The Pseudo Semicolon

CHAPTER 1 || PART: 2

"It wasn't that bad?" Devland tried.

"You might be the first to think so." Silence, then finally the words Devland expected him to say, "I'm sorry... for your loss."

"It's not your fault."

Devland saw him shuffle uncomfortably in his seat, "I was rather.. Close to him. Atleast I like to think I was. I–I never thought–I would've prevented it if I could, I swear."

"It's fine, Charlie." Devland lightly patted his shoulder, his eyes glazing over. He couldn't focus properly, voices were all unnecessary buzzes in his ears, his heart was beating too quickly.

He sat back into the stabbing numbness, acutely aware of the huge void inside of him filled with his trapped emotions. He was scared to let them out, scared to let himself feel.

***

Lunch wasn't so bad. Charlie thankfully invited him over to his table and Devland met the rest of his friends; Mitchel, Jason, Todd and Roy. Jason was a senior and so was Todd. Mitchel and Roy were juniors.

"Ah there's one more person we would like for you to meet." Jason wrapped an arm around Devland as the latter flinched involuntarily. "ASTER!"

Devland followed Jason's gaze and his eyes landed on a boy who was eating at a lonely table. He watched the boy stiffen and slowly stand up, his head hung low. He was ashamed... for what?

Regardless, the boy called 'Aster' walked towards Charlie and his gang, his tray clutched tightly in his hands, knuckles white. "Yeah?"

"You met Devland?" Jason lightly shook Devland and he wanted to rip Jason's arm off.

"Briefly." Aster still wasn't looking up, Devland frowned.

"Well, Devland meet Aster. If you have any doubts or homework or assignments you don't wanna do, you can give it to Aster. He'll help." Jason turned his attention back to the table, leaving Aster to just stand there helplessly.

Devland observed the boy as he took a seat right beside him, their shoulders brushing against each other ever so slightly. Aster quietly ate his food, not joining in on the others' lively conversation.

'Why was he sitting there all alone? Aren't these people his friends? Does he prefer being alone? Oh he has a bad fashion sense, that shirt does NOT go with those pants. I don't wanna eat, I feel like vomiting. Everything is so overwhelming—is that a bee? How did that get here? God this food is so tasteless. I need a nap, I want some sleep–'

Devland inhaled sharply, noticing that his surroundings had died down. He lifted his head and bit back a scream.

Charlie was melting.

Skin sagging, skull exposed, jaw still moving. He was bleeding excessively, his flesh dripping down and down onto the table.

Jason was melting.

His blond hair was sliding down his face, one of his eyeballs popping out of his socket and dangling from its optic nerve.

Everyone was melting.

Their blood gushing down onto the cafeteria floor, their laughter dying down into a chattering of bones.

Devland started trembling; he couldn't speak, he couldn't move. He was completely and hopelessly frozen in place. The lights flickered overhead as the other students slowly turned into puddles, their organs spilling onto the floor with a sick squelch.

Amidst the gore, stood a towering figure.

It seemed like it was made out of nothing; exuding black tendrils of mist that spread across the cafeteria. Darkness seeped out of it and washed Devland over with grief, pain and fear. Its presence radiated pure evil.

Devland forced himself to move but his hands seemed stuck in place. He used all his strength to lift himself up from his seat but it was useless.

The creature was slowly making its way forward, taking painfully long steps to reach Devland, as if taunting him to move. Devland felt tears streaming down his cheeks [Well now that was a sight.] and blood drenching his sleeves. The others were now just skeletons, their brains slowly oozing out of their skulls and their spinal cord falling apart.

And yet, they were still talking.

The creature was almost near him, its arm outstretched and its claws extending towards Devland. The boy screamed and silently cried, begging for him to stand up or to move or to do something.

Its claws were nearing his throat, Devland was exhausting all his strength to just move.

Its claws wrapped around his neck, Devland decided to go for a final push.

Its claws tightened and right then, the force he used to move his arm gave way, and Devland broke free.

He let out a guttural scream as he saw his arm still stuck to the table whilst his body fell backwards.

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A/N: The red underlines below Devland's name further cements the fact that he's a mistake (I love him anyways)