Learn To Lie (BOOK TWO)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- My Mind Is Elsewhere (TACO'S PERSPECTIVE)

"You what?"
Everything happened so fast that, at first, I couldn't comprehend most of it. Mic jumped on Pickle and started to scream at him while she had him pinned down. I had learned that Pickle... loved me...? And that he was trying to "get me back." I started to cry, feeling numb to the tears dripping down my cheeks, shock overcoming me as I stood there. Most of the hotel residents came with guns and whatnot, but I don't think that they were really... needed. The guy who'd singlehandedly ruined my life had just been apprehended with little struggle. Anger started to cut through the deadness I felt, and suddenly I felt a wave of adrenaline. I took OJ's gun and pointed it at Pickle, shoving Mic out of the way.
I pointed it at Pickle. "You ruined my life!" I screamed, putting my finger on the trigger. "And you never even apologized to me!"
Pickle smiled at me before murmuring, "Shoot me. I won't struggle." He threw me his knife, the glow still seeming to vibrate from it.
The gun felt heavier in my hands and my grip on it tightened. I glared at him. "Gladly. Any last words?"
He sat up, his face beaten from Mic's attack, and whispered, "I love you."
"Liar!" I shouted. My grasp on the trigger tightened, and...
Pak.
He stumbled back. He smiled and yelled, "I love you!" before falling to the ground. A pool of dark blood seeped from beneath him, mainly from his collarbone area. He must've passed out due to exhaustion; his state looked terrible. He couldn't have died that fast. Soap and Baseball knelt to check the damage that had been done and Baseball said, "He's still alive. You missed his heart by an inch or so, so I think you didn't hit any other vitals."
I started to shake uncontrollably. I took a few steps back and dropped to my knees, whispering, "What have I done?"
Mic walked up to me and sat down. She pulled me into a hug, clinging to my shirt sleeve tightly. I sobbed into her shoulder.
"You did the right thing, my love," she whispered into my ear. She started to cry too, her tears trickling down her face and falling into my hair. My tears stained her cardigan, but I don't think either of us minded. She kissed the top of my head and carried me home. Neither of us spoke a word on the way.
When we'd finally gotten to our apartment, Mic stumbled in and sat down with me still in her arms. This was when we both broke down, crying together because it felt free to let it all out.
"I-It's all over, Taco. We never have to worry about him ever again!" she murmured. "It's... over...!"
I whispered, "Yeah. I don't feel good about shooting him, though." I sighed pathetically and laughed a little. "It's dumb to be crying over this. We should be celebrating."
She watched me anxiously and pulled me closer. "It's okay. It's normal, I think, to feel guilt about this. Even if he caused you so much."
I nodded and laughed again. "Yeah."
We sat in a comfortable silence until I breathed out and mumbled, "I'm probably not gonna get a good night's sleep."
Mic was already dozing off and didn't notice me speaking. I smiled softly and kissed her before curling up to hopefully get a good sleep.
I woke up in an abyss of black and sighed irritably. 'This won't be the good sleep I was hoping for,' I muttered. I tried to take a step forward, but when I did, I tripped and fell.
'Ow!' I yelped, grasping my ankle as it throbbed from the fall. Dreams weren't supposed to hurt, were they...?
'Alright, let's get this over with,' I muttered, gently cradling my ankle. I limped down what I assumed was a hill, not being able to see much. Eventually, I stepped on flat ground and saw a gateway, the only thing that was somewhat seeable. I stepped through and started to fall, seemingly endlessly through the darkness that was my dream.
'How much longer of this?' I yelled. My voice echoed back to me. Huh. That's... new.
A light seemed to shine above me as I hit bottom. Thick, black ink splashed up around me as I landed. I raised my hand and felt the consistency of the ink— weird. It didn't feel like ink. It felt more like... oil. Although the smell was distinct from ink, the texture of the watery liquid was more... oil-like.
I experimentally splashed the thick, inky water, but none of it got on me. I didn't feel water seeping into my clothes or anything. I murmured, 'Interesting,' before getting up and walking forward.
Screams were heard as I stepped farther into the liquid, the ink level starting to raise from my injured ankle to my waist. It became harder to step forward, and I grunted with the effort.
The ink stuff raised to my neck and I figured it was time to turn back, but when I tried to walk the way I came, a wall that I couldn't see blocked me.
'This is a pretty boring dream. Not what I expected, really,' I murmured. I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out.
Almost as if I'd jinxed it, a dazzling light flashed, and when I regained my sight, there were rows of memories displayed before me. I stood in silence, just taking in the beauty of the scene I saw before me.
'So this isn't a bad dream?' I murmured to myself, smiling softly. I curiously touched one— my hand phased right through. I saw the first instance that I fell in love with Mic, the memory being clearer and more preserved than the others.
I smiled and stepped through.

ending this chapter on a 'dream' woah