The Doll That Saved Team Crafted

Chapter Three

"That's it! I've had enough of all thiS argUing! GOodBye"

A tall man with dark hair hurries through a field of crops. The sun has already set, letting the moon cast a surreal lighting on the land. The man's feet pound the dirt as the crops hide him from view. Even with the darkness, tinted sunglasses perch on his nose. A sack of supplies bounce on his back as he runs. It's not raining, but dew on the crops rubs off on the man's outfit, making him grumble about being cold.

      He eventually leaves the fields and wanders into a cave system just outside of the town he had left. Taking turns and twists in the tunnel, he traces the memorized path to his camp. Ian 'Derp' Ssunndee is on the run. He's never been the most well liked on the team, especially with his strange personality and tendency to talk to himself. But most people still once loved him for his unique self. But that's not the way Ian sees it. No. All he can see is that being different is wrong. He was treated horribly before running into the old Team Crafted. It was ok to be different when he was with his friends, but now his friends are gone. He couldn't stay with them when the voices in his head got out of control. It was ok when everyone was calm, but they made Ian hurt people when he was under stress.

I hope those people find the money I left for them by the door of their shop. I really don't want them to think I stole anything. I even left extra as a thank you. I didn't want to scare anyone by going in during the day. 'AnD wHy not iAN? whY cAN't WE gO and saY HI?', a voice screeches in my head, the sound hurting my ears. "Because I'm not ok. And you're bad", I say out loud. "i'M noT THat bad", the voice giggles.

     I try to block him out while he continues to mutter and giggle in my head. He's not real, but it sure feels like he is. It's gotten so much worse without anyone to talk to. I round one last bend in the tunnel before stopping at a narrow crack in the wall. It's just wide enough for a person to slip through if they go in sideways. No one would want to try to go in there, well, except for me.

I shimmy my way through and into a dark cave. I take out a torch from my inventory, placing it on the wall. With the area lit up, I can now see what I've been calling home. A single chest is pushed up against the uneven cave wall with a small bed on the other side. A bunch of scratches and tally marks line the walls. Some are just scribbles from when the voices got the best of me. Nobody can find me here, so nobody will get hurt. I'll make sure of it. I'm not about to help undo all the good I use to cause.

'whY HAve yOu stOPeD beinG arouND To helP, IAN? WE coULd go aNd plAY', Derp screeches in my head for the tenth time. 'You know why. No one wants us around without us being in a cage', I think back. 'i wILl keEP yUO saFe', he replies back to me. 'No, you would kill them. At lest you would without Adam there', I sigh. I don't know why, but Adam was the first person I met who Derp didn't want to attack. And then he didn't try to kill anyone who was with Adam or we picked up later. The most vicious he got with my old group was when we were on a sugar high, and even then he didn't seriously injure them. Derp always seemed more willing to watch from the sidelines of my mind back then. But when Adam disappeared, and everyone fought and argued, Derp snapped. I had to leave before he managed to take control. Derp seemed like he wanted to stop the arguments by force. I still don't know why he decided that conflict wasn't good within are deterating group.

     What I do know is that I miss them all. Adam and Ty found me after my birth village threw me out. I don't remember much before that because Derp had gotten angry and took control of us. I do remember taking back control in the middle of a burning house, though. The villagers didn't realize how bad the voices were until that day. Adam found me feeling sorry for myself a few hours later. Derp was practically cheering for me to go with Adam when he offered. Even after I explained my condition, Adam still let me tag along with him and Ty. We met the selfless Jason soon after. Then fearless Mitch and Jerome. We found Quinten the fish next. Finally came the quiet Seto. Derp never wanted to hurt any on them, and neither did I. They ended up as a substitute family for me. But I left. And now I don't know where they all are. At this point, I'd gladly go find them if I even knew where one my friends were.