too. What a pain."
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