(no subject)

[a_time_slip]

Julian, let's find the monster, destroy it, and get back home.

Comments

[a_time_slip]

Janie shivered, as she was dressed in a sleeveless top and a pair of shorts. A breeze began blowing at that exact moment, making the air feel even colder. The smell of smoke was in the air, the ground vibrated and a distant growl could be heard.

"Do you still want to do this?" Janie asked, cold and afraid.

[lostinthefog]

"Well... I'd rather go back to the beach with you", he answered quietly. "But somehow I got the feeling that we have to do this if we ever want to leave."

Julian had the gun in his hand now, trying to stay between Janie and their destination. The situation felt so surreal that he needed a moment to focus, and he knew that if they waited any longer, they probably wouldn't dare it at all.

He glanced into the direction where the growl was coming from, and then back at Janie. "It isn’t far now. Shall we go?"

[a_time_slip]

"Yes" She said, walking in that direction. The growling got louder, and the fog continued to swirl around the two of them. "I think we're here"

She was right, because the air started to clear, and a large monster stood in front of them, snarling loudly.

[lostinthefog]

The moment the monster became visible, Julian instantly pointed his gun at it, holding the weapon with both hands to keep it steady. He didn't shoot yet though, instead he tried to figure out what he was seeing and what its weak points might be.

"What the hell is that?" he muttered.

[a_time_slip]

"The eyes." Janie said, quickly "Usually. Most of the time." She sounded unsure as she stared at the monster, trying to figure out what it was. The beast was large, with four spiny arms, large teeth, and green eyes.

"I think... that monster feeds off of people. Sometimes energy, sometimes life. That must be why people want to stay here, so that it has food."

[lostinthefog]

Following Janie's advice, Julian shifted the gun a little so that he aimed right at one green eye.

"I wonder what it does to the people living here if we kill it then", Julian answered without taking his eyes off the surreal creature.

He took a deep breath. "Is it true?" he called out to the monster. "Do you feed off of these people?"

[a_time_slip]

"...I don't know." Janie said, quietly. "All of those people seemed so happy."

The monster leered at the two of them, almost daring Julian to shoot. "I make them happy." he growled "They will all wither and die of unhappiness if you kill me."

[lostinthefog]

Startled, Julian had to readjust his aim as he hadn't really expected an answer from the beast. But now that it had spoken, he couldn't simply shoot and get it over with.

"You're giving them happiness just so you can use them", Julian answered. Suddenly, he remembered his own feelings of happiness he had experienced here and the night he and Janie had spent at the beach, and he almost lost his resolve to leave. He quickly glanced at Janie and back at the monster, then cleared his throat before continuing.

"Let them go. All of us. If you release us now, we will leave in peace and not harm you."

[a_time_slip]

The monster laughed, which was loud, and terrible, and also somewhat absurd, because of how ferocious it was. "You will never stop me."

"Was it all fake?" Janie asked, quietly, as she stared at the monster. She felt like her heart was breaking "All of that happiness?"

The monster laughed once more. "Yes. If you kill me, you'll go back to misery!"

[lostinthefog]

"No", Julian answered, glaring at the monster, but speaking to Janie. "If it were true and all was fake, we wouldn't be here now. Think about it ... wasn't all this thing did to make us stop seeing what is wrong here?"

It might have been easier to enjoy the happiness without worrying about all the bad things, but it had felt very real to him. What he knew was real was that he didn't want it to be fake.

"And since when do we need a parasitic monster to feel happiness?" he therefore added defiantly.

[a_time_slip]

Janie looked at the monster, then at Julian "I liked it, with you." She still wasn't sure that she wanted to kill the monster, because she didn't want anything with Julian to change.

"Your lives were miserable before me." The monster said, sounding a little bored. "Go back to the town, and forget all about this."

[lostinthefog]

Julian returned the look, taking his attention off of the monster for a short moment. "So did I. Still do. It's up to us to keep it though, not to that thing."

The beast's words had sowed a little doubt in his mind, but he knew this was the right thing to do nevertheless. Speaking to the monster again, he shook his head.

"No. Thanks for the fun, but you're going to let us go now. And everyone else."

[a_time_slip]

Janie was about to answer, and tell Julian that yes, they would work any problems out, and stay together, when the monster spoke again.

"You're going to outlive him, Janie Taylor, just like you've outlived everyone else. Your heart will break long before then."

Janie's words caught in her throat, and she went back to staring at the monster.

"If you leave here, you'll never be happy again."


"I don't want this false happiness. Let us go!"

"NO!" Shouted the monster "YOU ARE TRAPPED. FOREVER!!!"

[lostinthefog]

Julian wanted to warn Janie not to listen to the monster's words, that they were nothing but lies, but it didn't seem necessary. Its spell was broken, at least for them.

When the monster shouted, Julian readjusted his aim and glared at it.

"No. It's too late. We've seen you through. We're leaving, and it's up to you whether we have to hurt you for doing this or if we don't. So?"

[a_time_slip]

"You'll never hurt me!" said the monster, as the fog quickly became thicker.

"He's going to run." Janie said, before raising her weapon and firing. She didn't want all of the people on the island to be unhappy, but she also didn't want the monster feeding off of them.

[lostinthefog]

"We'll see about that!"

Julian shot as well, letting the monster's voice guide his aim when seeing it became harder. He moved quickly and tried to reach for the creature, determined not to let it get away.

[a_time_slip]

The fog quickly lifted, and the ruins of a town surrounded them, and the monster lay dead on the ground.

"He's gone, Julian." she said, slowly "Do you feel any different? I still like you, and I don't think we made a mistake."

[lostinthefog]

Julian kept his gun aimed at the monster for a while longer as he couldn't believe that it should be over so quickly. But the beast didn't move, and he had a quick look around before turning to Janie again.

"... It doesn't feel as if anything changed", he answered, still too wary to feel relief. "Are you sure it is over?"

[a_time_slip]

"I don't know." She said, walking over to the monster "Should I shoot him again?"

She was worried. The ruins seemed empty, and everything was still quiet.

[lostinthefog]

"I don't think that's necessary", Julian answered quietly.

Watching the dead monster made him feel uncomfortable, but he looked thoroughly for any sign of life.
When he couldn't see anything, he focused on the ruins.

"We should have a look around this place, to make sure he hasn't got friends somewhere."

[a_time_slip]

"Right, others." She stared at the monster for a long moment, then turned away. "Let's do that, before they start that fog again... I can't wait to leave this place."

[lostinthefog]

Julian nodded and avoided looking at the monster again. This would give him a lot to think later, but now wasn't the time for it.

"Yes, you're right. Let's leave as soon as we're done here."

He started walking towards an empty street, listening to any sounds that might indicate someone else was here.

[a_time_slip]

There was a sound coming from a building at the end of the ruined street, but otherwise, it was silent.

"You pick the next vacation."

[lostinthefog]

Julian couldn't help but smile a little. "Alright. I'll pick something as boring and as little dangerous as possible."

Then, he focused on the building the sound was coming from and pointed. "Something's there. Let's have a look."

[a_time_slip]

"I want to have picnics with you, under the stars." Janie said "Can you pick somewhere like that? Please?"

She looked toward the building with fear, but walked to it anyway. She moved slowly and made sure Julian was never too far from her. "They're all going to have to rebuild this world... if they stay that is. This place is in ruins."