For my starter base, I found a shipwreck in the Futuristic District. I plan to build my actual base there. I had a few ideas, but I'm not sure how I'm going to pull it off. Yes, I have made extremely tall buildings before, but not to build limit. I also had people helping me in the old server. Here, I'm technically alone.
I sat in the bottled shipwreck alone. The sound of water passing by echoed in my ears. It was the only sound I could hear, besides my own thoughts.
The Hermits I've seen around seemed quite friendly. Xisuma helped me get a conduit. Mumbo seemed excited for me to be around again. Cleo's ship building seemed to be going successfully. She even waved as I passed by.
I sighed and picked at my grey jeans, realizing I had the same pairs since I was eighteen. I haven't grown much, haven't I?
Then again, us players stop growing at about sixteen. We never learned why in the Facility, we just learned that we did.
Speaking of the Facility, my thoughts wandered back to the mask. It was from the Watchers without a doubt. It's been in my inventory the entire time, even when I died. It was Watcher magic.
Put it on.
The voice echoed in the back of my head.
I reached into my inventory, hands brushing the hard white material. I pulled it out. It wasn't concrete or wool. What was the material?
Put it on.
I raised the mask in front of my face, examining the design. It was an odd form. How would one see through this item? What was the symbol in the middle? It was like a square, but some areas near two opposite corners were not there.
Put it on.
I shook my head, lowering it to my lap. I told myself I would wait until I actually needed to. I didn't even know what it was used for. Another reason I was waiting is because I had a bad feeling about it. Always trust your gut.
Put it on.
It was getting louder. I almost couldn't hear my own thoughts.
Put it on.
Put it on.
A stabbing pain in my head flared.
Put it on.
Put it on.
Put it on.
"Stop it!" I yelled in a hard voice, throwing the mask away. It clicked against the wood of the ship and fell to the floor. I clutched my head and curled into a small ball, not knowing if magic could help. I wanted it to go away. I wished it to leave me alone.
That singular sentence repeated over and over, gradually fading away. The pain also left, leaving me in confused silence.
I quickly grabbed the mask and haphazardly shoved it into a chest, only for it to reappear on my inventory.
I slumped on a chair, heart beating quickly. I was scared, petrified even.
But I wasn't scared because of that voice in my head.
I was scared because I yelled. I raised my voice.
In the Facility, the instructors would always yell at us if we made a mistake. For the six years I have been there, the yells directed at us were terrifying and traumatizing.
From this day forward, I'll make a promise to myself. It was to keep me from my past, to keep me sane. It was to keep me from associating anything with what happened in those six years.
Never yell or raise my voice at anyone.