Duskwood Legends [English Version]

Acta Est Fabula.

It was silent in the room, the only noise coming from outside, from the sirens of the squad car driving down the driveway of the house.

"Why did you scream Jake? What does Jake have to do with it now????" Lilly had turned away from me, to Jessy's cell phone screen. Her face was pale, her eyes wide, her lips quivering.

She was in absolute denial.

And how could I blame her? She's never seen her brother, no one has, not even me.

I take a deep breath, trying to group ideas together and explain to those present what I'd figured it out from.
The words "Nymos" left no room for doubt, at least to me. It's the name of the bot he programmed to protect me from cyber attacks. A sort of "guardian angel" that came when and where he couldn't reach.

"Lilly, the thing is..." I swallow.

In a moment the police burst into the house, breaking down the door. "Police! nobody move." I hear footsteps running towards the room where my friends were. Judging by the footsteps and the reflection of the flashlights on the floor there should be four or five officers.

Jessy frames her face with her cell phone and she talk to me:  "We're all fine, the police is here, I'll talk to you later." Without giving me time to answer she disconnects the call.

That just leaves me.

Alone with my despair, consumed with worry.

My thoughts immediately run to Jake.
I recall the moment when, bleeding, he dragged himself toward the exit.
Although it was dark, I could clearly see that there was too much blood.
In my mind I picture him groping through the dark woods, pressing his hand to the wound to slow the bleeding.

Alone.

Completely alone.

Suddenly a deleterious thought creeps into my head: He's a hacker wanted by the government, surely he can't call for help or even show up at the hospital, right?

My heart is racing.
I open Jake's chat.

"Jake, tell me you're okay, I'm scared."
I keep typing: "You need to find a way to get the bullet out, by skilled hands, and get treated."

"Jake, for God's sake, what were you thinking? Why put your life in danger like that?"

"Jake, I don't want to lose you, please don't do this to me."

I start crying again, a desperate cry.
My eyes hurt, they're swollen and throbbing with pain. "You're important to me."

I keep staring at the screen in the hope of seeing the words "Jake is now online" appear, in the hope of a message from him where he reassures me, tells me that he is safe and that everything will be okay.
I keep staring at the chat in vain.

I lock my phone and lay it on the floor.

I lie on the floor in a fetal position.
I'm just too exhausted and scared to do anything. I wait with all my heart for the sound that notifies the arrival of a new message. The wait seemed endless.