PoV: Joel

‘Right, we need to do a register,’ is the first thing Xisuma says as we gather in the emergency world. Everyone’s on edge - Grian’s shouting at Scar for wasting 30 seconds grabbing a box of supplies. Ren’s shaking, hugging close to Doc. I’m with Etho, both of us hiding our terror. But everyone falls silent at Xisuma’s words. ‘Bdubs?’

Silence.

‘Has anyone seen Bdubs?’ Xisuma repeats, louder. ‘Or know where he was?’

‘He was in Frogger,’ Jevin replies. ‘There were Frogger death messages.’

‘You can only leave Frogger through dying,’ Cub adds. Next to me, Etho’s growing paler and paler. I take his hand. ‘He might be stuck here.’

‘Shit. Ok. Me and Etho will head back for him… Etho, is there another way into frogger without dying?’

‘Through the redstone,’ he mumbles back. ‘It’s hidden.’

‘Great, right, grab gloves and a helmet from that shulker, read through the warnings of glitched worlds while I continue the register… Cubfan?’

I join Etho as he grabs the stuff he needs, unnerved by his distress.

‘He’ll be ok, right? You just get in, find him…’

‘Glitched worlds are dangerous. He could already be hurt, permadead, glitched out…’ his hands shake.

‘But… that’s really unlikely? Is it unlikely?’

Etho shakes his head.

‘...Joel?’

‘Yep!’ I call over.

‘This is all my fault, Joel. I got him trapped there. I didn't think about the world glitching out.’

‘Etho, it’ll be… do you want a hug?’

He nods, and we hug.

‘Thanks.’ He mumbles. I feel him still fidgeting with his gloves until X calls us back to attention.

‘Right, now Wels, Zed, you find Elex and get him here. Joe, Grian, you're in charge. Doc, be ready to help Bdubs. And no one leave this area or put yourself in danger. Tango, False, Scar, Cubfan, especially you. There may be vex hunters… Etho, ready to go?’

‘Uhh… I think so?’ Etho replies.

‘Just, cover your communicator.’

‘My communicator?’

‘If your communicator glitched, it’ll be very, very bad…’ Xisuma pulls the gloves Etho’s donned over his communicator. ‘There. That should be everything. Let’s go.’

‘See you soon, Etho. Love you. All the neck kisses in the world.’ I struggle to find something reassuring to say. Etho still smiles back, before donning his helmet.’

‘Thanks, Joel. Bye.’

And they leave, back through the portal. Joe’s calling instructions but I just stand there until Grian steps over.

‘Are you alright?’

‘I’m worried about Etho. I don't know how glitched worlds work. I don't know if they’ll be safe.’

‘Xisuma knows how to handle it,’ Grian assures. ‘Now-’

‘HELP!’

Attention turns to Skizz’s scream. And then to Impulse, paralysed, glitching. Doc’s over in seconds, forcing Skizz away.

‘Don’t touch him.’ Doc growls, pulling on a pair of gloves like Etho’s. ‘You’ll hurt yourself.’ He pulls up screens of code. I stay back. Tango runs to Skizz’s side.

‘He didn't touch anything, we were straight out… He said his hand was hurting, and then he just started… well…’ tears run down Skizz's face. I hide my own terror that the same will happen to the rest of us. I was out after Skizz and Impulse, what if it’s to do with how long players were in there? What does that mean for Bdubs?

‘There’s no clear cause… his code his fine,’ Doc mutters. ‘It’s like… phantom glitch?’

‘Oh, like soulmate injuries?’ Scar suggests.

‘Who was Impulse soulbound to in Double Life?’

‘Bdubs.’

The truth sinks in. And from there, it isn’t long until another one does.

‘Etho’s in there. If he glitches…’

‘That won’t happen.’

‘It’s already bloody happened to Impulse!’

