Chapter Eight:
Slipping Away

Michael just stared at me for an extended period of time. I shrunk back into the pillows, getting nervous by his stare.

When he snapped out of it, he frowned and leaned down to hug me.

"I'm so sorry, Gavin. That's just... Just terrible," He muttered. He didn't say anything else so I figured that he didn't know what to say to comfort me. Not that I blame him.

Michael leaned back and kissed me gently on the lips before standing up and pacing around. I'd seen him like this a few times, where he's stressed and confused. I knew not to bother him and I rolled over and closed my eyes.

Moments later I was in a deep sleep, deeper than I've ever been.

And I felt myself slip away.

...

I blinked open my eyes to darkness. Or should I say almost darkness. I was wearing a t shirt and jeans, the usual. I was surprised that my arms weren't littered with scars and burns.

Standing up, I noticed the ground was black, glossy and transparent. Staring hard into the floor at myself, I realized I looked... normal. My hair was its normal dirty blond, done into an effortless side swept style. I rubbed at the side of my face, feeling the small amount of stubble I had.

Looking up I noticed a wooden door in the middle of the darkness. I was certain it hadn't been there a moment before. In the distance, I heard a shallow tick tock noise that seemed to get louder when I took notice. I shook my head slowly as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

I slowly approached the door, curiosity sparking within me. Suddenly, a creature with a blocky build and multiple shades of green patterning it's body appeared in front of me.  I jumped back and screamed. My Minecraft instincts kicked in as I waited for the explosion to occur.

Strangely enough, nothing came and I peeked out of my arms to see the creeper had disappeared. I blinked in confusion and stepped forward again.

It appeared again, but I didn't jump back this time. Instead, I stared at it in wonder. It was strange to feel different emotions other than fear and utter sadness but I forgot what it was like to be genuinely curious. Being wondered by something as simple as this made me feel a little lighter.

"Hello, Gavin Free," The creeper hissed. I suppressed a grimace from how strange this all was.

"You talk?" I whispered, my curiosity taking over once again.

"In your imagination, yesssss," The creeper hissed to me.

"What's going on?" I asked the creeper, hoping for some sort of explanation.

"Well, that's for you to decide. I am, after all, a figment of your imagination," The creeper hissed at me.

"A figment of my imagination?" I questioned.

"Yesssss," The creeper hissed, impatience laced in its voice. I was very confused but I went along with it.

"Well, where does this door lead too?" I asked the creeper, stepping closer to the door.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" The creeper hissed.

"Humph, the last person who said that to me was my brother. And the sight that I got from that wasn't exactly appropriate for an eight year old mind," I muttered. The creeper hissed at me which I wondered if that was the creeper equivalent of a giggle.

But, I nevertheless opened the door and was greeted by a bright flash of light. I shut my eyes immediately, trying to blink the spots out of my eyes.

When I looked up again, I saw a house. A huge house. One that I recognized very well.

"You remember this, correct?" The creeper hissed. I nodded slowly.

"My childhood home," I breathed. The creeper hissed and walked forward. I stumbled after him, not wanting to be left alone in this weird place.

The creeper lead me into the house and I was hesitant to go in after him, but I eventually gave in, reminding myself I didn't want to be alone.

When we entered, I noticed the house looked like it did when I was growing up. Clean and spotless, with a touch of my mother's creativity and a touch of my father's studiousness. It was like stepping into the past.

The creeper hissed for me to follow and I quickly followed. He led me through the numerous rooms and stopped in the doorway of the dining room.

The cooks from when I was younger were setting the table. My mom sat at one end of the table while my father sat at the other. One side was my brother and the other was...

Me...

I looked so much younger. My features didn't look tired and depressed, but happy and excited. My hair was long with the bowl cut that was popular at the time. I inwardly cringed at why I thought that was a good idea when I was younger.

"Remember how happy you were in this?" The creeper asked me.

"Yeah," I breathed out. I couldn't help but feel a little bit of longing for the emotion that this me was experiencing.

"Well, let's skip forward five years," The creeper hissed and suddenly I was blinded by that same bright light.

When my vision returned to normal, I saw the atmosphere changed. I was fourteen in this. I didn't have the ridiculous bowl cut anymore but my hair was now in a style that I learned to resent and hate. My father had forced me to get the haircut after my hair started touching my shoulders. I remembered always thinking the cut made me look like a solider and I remembered hating it from the start.

But the cooks setting the table were different as well. These ones weren't as playful with me and didn't acknowledge me when I tried to have some fun. I remembered my father firing the cooks that used to always let me help with meals and play hide and seek with me.

My father looked up and requested something from the kitchen. One of the cooks nodded and began to walk off but my father pointed to me and told me to go get it.

I watched my expression change from calmness to fear as I slowly stood from my spot and walked past my father to the kitchen. My father reached his hand out and discretely rubbed my thigh as I passed and I saw the past me trying to hold back tears.

"Come on," The creeper ordered. I quickly followed not wanting to miss what was happening.

I already knew what was coming next. I remember this like it happened yesterday. It was, after all, the moment my depression got so much worse.

I stood behind the island while the other me rummaged through the many drawers, pulling out a knife. I saw myself begin to walk back to the dining room but I suddenly stopped. I looked around quickly, making sure no one was around and I lowered the knife to my skin.

I cringed and looked away. For some reason, I couldn't bear to see someone else do that in front of me. Well... Technically that was me... But... You get the point.

"How about we go forward a little more," The creeper told me and the flash of light occurred again. I averted my eyes to prevent myself from being blinded.

When I looked back up, I noticed I was out front. I saw a twenty year old me walking out of the house with numerous suitcases trailing with me. My mother and father stood at the doorway, looking angry. My brother stood just behind them and I noticed the look of sadness he had.

When I put my stuff in the cab, a car pulled up behind the cab and an angry Dan stepped out.
I sighed and once again looked away. I didn't want to see this again. Once was enough.
Dan started yelling at me and I just stood there, taking everything he said to me. Every insult and name.

He threw his hand down and I saw the promise ring he and I had gotten to symbolize our friendship years ago on the ground. He stepped on it, crushing it, along with our friendship.

"I hope you're happy," He growled at me before getting into his car and leaving again.

"Why are you showing me these?" I asked the creeper.

"I don't know, why am I?" He asked me in retaliation. I rolled my eyes and thought for a moment.

Was this supposed to be like my minds version of a therapy session? Cause if it was, it's not working at all. I dug deeper and deeper, trying to figure out the source for these memories.

It all came in a wave.

"You're showing me these because these were the moments that upset me the most," I told the creeper. The creeper gave me a look of approval (I have no idea how but I knew it was approval) and walked on.

I followed behind him and wondered to myself why my mind was doing this. Maybe I was dead and this was like a passageway to heaven sort of thing. Well... If that was so then I guess I finally accomplished the one thing I've been trying to do for over a year.

Then why do I feel so empty?

I shrugged it off as the creeper led me through another door.
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Author's Note:
Okay! I apologize for the lack of Mavin in this. I'm such a slacker.
Anyway, thanks for reading! And thank you to the two of you that helped me decide what I should do about this story. I really appreciate that.
Once again, thank you for reading and hope you guys enjoyed. Please leave some feedback!!!