Chapter Text
Jax slumped into the auditorium seat as Caine hosted the Favorite character awards. The day did not end how he wanted it to. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened just a few hours earlier. His partnership with Pomni ended with her physically attacking him and him calling everyone in the Circus his playthings.
"What would you do If I abstracted tomorrow?"
Pomni 's words echoed in his head. Deep down, he knew damn well what he would do. But what he said was...
"I'd move on. And probably forget about you."
He wanted to say something else, but physically couldn't. All he could do was drive her away so he could spare himself and her more grief for when the inevitable happened. Just like he did the others. Their comments toward him ran through his mind as well.
"You're not the funny one!"
"It's better than turning her into some insensitive jerk who deflects everything!"
"Fun isn't the thing I hate..."
However, there was one memory in his head that drowned out the others. A hysterical voice that cut worse than anything else.
"You lied to me!"
An unpleasant tightness developed in his chest and stomach.
"You said we'd be safe here! That we shouldn't worry about looking for a way out! That all our problems were solved! Three people have turned into giant blob monsters and Caine dropped them in a large black hole !"
The tightness got worse...
"What if that happens to us? We're gonna die in this video game with no way out and there's nothing we can do about it!"
Jax's face contorted as if he were in physical pain...
"IT'S YOUR FAULT WE ENDED UP HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU! I...I WISH YOU DIED INSTEAD OF MOM AND DAD!!!"
Jax jumped up from his seat! His heart was beating rapidly! The room felt like it was spinning! He rushed to the bathroom! Running water should help calm his nerves! He stopped himself at a sink and turned the water on! Hanging over the sink he breathed in and out rapidly as the sound of the sink echoed in his ears. The white noise should help calm his nerves...
So why wasn't it working??
Why did it feel like his heart was gonna explode? Why was his breathing getting harder and harder?? Why wouldn't he calm down!!!? That's when he saw his right arm...
And the black multi eyed mass that started to appear...
As Caine continued on with the Favorite Character award, Pomni looked back at the distant seats behind her. She thought she saw Jax run off earlier and half expected him to come strolling back with that arrogant grin on his face, acting like nothing had happened. Only thing was, he wasn't there. Part of her wanted to just stay where she was. He made it very clear to her how he felt about her and the others.
Unfortunately for her, the other part of her couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She turned to Ragatha. "Hey, Ragatha?" she asked. "Did you see where Jax went?" Ragatha was not as worried. "He probably went to set up a prank for one us in our bedrooms," she responded, "Not surprising." Pomni looked back at the empty seat again. "I don't know" she said, "He ran of very fast; like something was wrong."
Ragatha sighed. Part of her didn't want her to go looking for the rabbit, but if Pomni was worried then maybe something was up. After all, it wasn't like they were enjoying this award show anyway. "Ok," she answered, "Let's go look for him." As they got up, she turned toward where Gangle and Zooble were seated. "Should we ask them for help?" Pomni looked over at the other two. Zooble has sprayed stupid sauce in their eye and was out of it. Gangle was keeping them company. "I think we'll be alright." she responded.
The two made their way into the main lobby of Caine's theater. For the most part it was quiet, until they heard running water."What's that?" Ragatha asked. Pomni lifted her hand up to her invisible ear. It sounded like he was in the restroom. "Maybe he's trying to flood the theater?" Pomni suggested half-jokingly. Ragatha suppressed a small chuckle at they walked to the door. "Jax," Ragatha called out in a suspicious tone as she opened the door up, "What are you...up...too"
Ragatha and Pomni moods went from suspicious to pure shock and horror at the sight before them. Jax was slumped over the bathroom sink. He was breathing abnormally heavily and was violently shaking! But what horrified them the most was the black mass that had covered his entire right arm, his right leg and half his face!
JAX WAS ABSTRACTING...
to be continued...