Game Wars- A Minecraft Story (Threequel to Virus)

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Azalea's POV

The cool air outside seemed colder when Hayden entered my house, carrying a small, modest bag. Everything about him made the atmosphere around us seem gloomier. How his eyes had a depressing droop, the hunch in his back, and the slow amble in the way he walked. I couldn't blame him, really. I wasn't exactly expecting him to be doing cartwheels.

He then stumbled past me, as if in a daze. I watched Z show him to a couch, feeling the itchy tire in my eyes. He dropped his backpack on the ground before he sat down. She gave him a blanket and wrapped it around him. Hayden didn't adjust it at all, he just sat there, still, his bloodshot eyes fixated on something. After that, Z left the room to retrieve something.

I slowly approached the couch Hayden was sitting on, and sat down in the plush chair next to it. He didn't even gaze upward to acknowledge that I was there, and continued to stare at nothing. Despite having a blanket bundled around him, he shivered. I expected him to start crying, but no tears and no noises were heard.

"I'm so cold," he finally whispered. "So, so cold."

I didn't know how to respond to this. I wasn't very good at comforting people.

"I could turn on the heat," I offered. But I knew what kind of coldness he was feeling.

He gazed up at me for what seemed like a while. Then, "I'm good."

I raised an eyebrow, and stood up and backed away from him with my hands up. "Okay, just trying to help."

He looked at me quizzically. I could imagine him thinking, She wants to help me? Since when? And meanwhile, I was thinking, Just trying to manipulate you into trusting me, pal. Nothing personal.

I kept walking and found myself at the staircase. I glanced up. The hall light was on, and Z turned the corner to come downstairs, carrying a pillow.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To the mall," I replied sarcastically.

Z gave me a blank stare.

I sighed. "Back to bed, where else?"

Looking annoyed, she met me at the bottom of the stairs. Murmuring in my ear, she said, "Stay with Hayden. Offer moral support."

"And why do I need to do that? Why not you?"

"Because it's your mission!" she whispered furiously, shoving the pillow into my hands.

Z glanced back, and then locked eyes with me. "Trust me. It will help."

"Fine," I grumbled. "Fine, fine, fine, fine."

I stalked off to the couch where Hayden was sitting without another word. I quickly changed my annoyed and cranky demeanor to seem convincing.

"Here's a pillow," I said with a soft tone, handing Hayden the white, cushiony object.

He accepted it, and placed it on the arm of the couch. Looking unsettled, he carefully lowered his body to a laying position, and placed his head on the pillow. His eyes didn't twitch or blink, they just continued to stay wide open.

"Can't sleep," he muttered.

Apparently it was now my job to please him, according to Z. So I thought of what puts me to sleep. Oh! I know!

"How about I give you a math textbook to read?" I offered him. "Those do the trick."

"Uh, sure," he said uncertainly.