The first thing I notice upon waking is the cold.

And then that I’m not wearing my shirt or labcoat.

And then a sudden sting on my arm.

I pull away, letting out a yelp of a pain. There’s a surprised little scream back.

Scar.

‘You’re alive,’ I say, looking down at where he’s lying on the floor, clearly shocked from me waking up. ‘Holy smokes… Scar…’ I try to sit up, but Scar scrambles back to his feet, forcing me to stay lying down.

‘No no… stay there. I don't know how hurt you are. I’m halfway through covering all your nasty injuries from the plants outside…’

‘I don't care.’

I hug him, pulling him close, 2 weeks of searching and sleepless nights and pain over.

And I start crying.

‘Oh- oh Cub, it’s ok…’ Scar hugs back, running a hand through my hair. ‘I’m safe here. The vex have helped me these last days…’

‘It’s been 2 weeks, Scar.’ I mumble back.

‘What?’

‘2 weeks. The police couldn't find you. GIGS didn't help you… and…’ Images of Jevin, dead, fill my mind. I sob harder. Scar hugs me tighter.

‘I didn't realise, Cub. I’m so sorry… I- oh Notch, have you been sleeping much, Cub? Eating?’

‘What happened, Scar?’ I sob. ‘Why didn't you come back?’

‘Well, I was scared of getting possessed in front of GIGGS, and Gem said she knew I was a Vexling, so I panicked, and ran away, dropped my phone somewhere, but the Vex were making me keep running, and then I fell off something and everything went dark, and then I woke up here.’

He talks like it’s all that simple, he ran off, got lost, and ended up safe here. But he isn’t answering my question. He isn't saying what happened when he woke up. He isn't talking about coming back.

‘What did you do in all this time?’ Scar asks, rather too quickly.

‘Look for you.’

Silence hangs between us. Scar’s eyes shine with tears.

‘Oh Cub…’

‘It’s not your fault, Scar. The Vex hid you here where no one could see you, and GIGS didn't notice you were gone until far too late.’

‘What do you mean the Vex hid me?’

‘Only Vexlings can find this place.’

‘Oh,’ A pause. ‘Wait, doesn't that mean-’

I show Scar the mark on my arm, the Vex face. I can't look at it. I can barely look at the sheer guilt and horror of Scar’s expression. For a moment he doesn't speak, swallowing.

‘Oh… oh, Cub…’

‘I was looking for you and they just attacked.’

‘Was that just before I found you?’

‘No. I failed. Someone rescued me, I realised where you were, and then I came back. With this person.’ A pause as I remember what happened to Jevin. ‘But they weren't as lucky as me.’

‘Holy- oh Cub- that’s-’

Scar continues staring at that mark, tears running down his cheeks. A sob escapes me.

‘I’m sorry.’ Scar lays a hand on my shoulder. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault,’ I repeat, firmer. Scar falls silent, wrapping the last of the bandages. He’s crying. The moment he finishes I hug him again. ‘You did nothing wrong. Unless there's something you haven't told me?’ I push away from the hug, looking him in the eyes. He stares at the ground.

‘I’ll get you some food. We can talk more after that.’

He steps away, giving me one last glance before disappearing into another one of the mansion’s rooms. Fear fills me. What happened? Qhat isn't he saying?

I slip my legs off the edge of the bed, testing my balance. A wince at the shooting pain, but not enough to keep me bedridden. Leaning on the wall, I stand, starting to look around the room for clues.

The same plants invading the outside of the house are in here too, apparently. I stamp on a vine crawling across the worn red carpet, my gaze wandering to the bookshelf, just within my reach. I take a book, instantly noting the ripped corners of Scar’s absent fiddling.

The death of ghosts.

‘Hm.’ I frown, opening and finding it in a script I can't read, rotting slightly and smelling of decay. But the pictures are clear enough, glowing eyes, bloody attacks, and dark splotches across skin.

‘Cub, get back to bed!’

I slam the book shut as Scar returns to the room, holding a chipped bowl of some kind of stew. We both wince at the loud noise. I return the book to the shelf and sit on the edge of the bed.

‘I was curious.’

‘You’re hurt… here. Scar’s patented Rabbit surprise! You’ll like it.’ he hands me the bowl.

‘Rabbit?’

‘Turns out I’m a mean shot with a bow. Or the vex kill it to look like I am. I don't know.’ he has his own bowl too, starting to eat. I follow suit. As usual, it tastes incredible.

‘Food wizard,’

‘You know I am! Now, Cub, what’s everyone else been doing?’

‘Well apparently the mission to the forest was completely futile because Ren’s now dead. Report says suicide. GIGS don't care about you. Oh, they didn't tell me you’d gone missing. The police had to tell me, when I called your phone.’

‘What?! That’s ridiculous, why wouldn't they tell you?’

‘Apparently they were busy.’

Scar lets out a sigh.

‘And I thought me and Gem were really starting to get on well.’

‘I’ve been alone most of the time, in the house, calling the police to check on the progress they weren't making.’

‘Dude… seriously?’

I notice something beneath his sleeve.

‘Scar?’

‘Hmm? Yeah, Cub?’

‘What was that book about?’

‘What book?’

‘The one you caught me reading… The Death of Ghosts? I know you’ve been reading it.

‘I found it in the library here. Talks about this dark entity slowly making people go insane. It matched what Ren was feeling… the sudden moments of madness, an urge to kill small creatures, and then bigger ones, aversion to bright lights, angered by loud noises.’

‘Dark spots?’

‘What?’

‘Like… dark patches on the infected’s skin. Like on your arm.’

Scar doesn't answer.

‘Scar, why didn't you come back to town?’

His silence tells me everything.

‘I was going to tell you.’ he mumbles. ‘I promise.’

‘When did you realise?’

‘When I woke up, I saw the marks, but only when I read the book did I realise what they were. They weren't there before I cam here, I must've gotten it from being here. I wanted to see if the book mentioned a cure, or even a cause of this, and, well... there isn't one. And the longer I stay here, the more dangerous I'll get. And the longer you're here, the more risk that you'll get it too.'

'I'm not leaving you here to die, Scar,' I reply. Scar grabs the book from the shelf, forcing it into my hands.

'Build a zoo here for me. Bring this book back to the others...'

'I said, I'm not leaving!' I snap, shoving the book, and Scar away.

'I'm dead anyway, Cub! Or I'll kill you. Or infect you. You need to tell the others what's going on.'

'I'm not losing you again, Scar. I'm not doing that!'

'If you stay here, you get infected too.'

'Then I'll get infected! We won't hurt anyone here, except wild animals. No one will find us.' Scar doesn't answer. 'These last two weeks have taught me one important thing, Scar, and it's that I can't live without you.'

'What about the information on the infection?'

'They didn't help you. Why should we help them?'

Scar doesn't answer.

'What if I get fully possessed by it first and kill you?'

'I've lived with you as a Vexling for long enough to stop you hurting me.'

'And what if-'

'Scar.' I put my hands on his shoulders, silencing him. 'I'm not leaving. Whatever you say. You are my best friend and I will happily keep you company, and look after you, and you can look after me. And we can look for a cure together. And when the infection gets too bad, or we feel we'll be a threat to the village, we burn down this place, take as much of the forest with it as we can, and die together. Ok?'

Scar's close to crying again. He takes a deep breath, before looking me in the eyes. A small nod.

'Ok.'