‘Etho’s with Shashwam. Shashwammy will keep him safe.’ Keralis’s words muffle beneath a sound like water rushing in my ears. I feel lightheaded. The world around me starts spinning. Any moment now, I could start glitching out, like Impulse did.

‘Doc can you help Impulse at all?’ Grian asks.

‘All we can do is get him somewhere he can’t hurt anyone and wait,’ Doc replies. Skizz’s eyes widen.

‘Seriously? We’re just shoving Dippledop in a corner and waiting for him to stop glitching?’

‘He’s stable, and once we fix Bdubs’s code, he’ll return to normal!’

My worries about Etho getting hurt only grow. They can't help me until he gets back. And then priority will be Bdubs.

‘Over here!’ attention turns as someone I’ve never met before, with long white hair, a scarred face, torn jeans and a metallica t-shirt appears with Wels and Zedaph. And behind that, a creeper-centaur with metal legs and a bright electric blue eye. My panic doesn't fade. In fact, it only grows at the thought that we have to bring in Helsmits to help is.

‘Is this the glitched player?’ Elex jogs over.

‘No, he’s soulbound to Bdubs, who got stuck in Hermitcraft when it started glitching out.’

‘You haven’t rescued him yet?’

‘X and Etho are on the job now. But Impulse can’t be helped until Bdubs is.’

‘Ich kann seelengebunden reparieren,’ Creeprae speaks in what can only be German. ‘Einfach.’

‘He’s done soulbinding too… Cree, do you thing.’

The centaur lies down to start working. I stare at the ground. Who’ll help me if I start glitching and Creeprae’s still helping Impulse? How long will Etho and Xisuma take? What if Etho glitches out completely? Will I die? Randomly? Here? The world keeps spinning. I hear my heartbeat, thudding with the water-rushing sound. I’m gripping tight to a tree trunk.

A hand on my shoulder. Gem.

‘Joel?’

‘Gem, help, I feel so bloody awful, and I’m so scared something’s going to happen, and I don’t want Etho to be in danger, I’m so scared. And I don't want to glitch out like Impulse, just randomly and Creeprae's helping Impulse still, and I’m just glitching and…’

‘Ok… alright just… I’m sure someone can find you a bottle of water somewhere, so you can…’

‘Everyone out the way! Doze! We need space for Bdubs!’ Xisuma’s voice turns my attention away from my worry. Etho follows after. I sprint over.

‘Oh- uh- hey Joel.’

‘Thank the bloody fuck you’re alive…’

‘Yeah.’

His focus strays. I follow it, to where Xisuma’s laying Bdubs down. He’s glitching erratically, constantly, worse than Impulse was.

‘Impulse started glitching too, due to the soulbinding thing.’ Doc’s explaining to Xisuma. ‘Creeprae fixed it though…’

‘I hurt Impulse too?’ Etho turns attention. I take his hand.

‘What do you mean, Etho? You did nothing.’

‘I didn’t provide a glitch-safe exit to Ravager Rush. That’s where we found him.’ A pause. ‘Screaming. And we got Bdubs, Xisuma did something to stop him screaming, I think some kind of sedative, which means he was conscious, Joel… And if I’d put a fucking exit in place he’d be fine!’

‘Etho, it’s ok. You got him out.’

‘I didn’t do any of it. I stood back and let Xisuma handle him.’ There’s shouting. Cleo’s being held back by Joe, arguing with Doc about being allowed to stay with Bdubs. Scar’s crying, comforted by Mumbo and Cub. Grian’s is enlisting any help he can find on the tents xB, Jevin, Keralis and Hypno have been making. From what he’s saying Pearl’s already got everything we need to do organised on a list somewhere.

‘Come on, let’s take a tent where it’ll be quieter. And we can both calm down.’

‘I’ll make sure no one comes in,’ Gem adds.

‘Thanks.’

I lead Etho over to one of the constructed tents. He’s still shaking and crying as we enter, closing the zip behind to have some quiet.